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What about starting with "Lighting the Path, Teachings on Wisdom and Compassion" by Dalai Lama?

snGussnGus Veteran
edited July 2011 in Buddhism Basics
I've been reading the Buddhist teachings on the internet, mainly on BuddhaNet. I even downloaded a fine free e-book from this site entitled "Good question good answer" by Ven. S. Dhammika which I recommend by the way.

I'm thinking about reading "Lighting the Path, Teachings on Wisdom and Compassion" by Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama. So I wanted to know your opinion on this book and if you don't mind your opinion on Tenzin Gyatso and what he represents to the Buddhism.

Comments

  • AmeliaAmelia Veteran
    I am also thumbing through Good Question Good Answer on my Kindle.
  • Temporary_arisingTemporary_arising
    The dalai lama is basically a politician. Absolutely useless in regards to help towards awakening.
  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    i've read some books by the dalai lama. the first book was called the art of happiness. i never really was into buddhism so it was a good introduction to what buddhism had to offer.

    i think the dalai lama is a buddhist popularizer. worked for me lol.
  • snGussnGus Veteran
    The dalai lama is basically a politician. Absolutely useless in regards to help towards awakening.
    If that's so, are there texts that the Buddhist community as a whole takes as a main or dogmatic writing that would give a reliable introduction on the Dharma for someone who is attempting to understand it?

    Because there are lots of recommendations by many people but I still have not found a reading that simultaneously serves to this purpose (understanding the Dharma) and that the Buddhist community as a whole recognizes as a good and/or reliable material.

    All I got are books that some like while others dislike for different reasons.

    And all I want is something that will lead me to the right way to the understanding of the Dharma and---who knows---the enlightenment itself.
  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    The dalai lama is basically a politician. Absolutely useless in regards to help towards awakening.
    If that's so, are there texts that the Buddhist community as a whole takes as a main or dogmatic writing that would give a reliable introduction on the Dharma for someone who is attempting to understand it?
    It's not necessarily so, its just one opinion. I personally really like the Dalai Lama's teachings. The best thing to do is read several different authors from several different traditions and see what resonates most with you. The best book/author is the one that you learn from the most and that varies from person to person.
  • VajraheartVajraheart Veteran
    edited July 2011
    @Temporary_arising has not read the Dalai Lamas books it seems? Well, not the nuanced ones at least. He does have more Politically Correct talks, but then he also has the talks that are geared towards heart core Buddhists, I mean those that really want to get to the core or the heart of Buddhist views. The Dalai Lama knows his stuff and is highly experienced internally. His meditation practice is very powerful. I've seen it. He's deep!!! He's a Dzogchenpa and definitely an emanation of Buddhahood. The first time I saw him meditating, I wasn't even Buddhist, I was a devout Hindu, I fell off my couch in blissful fits, my body flapping around in incredible fits of energy and information pouring through me. I'm not kidding. They would have put a straight jacket on me I tell you!
  • VajraheartVajraheart Veteran
    edited July 2011
    i've read some books by the dalai lama. the first book was called the art of happiness. i never really was into buddhism so it was a good introduction to what buddhism had to offer.

    i think the dalai lama is a buddhist popularizer. worked for me lol.
    He's got a lot of books. Different books will be very different in content and context. :D He's a genius!
  • VajraheartVajraheart Veteran
    edited July 2011
    Sorry, that sounded egotistical when I read that back. But... it's true, he's a genius! Bad at English though. :(
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited July 2011
    there is no homogenous buddhist community. but there are geniuses :)
  • VajraheartVajraheart Veteran
    Right! We're just a bunch of wanabe Buddhas. Don't trust anyone here on face value, see what resonates and follow your bliss!
  • VajraheartVajraheart Veteran
    Just don't make an identity out of it! lol!! evolve that bliss!
  • Bodha8Bodha8 Veteran
    The dalai lama is basically a politician. Absolutely useless in regards to help towards awakening.
    Very interesting.
  • VajraheartVajraheart Veteran
    edited July 2011
    The dalai lama is basically a politician. Absolutely useless in regards to help towards awakening.
    Very interesting.
    @Bodha8
    And absolutely subjective without factual basis other than his limited subjectivity.

    My experience is as well subjective, but valid too. So, which perspective is correct if neither are objective in and of themselves?
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    I don't know just surf the vibes
  • VajraheartVajraheart Veteran
    edited July 2011
    I don't know just surf the vibes
    @Jeffrey
    While questioning your interpretation of the vibes. ;)

    I didn't even really experience how deep the Dalai Lama was until I received mind pointing into Buddhist lineage. This was years after my body bliss out that I had watching him doing his daily practice. So, as wonderful as that was, it wasn't as profound as what I experienced after getting Rigpa transmission from Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. :D Which was the single most profound experience of my thus far remembered existence spanning many lifetimes. That transmission from him threw me on a metaphysical summersault for months! Dreams, visions, blah, blah, blah... Incredible!! I had done a lot of work pryer though, so... um. The mind state of no expectancy is important when it comes to such things.
  • Bodha8Bodha8 Veteran
    The dalai lama is basically a politician. Absolutely useless in regards to help towards awakening.
    Very interesting.
    @Bodha8
    And absolutely subjective without factual basis other than his limited subjectivity.

    My experience is as well subjective, but valid too. So, which perspective is correct if neither are objective in and of themselves?
    So that we can respectively understand. Can you please explain to us (with a few examples) the difference between the validity of your subjectivity and the non-factual limited subjectivity of HHDL.

    Thanking you in advance.

