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No Help Buddhism...
I have tried to read the suttas. They, to me, are very repetitive and full of the "fluff," per se. They do not seem to give practical advice. Maybe I do not read their English well and cannot understand them, but that is an issue I have with the suttas. I am looking for a way to practice Buddhism, but everything I look up seems too vague, for lack of the better term.
For example, the four noble truths in general just say "do good." You know, have the "right speech" and the "right job" and the likes. That is just basic morality. Maybe Buddhism is not for me. I'm looking for a set path to lead to enlightenment/happiness, not just "be good." Maybe I am looking in the wrong places, for I am unsure. Maybe I am not looking enough into it. I want some advice on what to do in daily life, rather than vague expressions of "do the right, skillful thing." I want 'What exactly should I do in this situation?' and then the answer. How do I "practice" Buddhism? I just do not know. Maybe the Buddhism life is not good for me personally. I think I may have to search elsewhere. Maybe I am just ignorant.
I bought a book entitled, "What Would Buddha Do?" and it talks about the situations we are in during the daily basis. It then talks about how the Buddha (would) says how we should respond. But even that book does not really give the practical answers. Just fluff of "do good."
I do not know. Sorry.
For example, the four noble truths in general just say "do good." You know, have the "right speech" and the "right job" and the likes. That is just basic morality. Maybe Buddhism is not for me. I'm looking for a set path to lead to enlightenment/happiness, not just "be good." Maybe I am looking in the wrong places, for I am unsure. Maybe I am not looking enough into it. I want some advice on what to do in daily life, rather than vague expressions of "do the right, skillful thing." I want 'What exactly should I do in this situation?' and then the answer. How do I "practice" Buddhism? I just do not know. Maybe the Buddhism life is not good for me personally. I think I may have to search elsewhere. Maybe I am just ignorant.
I bought a book entitled, "What Would Buddha Do?" and it talks about the situations we are in during the daily basis. It then talks about how the Buddha (would) says how we should respond. But even that book does not really give the practical answers. Just fluff of "do good."
I do not know. Sorry.
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Comments
It just gave me another way in which I deal with my problems. First through acknowledgement, then acceptance, then investigation.
Morality and meditation practice just strengthened the foundation for the process of acceptance and investigation. Through both acceptance and investigation Buddhism has in essence allowed myself to be more flexible with life and to even see the patterns in my life that lead towards negativity.
But that is my experience of Buddhism.
In a way I would really do some deep digging. What do you want from all of this? Buddhism is a systematic path that leads one out of suffering through insight practice and various other practices.
Do you want to become happier? A better person? More concentration? More successful? Freedom from pain?
Also, the insight, that many of our thoughts are manufactured and habitual, and that one needs to seek a better understanding of reality is something that you can take away from Buddhism and apply on a daily basis.
When panicking, as we all do at times, it is helpful to concentrate on the situation at hand or just calm oneself w meditation rather than to allow the mind to spin off into an uncertain future, as tends to happen when we imagine the worst case scenario and cause ourselves more pain than necessary. Same with the past, it's done. No point in regurgitating painful situations...
Meditative practice can help shape the mind to see us through trying times in our lives - a time when we need to be able to rely on clear judgement more than any other time.
i am studying Buddha's teachings currently and it is i think my 7th day of learning his teachings. so i am no Buddhist and neither do i clearly know all his teachings, but still i am trying to understand his teachings - my view is his teachings are having very deep meaning and are very practical, which can also help us to solve our real life problems indirectly.
To understand Buddha's teachings, first understand the 4 noble truths - if you really understand these, then what follows is both more meaningful and helpful to you. Even the first noble truth of Dukhkha or suffering, which tells that we are Five aggregates itself gives a lot of insight. Now only understanding these concepts is not enough, so Buddha told the eight fold path to practice. It is needed because if we continue to do our habitual actions just as a reaction to an external stimuli, without understanding the true reality - we will just act as per our mind, which obviously takes us more engulfed in the external world and making us far away from our true reality which is inside. Doing meditation, without having moral conduct in our daily activities, does not help because daily activities without moral ethics will in turn disturb the mind and this no calm mind will come shouting in meditation, leading to crashing of meditation.
So the eight fold path needs to be practiced in our daily life, and doing it will in turn make us 'do good'. So my advice is please try to understand Buddha's teachings again and also please try to live as per Buddha's teachings, even though i understand its too tough and it is easier saying than doing.
Whatever i have said above are my understanding and i can be a complete idiot to not to be able to understand Buddha's teachings correctly, so please feel free to neglect my this post.
Rather than assuming we all want the same thing with the same intensity, I find it makes a lot of sense to assess where/how we differ so we can adjust our comments accordingly.
The way I see it, there are no set rules in Buddhism - it's up to the individual to decide what and how much they want.
@bekenze -- The sutras/suttas plus a dollar will get you a bus ride when it comes to finding some peace in this life. Yes they can be informative. But they are only as informative as the person reading them ... no more and no less.
