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Any Irish Buddhists here?
Just wondering if there where any Irish buddhists hanging around in here?
I have been pursuing my interest in buddhism for several years now and I've gone as far as I can go on my own. There are two reasonably sized buddhist groups that I can find in Ireland, one was set up by Sogyal Rinpoche and is part of the international Rigpa foundations. I did go on one reatreat with them in their centre in West Cork, maybe I picked the wrong weekend, but I found it very highbrow. People took themselves very seriously and it turned me off of going to their centre, here in Cork.
The other large grouping I found was a New Kadampa grouping, which do not seem to adhere to the Dalai Lama's path, also the nearest centre is in Galway or Dublin which is too far away for regular trips. I had gone on a meditation weekend with this group, years ago, when I started down the path first and really enjoyed it, but it was an easy weekend. Simple meditation and lots of beginners ....
I could really do with finding myself a teacher and was really wondering how you go about this .... Because Ireland has a realtivlely small buddhist community, should I just be glad with anyone I can find? What did other people do? How do you find your first teacher?
Big smiles to all. Thank you.
I have been pursuing my interest in buddhism for several years now and I've gone as far as I can go on my own. There are two reasonably sized buddhist groups that I can find in Ireland, one was set up by Sogyal Rinpoche and is part of the international Rigpa foundations. I did go on one reatreat with them in their centre in West Cork, maybe I picked the wrong weekend, but I found it very highbrow. People took themselves very seriously and it turned me off of going to their centre, here in Cork.
The other large grouping I found was a New Kadampa grouping, which do not seem to adhere to the Dalai Lama's path, also the nearest centre is in Galway or Dublin which is too far away for regular trips. I had gone on a meditation weekend with this group, years ago, when I started down the path first and really enjoyed it, but it was an easy weekend. Simple meditation and lots of beginners ....
I could really do with finding myself a teacher and was really wondering how you go about this .... Because Ireland has a realtivlely small buddhist community, should I just be glad with anyone I can find? What did other people do? How do you find your first teacher?
Big smiles to all. Thank you.
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Comments
Anyones advise who has started out .... finding first teachers .... finding communities etc, any advice at all would be great.
Thanks and hugs
i don't have to go far to find a teacher, My mom worked at a mushroom farm, which had alot of buddhist workers. So I guess you can say i was raised in the local buddhist community.
As far as Advice is concerned, Why not contact the group that you really felt comfortable with and ask them if there is anyone who lives around you that belongs to the group.
I also had a look into the New Kadampa Tradition before finding my way into zen. I've heard mixed things about the NKT. Some people (especially those on the e-Sangha forum) consider them a personality cult based around Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. However, those that follow NKT seem to have nothing but praise for it.
I guess it's like most things, something new develops from an established tradition and the purists all try to jump on it. From my standpoint, it just wasn't something I wanted to pursue as I was more interested in Soto Zen, even though the NKT were 30 miles nearer to me than the zen temple I've recently started attending.
Good luck in your search,
Adrian
Frizzer/Adrian .. I am a little reluctant to go the NKT, I dont know why but think it may be better to stick with the basics before I try to figure out if the "break away" groups have something more specific to offer. Anyway, I am a little confused with all the terminology so I think I will stick to one tradition and get used to the terminology before I become over awed completly.
What is the difference between Zen and Buddhism in general. You mentioned Soto Zen, what is that in relation to everything else .... I think Im getting more bothered by the minute. At lease here, Im not a complete moran when I ask these questions.
When I was at the Ringpa Weekend in West Cork last year, again I stress that it may have been a bit too advanced for me and maybe thats why I felt uncomfortable, it seemed a bit "prechey" and very dogmatic. Im after building up a level of cynicisim over years that I am trying to peel away and not be so judgemental but sometimes it gets a little to like "group-huggy" for me.
