Simplicity Overcomplicated

FairyFeller

When I first became interested in Buddhism one of the things that attracted me was it seemed simplistic in a minimalistic way, not in an easy way but minimalist. It seemed part of the enlightenment was that we all have it in us but we overcomplicate everything but if we actually look inside ourselves it's all there.

The more I read on the subject the more complicated it all seems and this seems to step away from enlightenment as we seems to have to jump through so many hoops depending on which path we follow.

In your opinions am I reading the wrong things or was I wrong in the first place? I'm not looking for an easy way but just the right way.

tmottes

I have found that I cycle. I move from simplicity to complexity and back again. I read a ton, get a ton of info, and then I get overloaded. I then return to my meditations and let it all sink in. Then everything seems simple again. The monk at a local temple suggested that I pick one sutra, read it, study it, meditate on it, etc. He said I could take months or even years on a single sutra. I am not sure if I function that way, but I am going to give it a try. Perhaps you could benefit from the same?

federica

FairyFeller said:

When I first became interested in Buddhism one of the things that attracted me was it seemed simplistic in a minimalistic way, not in an easy way but minimalist. It seemed part of the enlightenment was that we all have it in us but we overcomplicate everything but if we actually look inside ourselves it's all there.

The more I read on the subject the more complicated it all seems and this seems to step away from enlightenment as we seems to have to jump through so many hoops depending on which path we follow.

In your opinions am I reading the wrong things or was I wrong in the first place? I'm not looking for an easy way but just the right way.

Interesting phraseology...
Many confuse meanings:
"Simple" - doesn't mean "Easy". It means that actually, it's right under your nose....
A Bikkhuni once told me that bringing down Buddhism to the 4, the 8 and the 5 was all well and good, but it got even better than that: "Simplify!" she declared, her face beaming.

I said earlier in a different thread, that many Buddhists choose to over-complicate matters, like studying the suttas and the teachings of the Buddha, to such a point that they tie themselves in knots - when in actual fact, Buddhism is actually a very simple practice.
The hard part comes in practising the Simplicity of it all.

jessie70

@tmottes- I have a similar pattern. I read and study a bunch, and when I feel I am over-thinking and clinging to the intellectual ideas I take a break. Then I spend more time on the cushion, go outside, or observe my own thoughts and practice more physical awareness.

I'm guessing the first few years of study of any subject like this- one is drinking it all in.
Imagine trying to learn all of American History in one year. As you learn, more history is also still being created... but after awhile, certain stories and references become known. Whole ideas are condensed into words, and are part of your working vocabulary. "McCarthyism"... "Karma". You can see the story arc, and everything starts to make more sense. You are able to place new stories and historical fiction into periods without extra work... You have an intuitive, natural understanding of who was in office when, when someone was President or vice president and what was going on in the world at the time... after awhile you can connect the music, the sporting events, trends and other details to each decade... you have a bigger picture view of the subject. Then you might read a book about American History from a different perspective, and some ideas are challenged or turned upside-down- it doesn't confuse you- it's a breath of fresh air.

That is how you learn a subject. Buddhism has a rich and fascinating history, there are many subtle different schools of thought, and many stories and sutras- Dharma is rich and full of images and ideas... and we can spend our lives learning about it. You can take a Buddhism class and learn a great deal of "book knowledge" about the subject, but still never really "get" or internalize the core Buddhist insight. But the basic, core truth, I think, can be grasped on one's own. Time spent in mindful awareness, in meditation, and actively loving and caring for others can unlock that truth. It helps to read and learn about Buddhist thought, but the center, the purest part of Buddhism is really already within us. In my opinion that core is most helpful, healing and useful part anyway.