    Namaste
  • VajraheartVajraheart Veteran
    edited July 2011
    The dalai lama is basically a politician. Absolutely useless in regards to help towards awakening.
    Very interesting.
    @Bodha8
    And absolutely subjective without factual basis other than his limited subjectivity.

    My experience is as well subjective, but valid too. So, which perspective is correct if neither are objective in and of themselves?
    So that we can respectively understand. Can you please explain to us (with a few examples) the difference between the validity of your subjectivity and the non-factual limited subjectivity of HHDL.

    Thanking you in advance.

    Namaste
    @Bodha8

    Did you read my other posts? I was talking about Temporary_arising Not HHDL.

    I'm saying that my subjective experience, though not inherently factual, is as well subjective like his, though valid relative to whatever level of information inception as a pre-determination for both persons experiences, meaning mine and his.

    For me, the HHDL is so highly evolved beyond what most people can ever dream of ascertaining in a single lifetime.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    your subjectivity is valid Bodha8. do you find that to be true?
  • Bodha8Bodha8 Veteran
    Thank You Vajraheart.
  • Bodha8Bodha8 Veteran
    your subjectivity is valid Bodha8. do you find that to be true?
    No.

  • VajraheartVajraheart Veteran
    edited July 2011
    your subjectivity is valid Bodha8. do you find that to be true?
    No.

    @Bodha8

    Well, where else are you going to reference the start of your path on? It's good that you say "no" in a sense though. But really the answer is neither, as you have nothing other to reference for realization other than your subjective experience to go upon the search of questioning it in order to be more objective about the nature of yourself and phenomena.

    Right? That seems a little run on sentence, but do you get it?

    Thus, your subjective experience is validated by the very process of questioning it. It is valid, accept it as a relative reality, don't deny your experience, don't suppress it. Embrace it, and thus you can honestly question it. :) Right? We already know this though.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    I think 'No' is valid in that we can have delusions, but there is also the capacity to realize when we are having a delusion. If we couldn't then the path would be impossible.
  • VajraheartVajraheart Veteran
    edited July 2011
    :)
  • jlljll Veteran
    kinda harsh dont you think.
    The dalai lama is basically a politician. Absolutely useless in regards to help towards awakening.
  • Bodha8Bodha8 Veteran
    kinda harsh dont you think.
    The dalai lama is basically a politician. Absolutely useless in regards to help towards awakening.
    There are few things as boring as predictability.

  • VajraheartVajraheart Veteran
    I'm just saying that validating subjective experiences have more value than negating the existence of a rabbits horns, as we know objectively that this never existed but your subjective reality exists, at least inter-relatively so. So, this is why I say neither yes, nor no.
  • Bodha8Bodha8 Veteran
    The veil of my self (ego), is the reason that I can give no validity to my subjectivity. I know that to most of us, our "reality exists" (to us), but I question the validity of that reality as a result of not being free of the ego.

    with metta
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    kinda harsh dont you think.
    The dalai lama is basically a politician. Absolutely useless in regards to help towards awakening.
    I wouldnt say hes useless, But I would agree with the point that first and foremost he is a politician. There is a drama that sorrounds HH Dalai lama its been reconmended by masters that if one goes to recieve teachings from him and are already part of a sangha arrive late and leave early to avoid the dramatics.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited July 2011
    yeah just take the wafer make sure to give the guy making cornstalk crucifixes a 20 dollar bill. Memories.
  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    edited July 2011
    yeah just take the wafer make sure to give the guy making cornstalk crucifixes a 20 dollar bill. Memories.
    OK, can someone explain the thing with the wafer and the wine? It's supposed to be Jesus' flesh and his blood? Does this gross anyone out? :p Does this strike anyone as a bit cannibalistic? Or is it like ancient tantra, you know, sitting on corpses to meditate, or wearing skull necklaces, or whatever? I mean, where did this bizarre tradition come from? Any clues? :scratch:

  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    No I was saying there is Christians that just take the wafer that come later and leave early because all they want is the wafer out of superstition.

    Thich Nhat Hanh thinks the wafer means to be mindful that Christs energy (holy spirit) is in the world today.
  • Temporary_arisingTemporary_arising
    To respond to the replies made to my previous comment, i've read 7 different books by the him and not one was worth the time.
    I obviously can't judge his or anybody else's level of realisation, but i haven't ever read or heard anything by him which was guidance towards awakening.
    I also personally object to his giving fake blessings etc. It would be far more productive to teach the truth if he's realised it?
    That they can only help themselves, and that him paying him money to put a scarf on doesn't help.t him paying him money to put a scarf on doesn't help.
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    Well no worries its only the Dalai lama he not everyone clicks with him nor his books what would you say was the thing that turned your of about his books TA ?
  • snGussnGus Veteran
    Ok so it's bad to read Dalai Lama.

    Then what should I read? I saw other threads regarding recommended readings for Buddhism but none of them seemed interesting. I even remember one of them had something to hippies (?).

    Have any of you read the Tripitaka? Is it a worthwhile reading for someone who needs introductory directions on Buddhism?
  • snGussnGus Veteran
    Hmm I took my time to go to a bookstore and I found a Portuguese translation of "Buddhism for Dummies" by Jonathan Landaw and Stephan Bodian (http://www.dummies.com/store/product/Buddhism-For-Dummies.productCd-0764553593.html). I've read the 1st chapter and it seems just the right thing for me at the moment. So I'd like to recommend it to anyone in my situation, which is someone who is interested in the ways of the Dharma but needs initial directions.
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