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Not a Tibetan Buddhist

naturelovernaturelover
edited October 2010 in Buddhism Basics
I went to a Tibetan Buddhist cybercast last night and learned more than I wanted to know about Tibetan Buddhism. I was raised Roman Catholic, and all this talk about prayer, prostration, and merit seemed more Catholic than Buddhist to me. The group leader even gave me a prayer book.

Are Theravadan Buddhist groups hard to find in the US?

Comments

  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited October 2010
    nature lover wrote: »
    Are Theravadan Buddhist groups hard to find in the US?

    No. If you're looking for something local, you can start here.
  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    edited October 2010
    Tibetan and Mahayana should not be confused with each other nor conflated with each other. There are plenty of non-ritualistic Mahayana schools as well. Zen is one of these.

    Tibetan is often referred to as "esoteric" Buddhism, and that's apparently what you ran into.

    Any chance it was New Kadampa Tradition or Diamond Way Buddhism that held the cybercast? Some consider them fringe-ey.
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    edited October 2010
    SherabDorje wrote: »
    Tibetan and Mahayana should not be confused with each other nor conflated with each other. There are plenty of non-ritualistic Mahayana schools as well. Zen is one of these.

    Tibetan is often referred to as "esoteric" Buddhism, and that's apparently what you ran into.

    Any chance it was New Kadampa Tradition or Diamond Way Buddhism that held the cybercast? Some consider them fringe-ey.

    We Dont tend to hold cyber casts friend :)

    Not all TB Buddhist groups are like that friend, Although It can depend what you walk In on...Best to try a basic Buddhism weekend if they have one :)
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited October 2010
    My teacher finds that some of her students want forms practice and some want formless. (forms being some kind of 'beliefs' practice such as prayer logong etc,,,,, and formless being meditation without an object just mindful of what comes up, breath usually used as an anchor)

    Its hard to please all people. I encourage you to find something that meets your individual needs as a person.
  • TheJourneyTheJourney
    edited October 2010
    You're jumping from tibetan to theravada? That doesn't make much sense. Unless you don't really know much(I don't mean this offensive at all, I didn't know anything until very recently)about the different schools. It doesn't sound like it's the mahayana aspect you didn't like of tibetan, so I don't see why it would cause you to jump ship from mahayana to theravada. Again, I mean no offense :)
  • naturelovernaturelover
    edited October 2010
    SherabDorje wrote: »
    Tibetan and Mahayana should not be confused with each other nor conflated with each other. There are plenty of non-ritualistic Mahayana schools as well. Zen is one of these.

    Tibetan is often referred to as "esoteric" Buddhism, and that's apparently what you ran into.

    Any chance it was New Kadampa Tradition or Diamond Way Buddhism that held the cybercast? Some consider them fringe-ey.
    Don't know, but I doubt anything fringe is happening at the MIT chapel.
    Says the person who does the cyber casts was ordained by the Dali Lama.
  • naturelovernaturelover
    edited October 2010
    TheJourney wrote: »
    You're jumping from tibetan to theravada? That doesn't make much sense. Unless you don't really know much(I don't mean this offensive at all, I didn't know anything until very recently)about the different schools. It doesn't sound like it's the mahayana aspect you didn't like of tibetan, so I don't see why it would cause you to jump ship from mahayana to theravada. Again, I mean no offense :)
    You're right. I don't know much. Just what I've read. I was looking for theravada but got Tibetan. False advertising. As I understand it, theravadens have a cosmology, but they keep it to themselves. :D And they stick to the Pali canon. That uncomplicates things for me. And I know that I love the book, What the Budda Taught by Walpola Rahula which is suggested reading by some (?) Theravaden groups.
  • naturelovernaturelover
    edited October 2010
    Jason wrote: »
    No. If you're looking for something local, you can start here.
    Thanks for the help.
  • AlfonsoAlfonso
    edited October 2010
    nature lover wrote: »
    You're right. I don't know much. Just what I've read. I was looking for theravada but got Tibetan. False advertising. As I understand it, theravadens have a cosmology, but they keep it to themselves. :D And they stick to the Pali canon. That uncomplicates things for me. And I know that I love the book, What the Budda Taught by Walpola Rahula which is suggested reading by some (?) Theravaden groups.
    That is an AMAZING work! I just love Sri Walpola Rahula's book. And, as Sri Walpola Rahula also puts it, there is no real contradiction between Mahayana's teaching and Theravada's. Thus, at least from my point of view, there is no contradiction between Theravada and Tantrayana... also, with Mahamudra and Dzogchen :P

    If you are interested in reading something about this, then I leave you this awesome links to the most awesome site of Buddhism on the internet in my opinion :P

    Alexander Berzin Archives:
    http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/index.html

    Making sense of Tantra:
    http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/x/nav/group.html_1461231874.html
  • BonsaiDougBonsaiDoug Simply, on the path. Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Another great collection of teachings and Sutta (Theravada) can be found here: http://what-buddha-said.net/index.htm
  • AlfonsoAlfonso
    edited October 2010
    Bonsai Doug wrote: »
    Another great collection of teachings and Sutta (Theravada) can be found here: http://what-buddha-said.net/index.htm

    I also use http://www.accesstoinsight.org/, it has very interesting essays and Sutra explanations
  • BonsaiDougBonsaiDoug Simply, on the path. Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Alfonso wrote: »
    I also use http://www.accesstoinsight.org/, it has very interesting essays and Sutra explanations
    One of my very often used bookmarks. :thumbsup:
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