The truth of Buddhism does not come from a book or a temple or a teacher or a ritual or a particular set of clothes. It comes from the very personal effort that individual Buddhists make. Meditation is one such effort -- the actual-factual, day-by-day, literal sit-down-straighten-the-spine-sit-still-shut-up-and-focus-the-mind effort. Within this framework, people can choose to read the sutras/suttas or choose not to. Either way, they have the capacity to make an effort that can bear some fruit. Your life, your choice.
Just thinking.
We all start out looking for the secret. It's a journey that takes us in a circle, really. If you walk long enough in the same direction, you end up where you started. But, we're not the same person. It's the journey that changes us.
Buddhism says the secret ingredient isn't out there. It isn't something you vow to do, or something you earn, or even a gift from a loving God. The secret is you.
I'd suggest you stop trying to decypher dusty old words from long dead monks, and instead start reading what today's Masters are trying to say. Stick to the basics until you understand what they're saying. There's a reason the Noble Truths are called that, and not a year goes by that I don't come to a deeper comprehension of what those few words are trying to tell me.
But if you still feed the urge to find that secret to life, maybe you just need to continue the journey. Nothing in life is wasted. What you have read and learned will go with you. I wish you all the best in your search.
Hope this helps.
On purpose....
Why?
Because they were meant to be memorised, so repetition aided the memory retention.
Buddhism has no answers whatsoever, to anything you might need.
You supply the answers to what you need by learning, studying, appreciating, understanding and practising.
Buddhism has no easy-bite short-cuts.
It's the hardest thing I've ever done, and yet, it is simplicity itself.
If I could sum Buddhism up in a short phrase it would be
"Let go, and lighten up."
Story of my life, really, it's not enough for me to take the time to learn and grow, I need perfect understanding right NOW. Thankfully, that attitude seems to have subsided recently. I now feel more comfortable simply taking the time. I meditate often, I've started reading the suttas and, although I certainly don't understand everything, I feel more patient simply reading and re-reading and allowing for time to do it's thing. There's more I could be doing, of course, but for now I'm content with my practice.
But, to be honest, I think it's been a process to get to this point. If someone had thrown the suttas at me in July of '09, I don't think I would have had the patience for them. A lot of "other work" had to be done first before I could be open to them. I don't know if that's the case with you, but it might be worth considering what kinds of mental/emotional blocks you have (if any) and focusing on those first. I've found that once I did that, things became a lot clearer.
Just my experience.
Buddhism doesn't have a list of rules on how to deal with situations because situations are complex and vary widely. Instead what it seeks to do is make us wiser more caring individuals who are able to tackle the different situations in our lives in a way that brings more happiness and less suffering.
A Buddhist lay practice, done correctly, looks exactly like a normal, everyday life. That's what it is, really, normal life lived according to the precepts and Dharma. If there is a Sangha around you, attending services would be a big part of your practice. Lots of us aren't in that position, though.
So my practice is to ask myself, when I go to bed, did I keep the precepts today? If not, why not? More important, did I act with compassion toward others? If not, what got in my way? Did I take a few minutes out of my busy schedule to meditate? If not, I can certainly do so right now.
It's not an exciting practice. It's called the Bodhisattva way. I wasn't very good at it, at first. But, I think I can see a bit of improvement over the years.
He defined love as doing unto others as one would wish done unto oneself.
He taught that if one did not live in such a manner, one would eventually end up in "Gehenna," which was the name of the refuse dump of the city of Jerusalem in his day. In short, he taught that it is essential to treat others as one would wish to be treated oneself, or one will be throwing one's own life away.
The Buddha said that the practice of his teachings was the practice of compassion.
He defined compassion as treating other sentient beings as one would treat oneself.
He taught that if one did not live in such a manner, that one would be simply cranking the wheel of suffering for oneself through time and space, because the suffering one creates for others, one literally creates for oneself through time and space in the cosmos. It's do unto others as you would wish done unto you because it's guaranteed that you'll eventually see the other side of that equation.
Both of them lived in a time a place where humanity lived very close to nature, observed nature very closely on a daily basis, and regarded rebirth as a natural and observable phenomenon.
Both of their teachings have been generally discarded or severely corrupted in times and places where individuals are far more intent on dominating and controlling nature than respecting and observing nature.
Both of their teachings have also been used and corrupted at various places and times over the centuries by various ganglords of the earth in order to support and justify their own assertions of "Do as we command or we will (shun, silence, torture, or kill) you"
but screaming, killing, and demanding doesn't change Newton's exceedingly scientifically demonstrable 3rd law of motion:
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction
which indeed supports both Jesus of Nazareth's and Buddha's teachings.
Best of luck with your own practice!
we have had occasionally, posts by members who are bringing up children, and whose spouses are not Buddhist, who ask, "how can I bring up my children to appreciate the core values of Buddhism, without necessarily stepping on my wife/husband's toes? I don't wish to be pushy, but I know Buddhism is a good path to follow...."
The same answer has been given to them, as is now being given to you:
You don't have to be Buddhist to practice Buddhism, and you need not even call it Buddhism at all.
Start by sticking diligently to the 5 Precepts. That is already, in and of itself, an enormous challenge and splendid learning curve.
How does one actually practice Buddhism?
One practices Buddhism by Doing The Right Thing.
