I lack a firm grasp of the fundamentals

meh_

I have read about the fundamental concepts of buddhism a fair bit around the internet, but I really need some vivid clarification, because I feel really lost right now. Im approaching my exams now - and having a stronger meditation practice is going to help me massively with concentration etc - but I want to get my basic knowledge sorted out firmly. What is your advice?

Also - Scripture-wise, is there any order I should read them in? and which should I read first?

SherabDorje

Simplify. For now, understand the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, and be satisfied with that until your exams are over. Simplify. The way I see it, you have tried to absorb way too much way too fast.

I know that's real advicey, but I have a son about your age and that's what I'd tell him. You'll have the whole summer to start to sort out Buddhism.

StaticToybox

What fundamentals do you feel you fail to grasp?

compassionate_warrior

If you're having trouble grasping the fundamentals, you're probably grasping too much at once. SherabDorje's given you our standard advice for beginners. Meditation isn't going to help your concentration overnight, not in time for exams. So relax. The key thing about meditation is the breathing technique, and focussing on the breath. If the mind wanders, bring it back to the breath, very slow, deep breaths, and the outbreath should be equally slow, controlled. This calms the mind/nervous system to make it easier to concentrate on the breath. Good luck with your exams.

genkaku

I suppose it's too hard to grasp, but the difficulty with Buddhism is not its endless texts, its admirable temples, its sometimes-good teachers and teachings, its vast descriptions of even more vast realms. The real difficulty lies in the honest-to-goodness simplicity.

For example, I would argue that if a student were to do nothing more than focus on the breath, really focus and investigate, Buddhism would fall into place in an instant.

But the mind is hungry for hand-holds, so ... as SherabDorje said, take the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Exercise determination and constancy. Pay attention and take responsibility. And never give up.

Good luck on the exams.

fivebells

If it's a firm grasp of the fundamentals you want, I highly recommend my teacher's book, Wake Up To Your Life.

specialkayme

I can tell you that Geshe Tashi Tsering's series is a good start at some of the fundamentals. If you do decide to read those books, I would recommend against reading them like a novel. Instead, spend a semester or a year studying each book. There is a bunch of useful information in there.

But if you are trying to "cram" the fundamentals before your exam, you are setting yourself up for failure. There are a number of very experienced practitioners that continue to go back to the basics, because they haven't mastered them yet. It takes time, dedication, perseverance, and patience.

As far as your exams go, the best advice I was ever given was a quote: "If the roots are strong, a tree will bear fruit in it's time." If you do the work before hand, you will do fine.

taiyaki

if you understand the basics intuitively and thats how you see the world then there is nothing else to learn.

if you understand them intellectually, you've made yourself a philosophy. a framework will never help you live your life.

keep meditating and keep trying to understand the basics in relation to everyday life.

Cloud

Four Noble Truths (when we are delusional about reality, our desires end up bringing us suffering rather than non-suffering; seeing reality clearly and letting go of "ignorant craving/attachment" leads to peace).

Noble Eightfold Path (lead a moral life, purify the mind, see reality).

Five Precepts (no killing, stealing, wrong speech such as lying, sexual misconduct or intoxicants).

Anicca/Impermanence: Everything changes, there are no exceptions to be seen in life. Any "thing" is only temporary.

Anatta/Not-Self: All things are part of other things, and made up of other things. In essence, there are no solid or separate "things" to speak of, only different combinations that are always changing. There is no core essence, no permanent self; we apply labels, but labels do not change reality!

Combine Impermanence and Not-Self and you have "Emptiness", which is an expression of reality itself. Nothing is being created or destroyed; birth is not a new being coming into existence, death is not the end of existence... there is only this changing into that, that changing into this. All things are empty of self, part of this flow. Other words that are used to express reality can be "Suchness", "Thusness", and even the "Tao".

Karma: Choices and Consequences. Reaping what you Sow. It's not something being controlled by a God, but is cause and effect. Specifically the Noble Eightfold Path was created to be skillful choices/karma that lead toward enlightenment while being in harmony with nature and with non-suffering (the precepts were developed based on the Path).

swaydam

Just believe in yourself.
I got really stuck trying to sort this stuff out too, and am still struggling to get it all clear. But I think faith in oneself, in ones own inherent Buddha nature, is the foundation of right...whatever. Also slow and steady effort.

You can also pray for assistance.

The Three Principle Aspects of the Path are also a nice condensation. (In my own words, love, determination, and non-attachment)
Or, the Four Reflections.

I'm a beginner, but so far I've found those to cut to the point.

meh_

"You can also pray for assistance. "

To whom am I praying?

swaydam

I don't know, look up Buddhist prayers.
You can pray to all the Buddhas in general for their help.

SherabDorje

(Some Pure Land Buddhists pray for help like that. Swaydam must be Pure Land. It makes sense in that context.)

meh_

But surely to pray to something - like you would a god is going against a lot of buddhism

DaltheJigsaw

Four Noble Truths (when we are delusional about reality, our desires end up bringing us suffering rather than non-suffering; seeing reality clearly and letting go of "ignorant craving/attachment" leads to peace).

Noble Eightfold Path (lead a moral life, purify the mind, see reality).

Five Precepts (no killing, stealing, wrong speech such as lying, sexual misconduct or intoxicants).