Also Soygal Rinpoche was leading the weekend himself, those who had obviously been to the Ringpa centre on several occassions where almost over-awed by being in his presence and I remember being in the car-park at a break in session having a cigarette (bold .. bold .. bold ... I know) but overhearing another person who had been at the weekend giving out that alot of people didn't seem to realise they where in the presence of greatness and couldn't they control the coughing and moving about and just listen to what was being said. I found that a little difficult to take, surely we should all be a little bit more tolerent of new people and people who are just inquiring and not neccessarily converted ... yet.
Oh I don't know .... Help!
I studied Buddhism for a bit during part of an Open University degree that I was doing but I can definately recommend the correspondence course run by the Buddhist Society in London.
The Buddhist Society course will give you a good foundation in the basics of Buddhism such as the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. These are the core of all the different traditions. The course then goes on to teach the basics of meditation and the differences between the various traditions.
I was drawn to Zen as I come from a martial arts background and the stripped to basics aspect of it really appealed to me. Soto Zen has an emphasis on sitting mediation and trying to bring that mindset into everyday life. The idea is that we all have Buddha nature within us, it's just that we've forgotten how to access it so by sitting in meditation we effectively become the Buddha. There's also Rinzai Zen which emphasises trying to solve problems (called koans) to access glimpses of enlightenment. Probably one of the most famous of these koans is "what is the sound of one hand clapping?" Beats me !!
For more info on Soto Zen you could check out The Order Of Buddhist Contemplatives which is the group that I have joined.
Another fantastic source of info (apart from here of course!) is Buddhanet. There you can find pretty much anything you want to know about Buddhism.
As I say, I'm still pretty new to all this as well so I'm sure someone will pop along soon that is more qualified to give you advice than I am !
Cheers,
Adrian
Cead Mile Failte
The problem that you raise are not uncommon ones. I have encountered this 'stiffness' among acolytes of a number of teachers in all the spheres of study that I have undertaken. It is a way in which some people 'prove' their superiority (to themselves, first, I always think).
Did you get to talk to Sogyal himself? My guess is that you would find him approachable and humourous - at least that has been my experience with most of the Tibetan teachers I have met. There is a story in the Christ myth about the disciples stopping children coming to Jesus. They want to keep "the Master" to themselves - but that's the problem of being a disciple!
Would I be right in guessing that your background is Catholic (a pretty safe bet in Ireland, LOL)? There are some wonderful works by various monastics in both the Sangha and the Catholic tradition. They certainly help me to make the bridge from one 'path' to another.
There is no monastic community near me, either - and I have no car so that I cannot travel regularly to Bristol (40 miles) where there are Buddhists like fleas on a dog (LOL). We are, however, visited by NKT teachers and others. I do go to the NKT sessions, although I have problems with the emphasis on Kelsang's books and their 'Methodist' prayers. Beggars can't be choosers, however!
I imagine that, like the early Christian church, we simply have to study what we can, practise what we know and trust the words of such buddhas as Padmasambhava who promised that a teacher will appear when needed. This will not necessarily be a wandering Buddhist monk - it could even be a drunk in a gutter because the Dharma flows everywhere.
Gur raimh maith agat, cheain faith a bhfuil Gaeilge agat?
Thanks alot simon, think your irish spelling is better than mine, are you Irish originally or just know alot of us that have gone all over the world especially the UK.
Yip a "recovering Catholic" as an american catholic friend of mine once described it. Thanks for your messages they really helped alot.
Big hugs
My Gaelic is extremely limited. A couple of Irish girlfriends did try to teach me but I was more interested in the other things they taught! No one is so passionate as a good, convent-bred, Irish woman! And none is so creative with ensuing guilt!
I do not believe we ever recover from a Catholic background, you know: "you can get out of the Church but no one can get the Church out of you". That's why I sometimes call myself a "Roaming Catholic".
Today could be a great day in relations between our islands. Perhaps we shall be able to say: that was the day when the IRA really put an end to the civil war in the North. Perhaps, after today, I shall be able to go to a Wolf Tones concert and not have to stay dumb (to disguise my English accent - as I had to, on one occasion in London). This is a good day to have met you.