(....and incidentally, the 8Fold path has before now, been referred to as 'right Everything').
To attain the noble view you MUST meditate. You are correct that the sutras are repetitive. That was done because of an oral tradition. You are correct that there are levels to the sutras. It might take education from others to understand the higher levels. A teacher would help or youtubes from teachers such as Ayya Khem, Ajahn Brahm, pema chodron, surya das, thich nhat hanh, Seung Zan, Gangaji, and Mooji.
The four noble truths is not on an intellectual level. It is on a practice level. Your life provides examples of suffering even a dog annoying you
By following the precepts and doing meditation practice.
Good questions.
I think what could help you maybe – when doing well is to abstract - is to start working on the mental states called brahmavihara.
They are about developing kindness and love; about sharing in other peoples‘ joys and pains and about being compassionate. When you develop these mental states you’re on the short track to enlightenment (so to speak).
The OP might also enjoy this site:
http://books.google.com/books?id=69dNpJa-VzkC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
Mindfulness of our thoughts and emotions as we go through the day, and meditation are tools to aid the letting-go process, the abandonment of ego-clinging.
Still too vague? lol ! You can be your own guide once you have an awareness of your own tendencies and how they affect your decisions and therefore, your life, the choices you make in life. Buddhism doesn't tell you what to do in specific situations. Rather, it empowers you to make your own wise choices. But it takes time to work its magic.
Start with monitoring your reactions to events and people. Ask yourself, "why did I react this way? Why did I get angry?" Examine that. Practice letting the anger, hate, whatever, go. Watch it pass. Easier said than done.
if you just try to adhere to the precepts and meditate with discipline that is hard enough to start with.
It's also the most difficult.
"simple" doesn't mean "easy".....
What is right is not always popular
That's a for sure.
It's always simple.
the Dhamma doesn't change whether your mind is clouded by ego and kleshas or not.
It is your perception and clinging that complicates things and renders them difficult.
For example:
First you see a bike, which you cannot ride.
Then you get on the bike, and practice riding.
Eventually, after many tumbles, and much effort, you become capable of riding the bike.
Throughout, the bike hasn't changed at all, though.... has it?
and it takes going many times around that block to become proficient.
it's not the bike.
It's the bike-rider.
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2003/02/buddhist_retreat.html?google_editors_picks=true
Something to ponder for me...is all this discussion really worth the suffering it can create, when it all may just be an illusion we have created for ourselves?
I have long held the opinion that "religion", in its proper context form is just another form of "law". It's meant to create order out of what might otherwise be chaos. I came to that conclusion at a young age thanks to a book called "The Source" by James Mitchener. A tedious read, however it was profound in its own right.
I also agree with the idea that Buddhism doesn't provide a step-by-step guide to how to deal with the vast menu of situations and challenges that come up in life. "Doing good" is in the eye of the beholder, and the beholder's eye can be clouded by his/her own perceptions, needs, personal issues, etc. I see Buddhism as like psychology, where it helps you leave your own baggage behind, and get to where your good-doing is skillful and in the best interests of all involved.
"Practice" is more than doing good. I think C_W said it best (practicing mindfulness, etc.) , and I like this, by octinomos. Buddhist practice is about removing the blindness or myopia with which we view the world, due to our own egos.
I've heard some centers have good teachers (I've heard this about Ch'an, especially) who gently but firmly guide students to drop their ego-clinging, to help them spot when they're kind of fooling themselves or are hiding behind self-defenses. A good teacher is a great gift and a rare gem.
Contrary to your statement I solve all of my issues from a Buddhist perspektve and I also think that the Dhamma is full of practical advice to solve real life situations.
Reading Buddhism might give you a lcking view of it. Find a good teacher.
Could you be more specific as to what type of probs you are looking to solve? PMme if you wish.
There is no better way to really solve a practical problem than Buddhist problem solving.
Cheers
Victor
If the answer is no then you can keep on walking as buddhism does not apply to you. But if you have experience in those three I recommend pick up a good book and read the dharma.
Off topic: In some ways our culture is more conducive to buddhism than chinese, japanese, and Tibetan. We are an Indo-Europian culture in ancient times, though have been influenced by Christianity for 2000 years. India was Indo-European as well. To me that means if China, Tibet, and Japan as even more foreign to India can absorb buddhism then we can too.
@Bekenze, maybe Buddhism is not for you, there's no shame in that, if it's not a fit. What is your "fluff" is other's way of life. We tend to pass negative judgement on what we do not understand. I admit that I hate Math!
Maybe in learning other tenets of Buddhism you can come to appreciate it, maybe not. Whatever you decide, best of luck to you
and it 's not 'may just be an illusion'....
It IS an illusion.
We would do well to use ears/eyes and mouth in proportion. two to one.
this is why I am a great advocate of Simplicity. The 4, the 8 and the 5 are more than sufficient to hold our attention over a lifetime's study.
The dhammapada is basically and loosely speaking, a brief, summary or synopsis of the entirety of the Buddha's teachings.
All this - careful, personal study, understanding and application of the above - is more than enough to keep us on the road we're travelling.
And even this post is too much 'blah blah blah'.....