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Favourite school/type of Buddhism and Why?
Benjamin
England Explorer
I'm curious and would like to know why people have chosen what they have and why 
0
Comments
I've been doing this for nearly 30 years, and I don't think I've actually made a definite decision even now....
I follow the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. I love the Lam Rim and the richness and history of Tibet and Buddhism in Tibet.
I flirted with Zen and Theravadan Buddhism but found them too dry.
I admire these answers. Could anybody answer me, is it important or vital to choose a particular school of Buddhism? I quite like both Mahayana and Therevada.
Theravada mainly the Thai Forest Tradition, though I studied Zen for a while online with Jundo Cohen over at Treeleaf Zendo.
I'm quite partial to all the flavors of the Dharma .....
Both Traditions (Mahayana/Tibetan, and Theravada) have aspects that hold enormous appeal for me, in their approaches and distinctive means of communication and conveyance of the Buddha's teachings.
There is a difference, mind, between finding aspects in each, that one is drawn to considering , and the tendency to 'cherry-pick';
the former uses both traditions to underpin one another; to enhance and double the dhammic instructions and to establish a common (to both) pattern one can see as mutually appreciable.
The latter is a tendency to select and separate the bits which hold appeal and attraction, and carefully sweep under the carpet the bits one doesn't feel drawn to, because either it's too much like hard work, or we don't like to think of it as an uncomfortable truth...
I don't know about favorites! My teacher is a vajrayana (Tibetan) teacher. He kind of fell into my lap and I jumped on the chance to have a teacher who comes to my neck of the woods and isn't too far away. It's a good working relationship. I live a long ways from any type of Buddhist center (250+ miles) so I feel really fortunate to have found a teacher at all. I am preferential to Mahayana, which we cover as well and is my current main focus. But the Thai Forest tradition is most interesting and fascinating to me. But having a teacher is more important to me.
I too am tempted to specialise in everything. I look at the different traditions and I almost always find something I like. Theravada for its devotion to the words of the Buddha, Zen for the clean lines of its art and mystery, Tibet for its rich tradition. So I think it is a question of seeing what is close to you and exploring that and enjoying its good points until you feel it is time to move on.
My local centre is also Gelugpa (Tibetan), and their emphasis is very much on thorough understanding before moving on to advanced practice. Some of the monks have been going for twenty years and still consider some meditations... complex. But I am enjoying the learning aspect of getting to know the tradition.
I don't think I have a school. It doesn't fit into any one school neatly and tidily. You could call it mostly basic Theravada but with a Mahayana interpretation on the precepts. Or you could call it Secular Buddhism, but with a belief in rebirth. I tried Mahayana for awhile, and am still curious about Ch'an, but I can't really relate to the plethora of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, sky goddesses, etc. I think I'm best with Secular Buddhism. Steven Batchelor's explanations of Buddhist concepts make a lot more sense to me than some of the others. They seem more sensible and straightforward.
They have schools for Buddhists? [lobster faints] Next you willl be telling me they have schools for fish.
Personally I will be playing truant.
I remember with fondness a BBC documentary about a Jain-Buddhist who considered nature his temple. He meditated on Dartmoor.
I quite like Taoist-Buddhism, Zen schooling is a little too stiff, formal and uniformed for my tastes. According to the next post they may even be crazy ..
I like the Harry Potter schools of Buddhism - Vajrayana, Shingon, Tendai etc because they have mythical creatures such as wizards, muggles, garuda and Bodhisattvas ...
On the whole, following yogi-Buddhists, Buddhist-Sufis, mystics and misfits from all enlightened realms, keeps me on the straight and narrow ...
Zen, because they're crazy!
I'm a closet secular Buddhist.
^^^ Tee Hee.
I like to keep imaginary Buddhists in my closet. I have yidams, dead Boddhisatvas, lineage heads, a few demons as wrathful protectors for intense training/realignment. I also like to keep Abrahamic Angels, deities and saints from other religion ... and a pinch of salt.
