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How long have you been learning about Buddhism?
Since I am so very new the study and just finding these forum a few days ago. I am a little curious how long each of you has been learning about Buddhism, and a little about how you come study it (without being too personal or detailed).
To start things off, I have only been actively learning about it for about a month now. Though I have been tempted a few times in the past, I didn't know where to start. For me the journey started with a little video series on You Tube called Spirit Science and then I came across this audio book "Becoming Enlightened" in a book store. So far I found that all my life I have tried to lived by many of the concepts, unknowingly.
I am feeling very drawn to it, as I have always had difficulty understanding and accepting myself. I have not known anyone who knowingly studied, and have come across very few that (unknowingly) truly tried to follow Buddha's precepts. It has been very difficult journey and taken heavy toll on me to be surrounded by so much negativity, and no support system to help handle it. The more sour I became, more I would try to adjust my way of thinking to try and fit in with general society, which lead to the worse I felt about myself. I have at times truly believed I was just so out of the normal that I was crazy. The notion, I was crazy, had one very impactful instigator/supporter for a large portion of my life (and all of my kids lives).
So here I am learning about a way of living that apparently many other people are also learning/trying to live by as well. I am so grateful to have finally found it. I had been recovering slowly for a few years now, from that one person's influence, but in the short time I have starting studying Buddhism, I can not express how much better and lighter I feel. I have barely even began learning about Buddhism, much less start adjust my thinking and actively work towards a better more peaceful life.
To start things off, I have only been actively learning about it for about a month now. Though I have been tempted a few times in the past, I didn't know where to start. For me the journey started with a little video series on You Tube called Spirit Science and then I came across this audio book "Becoming Enlightened" in a book store. So far I found that all my life I have tried to lived by many of the concepts, unknowingly.
I am feeling very drawn to it, as I have always had difficulty understanding and accepting myself. I have not known anyone who knowingly studied, and have come across very few that (unknowingly) truly tried to follow Buddha's precepts. It has been very difficult journey and taken heavy toll on me to be surrounded by so much negativity, and no support system to help handle it. The more sour I became, more I would try to adjust my way of thinking to try and fit in with general society, which lead to the worse I felt about myself. I have at times truly believed I was just so out of the normal that I was crazy. The notion, I was crazy, had one very impactful instigator/supporter for a large portion of my life (and all of my kids lives).
So here I am learning about a way of living that apparently many other people are also learning/trying to live by as well. I am so grateful to have finally found it. I had been recovering slowly for a few years now, from that one person's influence, but in the short time I have starting studying Buddhism, I can not express how much better and lighter I feel. I have barely even began learning about Buddhism, much less start adjust my thinking and actively work towards a better more peaceful life.
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I started snooping the spiritual adventure about 40 years ago. The trip, which began with Vedanta, slipped over into Zen Buddhism and I have been more or less stuck in that rut ever since. I am not inclined to say any one thing pushed me into action, but in general I guess it's OK to say that a sense of unsatisfactoriness made Buddhism appealing. Life was too edgy, too unassured and somehow too phoney.
At first I read a lot of books, went to lectures, visited temples and (very shyly) asked others what they knew. Then, at some point, I went to a Zen center, plopped my butt down on a meditation cushion and proceeded to serious-up a little. It's good to read and discuss and cogitate, but the meat and potatoes of Buddhism becomes alive with a personal effort (meditation among other things) that can seem pretty stupid to begin with ... how the hell can anyone solve problems by sitting on a cushion?
Welcome to the forum. And welcome to the Buddhist path
I myself started with meditation about, say 7 years ago when I was still an innocent 18 year old young boy.
Overall, I found this a really effective approach, because it was very much based on my own experience. By meditation, you learn that this path is really worth something. Also applying the precepts is a wonderful thing. Gradually it made me become more peaceful and happy. Also, my mind is way less chatty now (the reason I started this adventure). I now also know my place in the world. But I also still have lots to learn, but this will come with time.
Here is some advice I would like to give you:
The entire Buddhist path stands or falls with meditation, it really is important. If you don't meditate yet, I would suggest buying a book on that, or starting a course or whatever.
Also, it will be very supportive to join a Buddhist group in your area, if there is one.
Over time this youtube channel inspired me a lot:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BuddhistSocietyWA/videos
I hope you will will enjoy your path as much as I did mine.
With kindness,
Sabre
I lost someone a year ago and death really does something to you. I'm 28 and it sort of taught me what was important in life. I had just spent 3 years studying the abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam and had chosen islam...Buddhism is a practice for me as it is the only religion/philosophy that expands on meditation and present awareness not to mention on the HOW TO of the 4nt and 8 fold path.
I think I might be the only Muslim on the forum but I will be honest with you, this little forum has become home for me in the past month as everyone here is so lovey and kind. Not to mention, welcoming.
Eckhart tolle introduced me to mindfulness and that was in the fall of 2011. . . So I have only been here since January 2012.
@maarten ...thank you, btw!
Gave me this website and it has changed my life. It's free! Download audio dhrma and guided meditation mp3
http://newbuddhist.com/discussions
Sorry the top one was wrong this is the right one
I started studying Buddhism out of interest about a year ago, but it was only just over three months ago that I really made my studies a daily priority along with meditation.
