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Do you use a system to study Buddhist teachings?

UnlikelybdstUnlikelybdst
edited August 2010 in Buddhism Basics
Background info: I've been reading a few books, and recently started getting into suttas. But it feels a bit ad-hoc at the moment. I don't have a teacher, but I have been practicing vipassana for some time now.

I'd like to be more systematic about learning Buddhist philosophy (for example, today I'll read about Karma, then move on to this and then that etc etc etc). Any advice? How do you approach your Dhamma studies?

Thanks.

Comments

  • sukhitasukhita
    edited August 2010
    In the beginning of my Dhamma studies, I found it helpful to group the various aspects of Buddhist teachings under just four headings, namely the Four Noble Truths. The following is an example:

    [1] The Noble Truth of Dukkha
    - Dukkha: ordinary meaning and the deeper philosophical meaning.
    - The Three Marks of Existence (Anicca, Dukkha, and Anatta).
    - Dependent Origination (Paticca-samuppada).
    - The Five Aggregates (Khandhas).
    [2] The Noble Truth of the Arising of Dukkha
    - Tanha (thirst), craving, ..
    - Kamma and the Fruits of Kamma (Law of Khamma).
    - Samsara and Rebirth.
    [3] The Noble Truth of the Cessation of Dukkha
    - Elimination of the cause of dukkha.
    - Nibbana.
    [4] The Noble Truth of the Way leading to Cessation of Dukkha
    - Right View/Understanding.
    - Right Thought/Intention.
    - Right Speech.
    - Right Action.
    - Right Livelihood.
    - Right Effort.
    - Right Mindfulness.
    - Right Concentration.
    (and meditation guides)

    Considering that the Four Noble Truths is (imho) the CORE teaching of the Buddha, it makes sense to view everything else in relation to these Truths. It had helped me, perhaps you may find it useful too. :)
  • shenpennangwashenpennangwa
    edited August 2010
    Unlikelybdst wrote: »
    Background info: I've been reading a few books, and recently started getting into suttas. But it feels a bit ad-hoc at the moment. I don't have a teacher, but I have been practicing vipassana for some time now.

    I'd like to be more systematic about learning Buddhist philosophy (for example, today I'll read about Karma, then move on to this and then that etc etc etc). Any advice? How do you approach your Dhamma studies?

    Thanks.
    Finding an authentic teacher should be your first priority.
  • UnlikelybdstUnlikelybdst
    edited August 2010
    sukhita wrote: »
    In the beginning of my Dhamma studies, I found it helpful to group the various aspects of Buddhist teachings under just four headings, namely the Four Noble Truths. The following is an example:
    ...
    It had helped me, perhaps you may find it useful too. :)

    Thank you very much for sharing. I was thinking to adopt the Eight Fold Path as the overarching theme, but using the Four Noble Truths as the foundation probably makes more sense.

    shenpen nangwa wrote: »
    Finding an authentic teacher should be your first priority.

    Was expecting that response :) I started looking for one already. But that will take some time, and I'd like to do some learning meanwhile. Figured aimless reading might not be the best way to go about it.
  • newtechnewtech Veteran
    edited August 2010
    First i try to get a big picture about buddhism, until it was hard to find new terminology, in no particular order.Then i move to suttas, thinking mmm probably they are boring, kinda religion text, but they are very practical texts, now im kinda addicted to reading them.And at least but no less important, i practice,get doubts, and look about it (i think its the most useful way).
  • ShawnM.ShawnM.
    edited August 2010
    I've kind of been doing the same thing as you for about 8 months. My suggestion is to read something all the way through before even LOOKING at anything else. I made the mistake of starting with something in depth and every time I found a concept I hadn't heard of I'd look up a book on it. I'm in the middle of like six books now and have gotten so lost I plan to just restart most of them haha.

    If you're still new to Buddhism you should go through this book and take notes. It covers a lot of the basic teachings and gives a mini bio on Siddhartha
  • treederwrighttreederwright
    edited August 2010
    I know how this feels. Believe it or not i broke into buddhism reading the Tibetan Book of the Dead. I was taken back. I didn't even know any buddhist terms and i was reading HH Dalai Lama's commentary on this book, like , um... whats a aggregate? LOL. So i know what this feels like.

    I wanted to read the tibetan book of the dead ( TBOD) because i watched an indepth presentation by Joeseph campbell on it and was facinated by the terms and possiblity to map conciousness , chakras, etc.

    So i started tibetan. But i didn't know what else to read. The language as you mentioned is complex. I then wanted someting much simpler that i could start from . So i bought Thich Nhat Hanh heart of buddha's teaching. Excellent book. So literally you have highest to lowest. they are both the same thing just one explains it better for some people than others. Any how if you'd like a beginners book on both theory and experential wisdom i highly reccomend Thich Nhat Hanh : Heart of the Buddhas teachings.
  • UnlikelybdstUnlikelybdst
    edited August 2010
    newtech wrote: »
    Then i move to suttas, thinking mmm probably they are boring, kinda religion text, but they are very practical texts, now im kinda addicted to reading them.

    Speaking of suttas, few days ago I got a book called "In the Buddha's Words: an anthology of discourses from the Pali Canon", edited by Bhikkhu Bodhi. In it, you find the discourses organized by topics and themes, which makes it much easier to navigate the suttas, which were originally collected in an ad-hoc manner. A lot of the suttas in this book are abridged to keep the page count down, but it's a great resource nevertheless.

    Shawn M. wrote: »
    I've kind of been doing the same thing as you for about 8 months. My suggestion is to read something all the way through before even LOOKING at anything else. I made the mistake of starting with something in depth and every time I found a concept I hadn't heard of I'd look up a book on it. I'm in the middle of like six books now and have gotten so lost I plan to just restart most of them haha.

    I tend to do that too, heh. Realized it halfway, and now trying to stick with "Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness", which is a great introduction to the Eight Fold Path.

    Shawn M. wrote: »
    If you're still new to Buddhism you should go through this book and take notes. It covers a lot of the basic teachings and gives a mini bio on Siddhartha

    Which book is that?

    treederwright wrote: »
    I wanted to read the tibetan book of the dead ( TBOD) because i watched an indepth presentation by Joeseph campbell on it and was facinated by the terms and possiblity to map conciousness , chakras, etc.

    I read some of "The Tibetan Book Of Living and Dying", which (I belive) builds up on TBOD. Planning to go back to it later in my studies, since it talks about more complex subjects.


    Thanks for all of your suggestions so far!
  • ShawnM.ShawnM.
    edited August 2010
    Which book is that?

    I totally forgot to give you a link! I'm sorry haha

    Here you go:
    http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/buddha-teachingsurw6.pdf

    It's kind of long so I'd suggest saving it to your computer so you can pick up where you left off easier
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