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Buddhist Schools
For those of you that know I teach, no, i am not letting the chillens run wild today. I have the day off which has allowed me to catch up on reading.
I am still learning about the three major schools of Buddhism: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana.
I understand the main differences. I see great things in all. I would like to pick one and focus on it, perhaps join a local sangha...though I would have to drive 1.5 hours!
I am curious about your experiences and attractions to your choice. I know many are following Zen.
What holds me back is: I like Dzogchen ( I have read many of Lama Surya Das's books). But I am fascinated with the Theravada history, Pali. I have read that Tantric practices are kept from those not initiated. So am I missing out on stuff?
confused.....:scratch:
I am still learning about the three major schools of Buddhism: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana.
I understand the main differences. I see great things in all. I would like to pick one and focus on it, perhaps join a local sangha...though I would have to drive 1.5 hours!
I am curious about your experiences and attractions to your choice. I know many are following Zen.
What holds me back is: I like Dzogchen ( I have read many of Lama Surya Das's books). But I am fascinated with the Theravada history, Pali. I have read that Tantric practices are kept from those not initiated. So am I missing out on stuff?
confused.....:scratch:
0
Comments
The thing about Vajrajana is the devotion to guru. Are you interested in viewing another human being as a diety as a practice to realize your own inner guru?
To answer your question, no...I would like to have a teacher, but not a guru.
I am reading one of Lama Surya Das's books right now - but am still undecided about which path is right for me.
Maybe we can figure this out together.
Namaste,
Michelle
edited for spelling
I would love that!
No guru...no Vajrayana. That leaves the other two schools.
Zen is Mahayana, and really 'appealed' to me...until BAM!...I ran into my root teacher. Up till then, the links to Zen and martial arts and Japan...it was where I was researching. BUT I could not seem to make headway. The harder I pushed to contact a Zen priest, or find a space in my life to get to sangha...the harder it got to connect.
Right...I ruled Vajrayana out...hene my ?'s regarding the other two.
I like the Tibetan stye so far...not really into the Asian..(other than decor for my house, lol).
I wouldn't automatically rule out Vajrayana just because of the "guru" issue. What you may be experiencing is fear based on your ego fearing that it may be destroyed! Yeah, people do often feel a lot of fear at giving up what they consider to be their "independence" and "freedom". But that's just ego talking. What you need to do is follow your heart and let it choose the path (or as Harlan says, quite correctly, let the path choose you). In other words, you have to get your ego out of the way as it will, as it always has from time out of mind, lead you in the wrong direction.
I would suggest as an aid to finding your path that you read the book "The Myth of Freedom" by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. It might help you get over some of these issues you're experiencing. And I might add that, based on my own experience, fear should be a guidepost to lead you to what you fear the most. Fear is like a big red light that says "this is what you need to work on the most". So please keep that in mind as well. That doesn't mean that I think Vajrayana is the one and only way, just that I think you should keep an open mind about everything.
Best wishes!
Palzang
I was thinking more along the lines of: there aren't any Buddhist Sangha's locally where I am.
I think I would definitely have a hard time having a "guru". I have a lot of distrust for people in positions of leadership and authority. I'm sure it's my ego.
But, I don't worry about it and go along slowly trying to peel away all the layers of "me" I've acquired through the years.
-bf
Me too! I thought I was the only one that happened to be a bit confused.
I stood in front of the books on Buddhism at Border's today and had no clue what to get.
Namaste,
Michelle
It would be my pleasure
After standing in the Buddhism section for 30 minutes and not deciding on anything, I made my way over to cookbooks - an area I am much more comfortable in. Anyone for dessert?
Namaste,
Michelle
I agree with this. As I've said in other threads, I came to Buddhism through reading books on Theosophy, and these have a distinctly Mahayana slant to them, so I guess my take on everything was influenced by this. When other members took the faith quiz elsewhere on this forum, I decided to do the same to see if my opinions and beliefs had any bearing on the result. It confirmed what I suspected- that I tend towards the Mahayana tradition.
It's one who teaches you about onions, potatoes, carrots...
No, actually, one's root teacher is the teacher with whom you have formed a teacher/student relationship. I've had many teachers, but only one root teacher. It's the one you make a bond with, a sort of contract where the teacher pledges to return again and again to samsara until you are led to enlightenment, and you in turn make the pledge to do your best to do what your teacher asks you to do to make that happen.
Many people in the West have a problem with this concept. It's only natural. We've all read lots of stories about self-proclaimed teachers who have led their trusting students down the garden path. Kool-aid anyone? But this is different. This is more like AA where you have a sponsor who does essentially the same thing. In AA you're taught not to trust your own mind because it is so deluded that you can't trust what it's telling you. Instead you trust the sponsor who's already traveled the road to sobriety.
In the teacher/student relationship in Vajrayana Buddhism it's exactly the same thing. You can't trust what your mind is telling you because it's too deluded to be able to tell what to trust and what not to trust. It's addicted to samsara, you might say. Therefore you trust the teacher who's already traveled the road to enlightenment and who can guide you and help you bypass the obstacles you yourself can't see (at least until it's too late!). You're not really giving up anything by entering this relationship (other than your delusions), but you stand to gain everything.
Palzang
I'm looking forward to the day that my root teacher and I find each other.
I can also see why one would have to remain on guard.
Genyru...I wish I was here a year ago before I spent a small fortune on Buddhism books!
However, the ones I bought on instinct, hae been very helpful.
Providing it's extremely fattening, decadent and I can have seconds - I'm in!!
What if you find your root teacher, but neither s/he nor you realise they are.....?
What if you miss the Golden Opportunity?
Bad Karma!
Generally speaking, if you make wishing prayers to meet your root guru, you will when the time is right. The 7-line prayer (an invocation to Guru Rinpoche) is an excellent way to accomplish this.
Sharpiegirl, buying books "on instinct" is an excellent way to do it. Your instinct is your best guide, I think. You will find the path that most naturally attracts you this way. Read books, try going to different Buddhist temples and so on, see what fits. I remember when I was searching I went to Shasta Abbey in California, even though I was living in Chicago, just to see if that was right for me because I really got to like Zen when I was in Japan. I found out that that lifestyle wasn't really right for me, so I kept looking and eventually wound up in Tibetan Buddhism, which feels right for me. So I think that's the advice I would give, just try everything and see what fits!
Palzang
I've just made my way back to this thread - I seem to be reading posts lately and not posting much.
How are you doing? Have you reached a decision on a particular path? I'm still a wanderer for now, but am looking forward to feeling more like I have found the 'right path'.
I hope all is going well for you.
Namaste,
Michelle
Hi Michelle! It's nice to hear from you!
I too have been reading here and there, but keeping quiet. I don't feel at this point I am knowledgable of each of the different paths to pick one...though I seem to be attracted to Tibetan and Dzogchen.
I wish there was a sangha around where I live. But the closest is an hour and a half! So I keep reading and reflecting....
Metta back to you!
Marybeth
Hi Marybeth,
It's nice to hear from you,too. Our paths seem very similar - I'm attracted to Tibetan, hoping to find a close sangha, and reading & reading.
I feel the same as you, that I'm not knowledgable enough at this time to choose a particular school. I attended a Vipassana meditation group this evening and it was really nice.Something I would definitely do again.
For now I will do as you are doing ....read & reflect
Namaste,
Michelle
Thank you, Genryu. I hope you are doing well and healing.
Namaste,
Michelle
p.s. I didn't know you are in Georgia now. We were there on vacation the end of June - it would have been great to see you.
It sure would have been great to meet you - maybe you'll make it back to Michigan someday.
Namaste,
Michelle