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Joining a Sangha?
shadowleaver
Veteran
Hello, folks,
I've been trying to follow Buddhism by reading literature and meditating alone for several years. I'm starting to feel at times that I keep hitting the wall. I feel that not very much progress is being made. When I compare myself to what I was before I started, I do see changes, some I like and some not so much. I think I've become gentler but also more aloof as most of my friends moved away or gotten too busy.
I'm thinking that it would be beneficial to be around some like-minded people once in a while. I mean Buddhist approach to life is pretty radical, most in the Western society around me would probably find it crazy. So here I am, feeling like I'm alone, up against the big mean world. I guess this is an example of the attitude of duality that causes suffering but all too often I cannot shake off this sense that I'm out of my element, quietly rebelling against everything.
So...what's Sangha in the West all about? I'm really not looking for a religious institution with elaborate rituals, emphasis on clergy titles or vocal political agendas to save the world (there seems to be plenty of that in the realm of "Buddhism"). Just a group of down-to-earth like-minded people whom I could see sometimes and feel re-enforced in my chosen path. And maybe someday a realized figure to guide me.
How can I go about this? What should I expect? What do sanghas do?...Or am I barking up the wrong tree?
Thank you all!
I've been trying to follow Buddhism by reading literature and meditating alone for several years. I'm starting to feel at times that I keep hitting the wall. I feel that not very much progress is being made. When I compare myself to what I was before I started, I do see changes, some I like and some not so much. I think I've become gentler but also more aloof as most of my friends moved away or gotten too busy.
I'm thinking that it would be beneficial to be around some like-minded people once in a while. I mean Buddhist approach to life is pretty radical, most in the Western society around me would probably find it crazy. So here I am, feeling like I'm alone, up against the big mean world. I guess this is an example of the attitude of duality that causes suffering but all too often I cannot shake off this sense that I'm out of my element, quietly rebelling against everything.
So...what's Sangha in the West all about? I'm really not looking for a religious institution with elaborate rituals, emphasis on clergy titles or vocal political agendas to save the world (there seems to be plenty of that in the realm of "Buddhism"). Just a group of down-to-earth like-minded people whom I could see sometimes and feel re-enforced in my chosen path. And maybe someday a realized figure to guide me.
How can I go about this? What should I expect? What do sanghas do?...Or am I barking up the wrong tree?
Thank you all!
0
Comments
There was another thread like this floating around this week, regarding "progress" during meditation. I don't understand the focus on progress, or changes, and I am curious what kind of progress you think you are supposed to be making.
Radical? Really? I always thought that the Buddhist way of life was pretty mundane. What's so radical about it? I don't understand what people would think was so "crazy" about it.
The sangha exists so that like-minded people can learn and practice together. That's all. Were you expecting something else?
Except for the elaborate rituals - which can range from simple to extremely complex depending on the occasion - I've never heard of this type of sangha. I think you are wise to avoid those characteristics in a group you are thinking of joining, but as I said I've never heard of such an organization (especially emphasis on clergy titles, sounds more like Christianity to me).
Not all sanghas are the same, since there are many different schools of Buddhism. I would recommend you seek out the local sanghas in your community and see what they have to offer. In my town there are several sanghas from different branches of Buddhism, and each have their unique perspectives and often give teachings, meditation classes, etc.
I don't think the buddhist approach to life is particularly radical either. I guess it could be if you made it that way, but it doesn't have to be. I can understand your need to be around like-minded people (isn't that what anyone wants?), it can get lonely when no one else seems to share your way of approaching life, for whatever reason that is. So I think finding a sangha sounds like a good idea.
I agree with mugzy, and I've never heard of a sangha with emphasis on clergy titles and political agendas either. That doesn't sound very buddhist to me.
Rituals - elaborate or not so elaborate - maybe. I use to go to a sangha which was part of FWBO (Friends of the Western Buddhist Order). Very occasionally there was some chanting, but only on special occasions (like an ordination, for example). Apart from that, I found very little in the way of rituals (which was fine by me as I'm not too keen on that side of things myself either). We would normally meditate for the first half of the evening, and then have a discussion about some element of buddhism. What I found was a very friendly group of down to earth, like-minded people.
Sounds like good advice to me.
I know very well that terms "progress" and "achievement" are very disliked in some schools of Buddhism because "you're already home", "there's nothing to achieve", "the desire to become is the root of suffering" etc etc etc. Yes, I understand that the attitude in the above cliche quasi-quotations has a good reason behind it.
However, verbal exercises aside, Buddhist practice does have a "goal". In fact, there isn't much secret about that goal in Buddhism-- it's to end suffering. And with practice you are somehow supposed to get closer to it, as in suffer less and less overall. By "suffer" we mean self-imposed mental and emotional suffering coming from wrong attitudes and actions rather than inevitable hardships like illness of someone close or financial difficulities, So there should be less of that self-imposed suffering as one practices, right? (Of course in Zen you get straight to the goal as a result of a sort of a catharsis, called satori but I don't think what I try to follow is quite Zen).
I do stand by my words. I think Buddhism is radical in relation to the pravelent attitudes of this society, not in some universal human sense (in which case I agree with you-- it's quite pragmatic).
I feel that I live in a very goal oriented society, where goals usually have to do with rather material things: get a certain kind of job, live in a certain kind of neighborhood, have a certain number of kids, go on a certain kind of vacation etc etc. Have you never been asked the question "where do you see yourself in 5 years from now" in a tone that demands a straight detailed answer? People seem to always be running somewhere, there is so little relaxing going on that it is tragic.
Well, I don't feel that I can adequately explain my "goal" to anyone. Hence-- the subject.
Well, since I've never seen a Buddhist, I think my fears here are rather baseless.
Thanks for your replies!
I think this is another misconception. The goal is to ultimately be free of suffering, from samsara. However the world we live in is full of suffering, and it would be selfish of us if our practice was only aimed at ending our own suffering. The experience of suffering is necessary to be free of samsaric delusions, to end the desires that lead to constant rebirth.
The point of meditating isn't to never experience suffering in our lives again. In fact, it will make suffering more apparent as we learn to observe and experience life instead of pushing it away and denying it's true nature. We become more aware of the suffering in life, and by developing compassion we generate a true desire to free all beings from suffering and the causes of suffering.
It sounds this constant focus on goals has moved into your perception of Buddhism and meditation. When you sit down to meditate, the point of basic meditation is to simply breathe, be present, and be aware.
I know what you mean. On the surface it can seem as if your world is so far apart from the world of everyone around you, and it can get extremely frustrating and lonely. Western society seems so wrapped up in these material things, when I think about it I find it so... well, as you say, tragic.
But when I catch myself starting to think like this, I try to remind myself that all of us, we're all just wanting to be happy. Beneath the surface, I doubt that the majority of western society are really all that shallow. Though I have to say I have a hard time persuading myself this at times.
The Buddhist Sangha should be grounded in an authentic broad based lineage and rooted in the moral precepts. Participation should be entirely a matter of your time and interest, with absolutely no complusion.
Avoid anything new-agey, any free-form riff on Buddhism, any people who want something from you, anything cultish, or anyone exhibiting "radical" behaviour.
I guess by the end of the work week when I made the post I got tired and cranky. Somehow after a refreshing weekend of camping on the beach and spending time with family "western society" doesn't look quite as bad