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Would any of you guys/gals tell me what to learn for today?
Tosh
Veteran
I would like to try and learn about Buddhism in a more structured way than I am currently doing. At present I'm reading a little bit of this, and a little bit of that; listening to a little of that and a little of this.
I know the general story of the Historical Buddha and the 4 Noble Truths and Paths (sort of), but not in any depth. Also the general concept of karma, reincarnation and Nibbanha; again in no depth. I do regular simple breathing meditation which I enjoy, and everything I've read and heard appeals to me; it makes sense; even down to other stuff like the general concept that 'god' isn't an issue in Buddhism; I'm a vegetarian on moral grounds; and I don't drink alcohol or take drugs.
But I really need a better understanding, and I plan to visit our Buddhist centre and enrol in a course about Buddhism (but the evening these are ran clashes with an important meeting I'm the chairman of at present).
So it looks like I'm on my own for the next six or seven months, and I'm impatient! So where do I start? This - if its a valid idea - could be useful for other 'n00bs' to Buddhism too.
So, is there a lesson 1, ideally just a bite size chunk of information, with an internet resource?
I know the general story of the Historical Buddha and the 4 Noble Truths and Paths (sort of), but not in any depth. Also the general concept of karma, reincarnation and Nibbanha; again in no depth. I do regular simple breathing meditation which I enjoy, and everything I've read and heard appeals to me; it makes sense; even down to other stuff like the general concept that 'god' isn't an issue in Buddhism; I'm a vegetarian on moral grounds; and I don't drink alcohol or take drugs.
But I really need a better understanding, and I plan to visit our Buddhist centre and enrol in a course about Buddhism (but the evening these are ran clashes with an important meeting I'm the chairman of at present).
So it looks like I'm on my own for the next six or seven months, and I'm impatient! So where do I start? This - if its a valid idea - could be useful for other 'n00bs' to Buddhism too.
So, is there a lesson 1, ideally just a bite size chunk of information, with an internet resource?
0
Comments
Oh, and the other post giving a background into Buddhism.
The New Meditation Handbook by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Meditation-Handbook-Meditations-Meaningful/dp/0948006900/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262605737&sr=1-1
The Amazon site lets you search inside the book.
As for a little practical exercise, working on our 'anger' is always good. Whatever situation you are in today, if someone begins to annoy you, try to think of them with compassion as the annoyance arises. Alternatively, you could just observe your emotions and later meditate on the experience and try to learn a little more about your mind. I find driving is always a good time for working on anger! LOL
Here's a link to meditation classes in Wales. There is an equivalent in Bristol. They offer weekend courses etc. as well as classes in most cities and towns:
http://meditationinwales.org/index.html
http://meditationinbristol.org/index.html
I've ordered the book and I did actually practise compassion with my wife earlier; I caught myself before I got 'snappy' and though I found 'compassion' difficult to conjour up; it felt more like 'forced caring', not an overly strong feeling, but no tempers were frayed. It was good; definitely. I'm not sure how to meditate on a subject yet, I have only done breathing meditation where I try to still my mind.
But put me in a situation where I'm hungry and tired, and the outcome will be different from todays, but I'll work on it. I think there's a loving-kindness (metta?) meditation to develope this, but I'm newish to meditation, so I'll wait till the book comes; probably.
I've also seen both those links before, but I'll revisit them. One of the things that I do is spend quite a few evenings a week on AA business; I'm chairman of one meeting and am the 'coffee boy' at another (Tuesdays and Thursdays), I also have to go to another random meeting each week to look for 'shares' (people to share their experience of recovery) for the meeting I chair; so that's 3 evenings a week I'm out already.
Add to that work, and the time I spend with other guys helping them; and it can cause family problems. So I think I will - because of my family - wait till I rotate out of one of my coffee or chairman duties before committing myself to further time away learning Buddhism.
But I've got books, internet resources and this great forum, till I make some more time.
So has anyone got a bite-sized exercise for tomorrow to add to the compassion one?
Practising cherishing others and giving help is a very good way to train the mind.
Compassion is so much more than sympathy and empathy - putting it into active community practice as you do is excellent, and so is cherishing your family.
If you haven't already done so, maybe tomorrow or Wednesday you could sit down and have a chat to your family and find out what their expectations are and talk through (and maybe agree to adjust) the outside time commitments. And maybe find out what they would like to do for 'quality time' when your are together. Meditate on Love, starting with your family, then try to extend that feeling to a wider circle of your friends, colleagues etc.
Forgive me if I am treading where I shouldn't be, but I found in my own case that I had to juggle quite a lot to make sure most people were happy for most of the time.
As for my family life, I have a hierarchy of priorities which go:
1. Sobriety; with that I have nothing.
2. Family
3. AA business
4. Work
(3 and 4 are interchangeable depending on the circumstances)
So I do have a balance of sorts with regards to what I do and my partner has her 'outside the family activities' which I fully support her in (she's a runner to quite a high standard) and I tend to organise my 'stuff' around her commitments where ever possible.
All this comes under the heading of 'recovery', and its something we obviously discuss in the fellowship of AA, so I'm in good hands with regards work, family life, and AA balance.
But I will definitely meditate on love, but I need to find out how to do that! Is it in the book I ordered?
There is, of course, a breathing meditation in the book as well.
A good starting place would be
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/
if you have not yet visited it already
Thanks.
peace be with you, on your way."
Hi Yeshe, the book arrived this morning and I've been reading it for about an hour now. Its really good, just what I was looking for.
Thank you.
Regards,
Tosh
These give a more in-depth, but still practical overview. (50-60 hours of audio.)
My pleasure.
Thanks, I love anything I can download onto mp3; I listen to them while I work (I do manual work; mostly working alone) and have listened to quite a few Ajahn Brahm mp3 downloads from the Western Australia Buddhist Society, so I'll also listen to these.
Ah, I now understand what you meant by this.
I've read all the bits of the book required to start the first mediation; Our Precious Human Life; and have a grasp of it. I've made notes, condensed the notes, sort of know what to do with regards to the five stages of the meditation.
I know why I should pray and what prayers go where (though I have yet to study properly the meaning for each prayer), and know(ish) what I've got to do with regards the contemplation.
This will be a first for me; I've only done breathing meditation prior to this.
Hey, I've even tidied up the place where I meditate in preparation for the arrival of the Buddhas and Boddhisatvas!!! How cool am I?:D
Things I have yet to do:
1. Memorise the stuff I'm meant to, such as the contemplations and the prayers.
2. Get a stupa (I think its a dome shaped thing that represents Buddha's brain) for my 'shrine'.
3. Enjoy it and expect nothing, but keep doing it.
I start at 10.00 pm when my daughter goes to bed and I'm looking forward to it.
Thanks for taking the time to help.
A shrine is a means of welcoming the Buddha into our hearts, of opening ourselves to thoughts and emotion by using visual aids. I tend to think of it as an aspect of my mind, seeking to connect with the mind of Buddha.
It also helps with practice in that you have a defined 'place' to go to and settle quickly.
You may find this guidance helpful:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Plgr0kPcsGcC&pg=PA42&lpg=PA42&dq=joyful+path+shrine&source=bl&ots=FqapBWaBQ_&sig=VgguPNsWRMb4kG7LstR6jWnn9YA&hl=en&ei=naRJS9kOwa3hBrP1xfIC&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=&f=false
Joyful Path of Good Fortune: The Complete Buddhist Path to Enlightenment
By Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (page 45).
Good luck with it. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.