Yes it is a good day for Ireland, although, and this seems like an awfully strange thing to say, but in Ireland alot of us were brought up on Republican politics. Im 33 so not so old and not so young. Hopefully ours will be the last generation to be brought up on it. The weird thing is we (Irish people) follow English soccer more than Irish, are avid, United, A.B.U's, Arsenal etc supporters and the minute one of those guys puts on an English jersey, Mahem ensues. Also weird is that the majority of Irish people have lots and lots of English relatives, born and bred ENGLISH people ... yet we still hope for a 32 county Ireland. We really are a mixed up lot. Hopefully the violence will stop and it will all be bar retoric and history.
Silly Irish joke: Q: Why did god invent alcohol?
A: So the Irish would never rule the world.
Your right about the Catholic thing though. The only time I go to Mass now is for Funerals and the odd wedding and the prayers are all still in my head. I often wonder should I even say anything, but I figure that, especially for funerals if it is just being respectful to stand up and sit down at the right places, even if I dont join in in the prayers, even though no matter how I try "the our father" every word of it goes through my head with the rest of the congregation.
Thanks again.
Just stumbled across this site and this thread...:)
I'm based in Dublin and if I can help at all I'd be happy to. For what it's worth, I personally would be a bit wary of the NKT..I'm sure there are good people within it, but there are plenty of traditions that are open and inclusive. I find their stance against the Dalai Lama puzzling.
There are some good centres in Dublin which may not be of much use to you given that you seem to be in Cork. I've been to the Rigpa centre in Dublin and in Beara, and I'd say give them another chance, you often get people who seem a bit odd at these retreats..sometimes when you get to know them they're just shy, or aloof..Certainly they have great teachers visiting there..
There's also Kagyu Samye Dzong in Dublin, not sure if they have a branch in Cork. Their website is www.buddhism.ie. They have a great selection of visiting teachers and people are nice. Well worth a visit. There's a centre in Cavan also with a resident Lama called Jampa Ling: www.jampaling.org. I go there regularly, and would recommend a visit there too if you get a chance.
With most of these places in my experience it comes down to where/who you feel a connection with..they all offer excellent teaching and meditation support..it's really a personal choice as to what feels right. But ask around if there's somewhere you're not sure about.
Hope that helps, if I can answer any questions I will.
All the best,
aj
I believe the controversy is based around the fact that HHDL outlawed worship of a Tibetan deity called Shugden. He announced that Shugden was effectively a dark spirit.
However, Shugden features quite strongly in the NKT. I believe that he is regarded as a protector deity, though I may be mistaken.
This therefore caused a rift between HHDL and Geshe Kelsang and is the reason why pictures of HHDL tend not to be found in NKT temples.
Regards,
Adrian
I've got a few of Geshe Kelsangs books and found them to be excellent for explaining the basics of Buddhist practice (from both a general and Tibetan perspective). One thing that did put me off a bit was that one of the books had drawings of various Buddhas at the start of each chapter. The final chapter had a drawing of Geshe Kelsang as a Buddha which I thought was a bit presumptious!
The mainstream Tibetan Buddhist traditions have been in existence for centuries and have very solid and reputable lineages in general. As far as I'm aware the NKT only sell books by Geshe Kelsang, at least that's all I saw when I visited one of their centres. They seem to have set themselves apart from a very established and rich tradition.
Anyway, I don't want to stir controversy, but I wouldn't recommend them to someone new to Buddhism.
Check out the Free Irish Buddhists on Facebook or else by email FreeBuddhists@gmail.com. We are based in Dublin.
Best wishes,
Paul
Today could be a great day in relations between our islands. Perhaps we shall be able to say: that was the day when the IRA [i]really[/i] put an end to the civil war in the North.
I guess they do.
Sort of on topic and as an ex Irish Catholic , I find I do not want to see any Buddhist iconography as I study the precepts. The church and all its decoration ruined me for it.
I think, however, my studies, weak as they are, in the direction of Buddhism might be enhanced by visual imagery. So you see, I really am Irish: conflicted and confused.
Good luck finding associations on the "old sod."