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Old Threads for Beginners
ColinA
Explorer
Hi all,
Just wondering which older threads might be suitable for a beginner such as myself to read. I'm guessing you have all answered beginners questions many times over and would be grateful if you could point me in the direction of those older threads. Really I'm just at four noble truths and Eightfold Path stage. Buddhism 101 I suppose.
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Comments
Have a look at the Buddhism Basics sub-forum, in particular the first four items, then you can use the search system, using key words, to look for anything that might be more specific to your interest.
Please know that the Head Honcho (Head Admin/Moderator) is going to overhaul the site, probably with some down-time this coming Sunday, so there may well be new methods and tools to implement, to make life even easier... I dunno... but just to let you know, there's a re-vamp coming up.
Thank you @federica. Plenty of interesting reading there for me!
If you do searches on well-known Buddhist terms and their translations you’ll get quite a long way, for example if you search for anatta as well as ‘not-self’ then you’ll find quite a few threads that are of interest.
In terms of knowing what to search for, you can take whatever terms seem significant from current threads as a starting point, or you could read The Heart of the Buddha’s Teachings by Thich Nhat Hanh which contains a number of chapters on things like the Three Poisons or the Three Dharma Seals.
Thank you @kerome for the good advice and the book recommendation. I am going to get a copy of the book.
It’s a good starting book for Buddhists who are interested in getting more deeply into the teachings. The other thing I’d recommend is the introductory courses at the online sutra repositories, AccessToInsight has a good one here.
I started doing searches pretty much like you are doing when I first joined the site, and I found that the longer threads tended to be more worthwhile when delving back in the site’s history. Generally anything with over a page - 50 replies - tends to contain some material worth reading.
Not sure what you're looking for as far as traditions or go, but I compiled a relatively short intro to Theravada Buddhism here if you're interested. Most of it is actually taken from replies I made in this forum over the years, and it includes a lot of stuff that many would consider core teachings.
@ColinA
"Beginner's Mind" By Zen Master 'Shunryu Suzuki':
Some quotes from the book...
May you keep your beginner's mind....easier said than done...
Metta
Old threads are my preferred clothing, these death shrouded beginners might help ...
https://www.dharmaseed.org/teachers/
and now back to the mind sewing ...
Wow, thank you all so very much for this. I really appreciate it. That's a great start. Plenty for me to be getting on with now. @shoshin I will look for that book, thank you. @Jason thank you so much I look forward to reading from the link you have provided. In relation to different schools or branches of buddhism I am so new to it, I have an open mind in that respect. I hope I can learn from all schools before realising which one suits me. @lobster thank you very much I will follow that link.
Here is a thread so olde it is on another forum ...
http://www.freesangha.com/forums/meditation-forum/buddhist-meditation-techniques/
... regarding meditation practice ...
Do!
http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/21795/tips-for-us-beginners
Thank you all very much for all of the information, links and recommendations. One further question, does one have to be decided on a school or branch of buddhism before making a commitment to following a path?
Nope. Just commit to making an effort to learn and grow and be/do better. Start with working on observing the precepts, move on to finding a meditation practice that works for you and go from there. Check out all traditions, and even spiritual practices outside of Buddhism that are complimentary. Explore, experiment, and have fun.
@ColinA, Although I would say I predominantly follow a Theravadin path, I am also given to incorporating some Mahayana practises, like Mala recitations and Mantras, for example.
"If it feels good, do it; When in doubt - don't" is a good adage adaptable to pretty much all and everything you think/say/do...
Excellent advice from @Jason
Those of us who call ourselves Budds or affiliated to our favourite cherry pick, value discernment. A school, style, fashion or dharma mould may rot our mind or offer a route out of our ego. Ultimately it is The Path we are on that karmically follows us ...
Stay true. Stay wise. Have fun.
I am still at the frog stage ... soon I will be a tadpole ... or a dakini princess
Thank you @jason @federica and @lobster . I'm off to a very good start with plenty of resources now, thanks to you all here. Much appreciated.
That is one of the things I value most about NewBuddhist — that while the focus is on Buddhism, there are regularly topics that discuss things at the fringes and beyond, and people aren’t penalised for bringing those things here.