Buddha-clarity, People-confusion

Rain

Hi there, I'm brand new I've been lurking for what feels like forever, and I made an account a few days ago though didn't make any posts. So here's my first...


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I've been finding that I can read the Buddha's teachings and feel a lot of clarity and connection to those teachings, yet when I watch people discussing those teachings, or when I read about another person's teachings on the Buddha's teachings, only then do I become confused.

... it seems the more I read from "teachers" (formal teachers or people trying to teach others on the internet as lay people to lay people), the more I feel discouraged as it just seems completely over-complicated in so many ways.

I'm not sure if that makes any sense.. I'm certainly not down-playing the importance of teachers, I hope it doesn't come across as that.

I guess my question is... Has anyone else ever felt this way?

PietroPumokin

yes.... if you find much clarity in buddha's teachings i would say just keep reading them and ignore the rest... a discussion board is a unique domain of buddhist practice so it's very weird.... buddhism isn't about complications, you can practice buddhism very simply through living your life with a few guidelines (eg the four noble truths and eightfold path) and meditation.... zazen or basic vipasanna... things become less complicated in time... i don't know what teachers you've been reading but most good teachers keep it pretty simple. i still get confused often, but this is where you just sit down and put your "monkey mind" to rest through noncoercive means in zazen sitting meditation.

fivebells

Rain wrote: »

... it seems the more I read from "teachers" (formal teachers or people trying to teach others on the internet as lay people to lay people), the more I feel discouraged as it just seems completely over-complicated in so many ways.

Try this guy. (My teacher.)

Drop

Rain wrote: »

Hi there, I'm brand new I've been lurking for what feels like forever, and I made an account a few days ago though didn't make any posts. So here's my first...


--

I've been finding that I can read the Buddha's teachings and feel a lot of clarity and connection to those teachings, yet when I watch people discussing those teachings, or when I read about another person's teachings on the Buddha's teachings, only then do I become confused.

... it seems the more I read from "teachers" (formal teachers or people trying to teach others on the internet as lay people to lay people), the more I feel discouraged as it just seems completely over-complicated in so many ways.

I'm not sure if that makes any sense.. I'm certainly not down-playing the importance of teachers, I hope it doesn't come across as that.

I guess my question is... Has anyone else ever felt this way?

I discovered the exact same feeling concerning Jesus' teachings.

Far too few with understanding and far too many with overstanding.

patomin

Drop wrote: »

I discovered the exact same feeling concerning Jesus' teachings.

Far too few with understanding and far too many with overstanding.

The one thing that differs in Buddhist teaching is the absence of HEEEULLLL, and the evil Devil who makes us all go there...

I think I am attracted to Buddhism because teachers may differ and disagree but I rarely hear them criticize each other or put anyone down.

I guess you can tell a teacher by his fruits to steal a Christian phrase.

Rain

Good points, thanks for the responses

and thanks for the link Fivebells I'll have a look when I get off work! (no sound on my system here)

Drop

"The one thing that differs in Buddhist teaching is the absence of HEEEULLLL, and the evil Devil who makes us all go there..."

That is one of the examples.

I only see those kinds of thoughts coming from the "teachers" of the topic. When reading the direct words of the founder, I don't see such malevolence.

How something begins and how it develops are always different. The Hebrews maligned with Adham and God. The Jews maligned with Moses. The Christians maligned with Jesus. Even Physics maligned with Einstein. And although I am far from an expert on Buddhism history, I cannot doubt that Buddhism very largely maligned with Gautama.

It is fortunate that there is a reality that ignores the preachings and words and displays itself.

FoibleFull

Rain wrote: »

Hi there, I'm brand new I've been lurking for what feels like forever, and I made an account a few days ago though didn't make any posts. So here's my first...


--

I've been finding that I can read the Buddha's teachings and feel a lot of clarity and connection to those teachings, yet when I watch people discussing those teachings, or when I read about another person's teachings on the Buddha's teachings, only then do I become confused.

... it seems the more I read from "teachers" (formal teachers or people trying to teach others on the internet as lay people to lay people), the more I feel discouraged as it just seems completely over-complicated in so many ways.

I'm not sure if that makes any sense.. I'm certainly not down-playing the importance of teachers, I hope it doesn't come across as that.

I guess my question is... Has anyone else ever felt this way?

Yes. Rain, we take in what we understand and let the rest fall by the way side ... it will be there when our comprehension is ready to take it in. This is all part of the "Learning to be Patient" module of Buddhism!

DhammaDhatu

fivebells wrote: »

(My teacher.)

http://www.unfetteredaudio.com/podcast/UQ01.mp3

Show me the heart that suffers? [Thinks he is Bodhi Dharma].

What do you see? [Suffering is something felt not seen]

Practising is being aware. That's all. [Practise is three-fold].