Iz furnishing plan!
You do have to let them out every now and then for airing and exercise. Otherwise they get cranky.
Not anymore.
@Benjamin
Soto Zen was the first spiritual love
to allow me a possession-less love,
that could transcend it's own identity.
Nothing that an ever widening heart
doesn't offer to anyone
practicing the Buddha's Dharma.
Fluffy new-agy Buddhism.
Someone has to say it.
Blast! Now I shall to explain the traditional view and then argue against myself.
Omgher, there's a fluffy new-agy Buddhism?! Why wazn't I told?
^^^
OM MANI FLUFFY HUM
We haz dharma soft plan
4 Noble Fluffs
The truth of softening
The truth of the cause of softening
The truth of the hardening of softening
The 8 fold hardcore softening
Or there is the instant jhana approach, no need for all those long hours sitting on a cushion!
Lol, and the answer is viagra, to stop the 'softening'?
You don't have to be mad to practice Zen....But if you are it helps
I practice with a sangha in the Plum Village Tradition. The idea of interbeing and the mix of meditative practice and external engagement are attractive to me.
I practice Nichiren Buddhism. I practiced Zen before; and, I had no conception of it but what I read in books and online. So, no formal instruction and in-depth understanding of the nature of Zazen. I didn't leave the morals I learned but was indifferent about my practicing it without some instruction or community who doesn't live in the mountains (our Zen monastery is way up in the Mountain Shenandoah).
I actually looked online for Sanghas and monasteries in my area. I had no goal of "which type" of Buddhist I am just that I am without a community of like believers. I called a Nichiren Shoshu temple and went to the temple for a year or so before realizing what they practiced wasn't, well, related to any school of Buddhism I know of both Mahayana and Theravada. They were very rude, so I came closer to home a bit and went to SGI (since Nichiren Shu isn't on the east coast, US).
I stay with SGI because every single person who chants with us we know has or is growing in connection (some have been raised into our practice) with The Dharma via the Gohonzon. I don't have to change my "language" to express my faith. The people are nice and very humble. ''The biggest thing we differ on is that I go to the Suttas, Sutras, and Nichiren Shonin's Writings (Gosho) for inspiration and knowledge. They only focus on the words of Ikeda.
Other than that, good community, one goal, I can talk in a language without having to mince my words to keep face in work or home (because I work in the same building I live) environment. As for the Precepts, The Buddha and his votary Nichiren believed that when you put your trust and devotion to the Lotus Sutra (Gohonzon) you have put your trust in all of over 2,000 of The Buddha's Dharmas. So I read that, the rest of the Dharma I can understand and listen to Dharma talks. Now it's summer time, I will try again to go to the near by monastery. I was reading about the Upsapatha and taking refuges. I missed today but if I get transportation, I can easily set up a reservation for weekend or week visit.
I have a goal to visit Nichiren Shu since SGI is not a sect but came from a political upheaval between one school of practice. It's affected and still affects a lot of our members.
Basically, that's pretty much it.
I also do. I'm right over the bridge in Memphis. I attend Magnolia Grove. Nice to meet you.
. maybe our paths will cross.
Sorry, wasn't trying to derail...just doing a shout out! Haha
I adhere to Theravada because it said to be oldest and I do not like rituals much.
And it suits to my way of learning skills.
The School of Budd Lite.
Buddhism has been made complicated by Buddhists.
The four noble truths, the eightfold path, meditation, mindfulness, New Buddhist when I can't sleep (and CNN, and Bentrideronline, and the Beat Gear Cavern).
There is merit to a greatest hits collection. Paradoxically it's where the deep cuts are. Seriously. The "deeper " I look into the nuances of the different schools, the shallower it feels. Buddha had it right. Also Cat Stevens. The first cut is the deepest.
But that's just my mood at the moment. I will say that I used to live not so far from a magnificent stupa built by those crafty Shambhala purveyors. I will never forget the amazing, truly awesome, feeling of great peace and spirituality there.