Anicca/Impermanence: Everything changes, there are no exceptions to be seen in life. Any "thing" is only temporary.

Anatta/Not-Self: All things are part of other things, and made up of other things. In essence, there are no solid or separate "things" to speak of, only different combinations that are always changing. There is no core essence, no permanent self; we apply labels, but labels do not change reality!

Combine Impermanence and Not-Self and you have "Emptiness", which is an expression of reality itself. Nothing is being created or destroyed; birth is not a new being coming into existence, death is not the end of existence... there is only this changing into that, that changing into this. All things are empty of self, part of this flow. Other words that are used to express reality can be "Suchness", "Thusness", and even the "Tao".

Karma: Choices and Consequences. Reaping what you Sow. It's not something being controlled by a God, but is cause and effect. Specifically the Noble Eightfold Path was created to be skillful choices/karma that lead toward enlightenment while being in harmony with nature and with non-suffering (the precepts were developed based on the Path).

Beautiful!
Thank you!

swaydam

But surely to pray to something - like you would a god is going against a lot of buddhism

Well, everything is interconnected according to Buddhism, dependent origination. Our thoughts and feelings send out transmissions like radio signals. We are all connected on a subconscious level.

BTW, you asked if there was some type of order to the teachings. Atisha made something like that, and this book is based on that. http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/lam_rim_outline.pdf

Also, "Advice from Atisha's heart" is awesome.

Also, I know this is Taoist and not Buddhist, but I have found the I-ching useful in providing me guidance when my own mind and doubts prevent my ability to have clear insights on particular matters, especially since I don't have a teacher. http://www.ichingonline.net/

I also really like Jed Mckenna's book Spiritual Enlightenment, the Damdest Thing and Richard Rose's "After the Absolute" (really down to earth).... they are good if you are really really serious about attaining enlightenment, as none of the advice given in them is sugar coated. They essentially say that the first step is to get really clear about what this world is really like (full of falsehood and ignorance) and to clarify what it is you really want, and if what you really want is the Truth (the Absolute Truth) to understand that it takes a full commitment.

And SherabDorje, I'm not a Pure Land Buddhist. I find the subject of schools of Buddhism interesting (maybe I should start a new thread on this but...). Like, if a technique is really effective, but its part of a school of Buddhism other than your own... what then? Oh well?
I tend to think somewhat like Bruce Lee, not believing in any particular style, but doing what works. On the other hand, its not good to just skim the surface of various paths either, without going deep into one. I should be able to go deep into my OWN path though, right? Hmmmmmmm.

federica

let's not go too far off topic.
To re-cap, the question the OP has posed is as follows:

I have read about the fundamental concepts of buddhism a fair bit around the internet, but I really need some vivid clarification, because I feel really lost right now. Im approaching my exams now - and having a stronger meditation practice is going to help me massively with concentration etc - but I want to get my basic knowledge sorted out firmly. What is your advice?

Also - Scripture-wise, is there any order I should read them in? and which should I read first?

This question focusses specifically on the fundamental aspects and teachings of Buddhism, and Buddhist scriptures.
Talk of taoism and DIY practice, based purely on "what feels good" is off-topic.

Many thanks!

Jeffrey

A student writes:

"I am a new and very inexperienced student who has recently started your Discovering the Heart of Buddhism course.

I very much enjoy reading the emails where you answer students questions and often forward them to my wife - and your recent comments on the situation in Burma has raised a question from her that I cannot answer.

In the email you mention praying for those in Burma - but if Buddhism is neither a monotheistic or multitheistic religion ( this is a major attraction of Buddhism for me), who can we be praying to?

Help!"

Lama Shenpen:

Thank you for your email. It is good to hear from you.

As for your wife's question, prayers in Buddhism are addressed to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

The Buddha didn't create the world, our karma did.

Buddhas and Bodhisattvas pervade us with their blessing (adhistana) in order to help remove all the trouble caused by our mental poisons and karmic consequences. But they cannot remove it all without our co-operation.

When we open our hearts in prayer it is as if we allow that adhistana to flow into the world and it can benefit beings in countless ways - as much as circumstances will allow. Their love and power to help is always there but we need to increase the positive circumstances in order for it to become more effective.

Our vows, our prayers, our Dharma practice, our good deeds and especially our dedication of punya (the good arising from our good deeds) helps the adhistana to flow into the world, removing immediate obstacles and eventually bringing all beings to Awakening.

meh_

I can't really accept this personally - the buddha told us not to accept teachings without testing them for ourselves - but this surely is similar to praying to god, dressed up differently?

Jeffrey

You don't have to pray that's for sure. But this can give you a window into what others are doing. You don't even have to meditate to study buddhism, honestly.

Its kind of weird what the Tibetan Buddhists do I admit. Its like your in kindergarten and you pray a prayer of opening to your kindergarten teacher. That your fear at learning won't overcome you and you will learn to tie your shoes. It sets a mental factor.

Sabre

I can't really accept this personally - the buddha told us not to accept teachings without testing them for ourselves - but this surely is similar to praying to god, dressed up differently?

Then don't. I often wish all living beings a lot of happiness, but I simply don't call it praying.

As Jeffrey says, it sets up the mind.