This forum is a really helpful place for a beginning practitioner, and the people here are wise and kind. You're in wonderful company here.
.....On the other hand.... cocky new people who think they "get it"... should know... "A miss is as good as mile"
:om:
It describes how there was a kid who had never met his father, and was always told by his mother to that the time was not right... Then one day she said she would take him to meet his father, but it would be a long journey.. They walked out the front door of their house and set off into the mountains. It was treacherous and freezing and they had to follow a razorback ridge. Then they descended into swamps and thick forest... and had to trek for miles... Finally they came to a mountain valley, and in the far distance there was a house. .... When they arrived at the house and entered, he realized it was the back door of his own house and his father was standing there all along.
There is a Middle Eastern saying (or so it is said) that goes ... God takes away your donkey, then lets you find it.
Some how the useless trip, the losing of the donkey...can't be skipped.
Anyway sorry for the really bad spiritual kitsch... but there is something to it... speaking as a hard case.
IMHO
Hopefully, I don't seem like one of those cocky new people that "get it". If I do let me assure you I don't, the world is a confusing mess to me, my life included. There are many things that I have read and listen, that I have always tried to follow in my life (not knowing it was a part of Buddhist teachings). However I get a sense I really know next to nothing, if anything at all. So maybe I should not post much input until I understand more about Buddhism? I don't want to be offensive to anyone.
Silly goose!
And @MsJeni, please don't feel shy when voicing your understanding. I have received the most remarkable, exciting, refreshing insights from people who had not yet got the idea that years of meditation and study are required to penetrate the great mysteries of the Dharma.
And I can only bow deeply to @RichardH. When I finally penetrated "One Hand Clapping" I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. My only thought was, "You mean, that's it?? I did all that sitting and sweating and tied my mind into knots, and that's it?"
The simple can be almost impossible.
I honestly screw up a lot in this life still and if I am still doing this with 20+ years then never feel bad. There is a reason it is called practice.
Also, I think MsJeni, that this video would be very enlightening...
Small point.....
There is no such thing as anyone having more wisdom than you.
there are merely different levels of understanding, linked closely to opinion and view - all of which come under the umbrella of 'personal'....
You can tell when you have found a truly wise person.
They say nothing at all.....
We were all pretty practical about it, I guess. That was probably partly because that particular teacher at the time was promoting Zen as a means to become carefree, focused, smart, successful etc... But we did learn to meditate, that’s what matters.
For me the meditation is the basis, and Buddhism -to a large extend- is simply the practice of meditation. The ideas, the groups, the teachers, they are exchangeable but this process, here on the meditation-mat is crucial.
Learning about Buddhism (to me) is learning about the nature of this; here and now; waking up to it; not knowing.
And if I learned anything at all – gradually - it is trusting my practice, trusting my life; trusting this not-knowing.
Good luck to you ! @MsJeni
Saying that if you open your mouth you demonstrate an absence of wisdom is an opinion I disagree with.. for what it's worth.
It also says this forum is without wisdom... bunch of dummies.
....and you better clear out if you are wise. or serious.
..and you seem to demonstrate hard won wisdom IMHO.
.
To me wisdom means someone that has more experience thus has more knowledge and understanding on a particular subject. I too have some wisdom about some things, probably not Buddhism though. At this point, me knowing very very little about Buddhism, compared to any of you, you most likely have more knowledge and understanding than I.
That is not saying I automatically believe your understanding/knowledge is correct, as I also believe in the theory we are all always learning, thus new knowledge that you learn tomorrow made completely change how you think and what you "know" today. (I have had this happen to me many times, what I thought I knew when out the window when I learned or saw a different perspective.)
However I have substantial bit of in life experience I can share, you may find some of my experiences in life and way of thinking helpful in understanding something you have or thought you learned about Buddhism, (or some other part of life). So I do offer up my experiences, but whether or how that may or may not help you, I do not know.
Any yes I do often speak and think in riddles like this. I am always challenging what I think I know. My kids dislike this about me, when they need help with a question on homework (and many things in life) it's in itself is a journey, as I will challenge them to think versus giving them an answer. Hope I can challenge some of you as well, but if I ever sound like I "know something" just remind yourself my process of thinking, doesn't really correlate with "knowing much". I have simply had experiences, and they are my interpretation at the moment of those experiences.
A couple of things I am pretty sure I know are: our world has much suffering in it, and I would like to see more peace in it (but not to the extent that I am willing to leave it yet), and each of us are getting a little "wiser" in some way every moment we are here and open to learning. I, also, know me pretty well, I am happy for the most part with me, but I do have room for improvement. (I am just getting to know you all and vice versa).
FYI, I am pretty light-hearted about most things, being overly concerned and stress about the here and now takes too much energy, and probably won't mean much tomorrow. Life if full of good and bad things, it's okay for them to hurt at the moment they are happening, but I do strive to let the pain go on the bad things as soon as I can, and move it an experience in the way I think about it.
I think I overcomplicated everything though and now just try the following:
1. Meditation daily.
2. Mindfulness (when I remember)
3. Practising compassion (being a member of A.A. I always have people around me in need of help; for this reason I feel really lucky to be a recovered alkie).
Though I still plod through Buddhist books, listen to talks on mp3 player, and attend classes.