Discovering Buddha

[Darwin Disciple]

Recommend to me the good books on the history and teachings of Buddha for somebody who has absolutely no idea about him. What interested you and got you started in Buddhism? After learning about it, do you meditate or pray at home or some kind of local place for Buddhism?

[EvilPoet]

BuddhaNet's Buddhist eBook Library (http://www.buddhanet.net/ebooks.htm)

[one_raven]

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/nshellct.htm

http://www.buddhismtoday.com/english/buddha/Teachings/basicteaching0.htm

http://www.religioustolerance.org/var_rel.htm

And, read the book, "The Teaching of Buddah".

Congratulations and enjoy!!

[BLASTOFF]

if you want to learn meditation there are a lot of advice on the meditation guide also i will be posting a practical guide to buddhist meditation in a couple of days..

classical buddhism specifies five or six realms or destinations in which it is possible for rebirth to take place.
1 the heavens the realms of the devas or gods, plus some rarefied regions above them.
2 the realm of the asuras or titans, who like their greek counterparts are the bellicose old gods,
3 the realm of humans.
4the realm of animals.
5the realm of preta or hungry ghosts.
6 the realms of hell which buddhist writingsare numerous and exceedingly nasty.
so the whole system is fraught, for only two destinations are plesent, the rest are painful,

[EvilPoet]

The Wheel of Life

The Wheel of Life illustrates in a popular way the essence of the Buddhist teachings, the Four Truths: the existence of earthly suffering, its origin and cause, the ending or prevention of misery and the practice path to liberation from suffering.

The Wheel of Life describes the cause of all evil and its effects, mirrored in earthly phenomena just as it is experienced by everyone from the cradle to the grave. Picture by picture it reminds us that everyone is always his or her own judge and responsible for their own fate, because, according to Karma, causes and their effects are the fruits of one's own deeds.

The circular composition of the Wheel of Life guides the viewer from picture to picture along the black path or the white path. It leads one through the twelve interwoven causes and their consequences to rebirth in one of the so-called Six Worlds. Projected on one plane, they fill the whole inner sphere the Wheel of Life. But the meaning of this painting is to show the way out of all these worlds of suffering into the sphere beyond.

Interactive Tour of the Wheel of Life (http://www.buddhanet.net/wheel1.htm)

[Adam]

You might also consider reading about Socrates and comparing the two. They had many similar ideas.

[Canute]

For me books about Buddhism meant absolutely nothing with all this stuff about eightfold paths and Buddha nature. Science and philosophy was the rational thing. No mumbo jumbo. However I discovered after a lot of work that science and philosophy lead you straight to the logical truth of Buddhist thinking and beliefs.

I say this just because if you are new to Buddhist ideas and also a scientific thinker, as your username suggests, then you might find the books very off-putting. I certainly did.

[Dana D]

Seems that way to me also, Canute. What little I have read on Buddha seems to be pure philosophy on how to live/think in the here and now. No mention of heaven or hell or life after death. Looked to me that stuff was added by others at a later date. Do I need correction on this?

[Voodoo Child]

Seems that way to me also, Canute. What little I have read on Buddha seems to be pure philosophy on how to live/think in the here and now. No mention of heaven or hell or life after death. Looked to me that stuff was added by others at a later date. Do I need correction on this?

No. IMO, that is basically correct. Some, the Mahayana for example, take the view that Buddha exists in countless manifestations throughout time, so there is no "later". That way they get authentic status for their texts.


For me books about Buddhism meant absolutely nothing with all this stuff about eightfold paths and Buddha nature.

Buddha nature is most famously associated with Zen and is also emphasised by the Mahayana schools. The eightfold path is very basic buddhism accepted by all the schools from the Sarvastivadans to Lamaism.

[Darwin Disciple]

OK, so far I read a few of the web sites and many of the books by HH Dalai Lama, T.N. Hanh, S. Suzuki, and various western buddhists and I guess that is the limit. I can only go so far with reading materials on Buddhism, right? My next step is to what? Seek a teacher? But then who, when I find the various forms of Buddhism to my liking, what style of teaching do I pursue?

Another thing,
How is Buddhism "funded"? Where do they get the money for building monastaries or how do monastics sustain themselves without some kind of wealth? Here in the states, how are Buddhist temples supported? Hopefully not like Mormons and take 10% of your gross income.

[Canute]

Buddhism is just a practice. You do not have to be part of some organisation in order to practice it. However it helps to have guidance and suport sometimes and being part of a group or having a teacher helps with whatever you are learning.

The teachings of Buddhism can appear extensive and complicated, not to say wilfully opaque and incomprehensible. However (it seems to me) that for the most part they represent a host of different ways of explaining the same few things.

The main point is that the words in the books are supposed to help you in your inner exploration, not to make rules or to tell you answers. Their message is extremely simple. If you can still your mind you will get to know your own consciousness better and start to answer the questions for yourself. Once you start to do that then all the opaque words begin to make sense (and you start wondering why other people can't see the truth of them).

In the end it is about experiencing reality, and experiences cannot be communicated in writing.

I believe that the Buddhist view of existence is correct (and absolutely 'scientific'). However I agree that the central message appears to have become intellectually cluttered. After a few thousand years this is not surprising. However it is worth noting that Buddhism is concerned with the truth, not with faith, dogma, and ceremonial details. You are not expected to believe anything that you have not worked out for yourself, even if the Buddha said it. Paradoxically you are expected to work it all out by sitting and not thinking about it. Even more paradoxically this method works.

This is just my opinion. I'm sure that any real Buddhists here would be able to put it better. I only meant to say don't worry about the books, just start exploring what it is that appears when you are not being distracted by your thoughts. The books will then start making more sense.

[Dana D]

Thank you for the verification.

[Canute]

Originally posted by Dana D
Seems that way to me also, Canute. What little I have read on Buddha seems to be pure philosophy on how to live/think in the here and now. No mention of heaven or hell or life after death. Looked to me that stuff was added by others at a later date. Do I need correction on this?

I think this is very wrong, but I know what you mean. In fact Buddhism is more rational on its view of existence, life and death etc. than any other scientific, philosophical or religious views that I know of (I'll argue this one if you want), and says everything you could ever want about existence if you explore it all the way, and if you explore yourself all the way. It is not just another view, it is a way for you to form your own view. Surprisingly (or not surprisingly) however it seems that people who individually investigate existence via Buddhist practice always end up reaching the same basic conclusions. Thus there are no significant theological disputes or logical anomalies within Buddhism, and it represents not just a complete explanation of it all but also a way of understanding ones own existence (or non-existence). I have no axe to grind here, I am not a Buddhist but just believe that Buddhist views are correct.

[Dana D]

No arguement here. It does seem to be the most rational and ... flexible ... worldview/paradigm/matrix.

However, an interesting rabbit trail to follow would be - how can one believe Buddhism to be true yet not be Buddhist? I find myself in a similar paradox and am interested in your definition and view.

[one_raven]

Originally posted by Canute
Thus there are no significant theological disputes or logical anomalies within Buddhism, and it represents not just a complete explanation of it all but also a way of understanding ones own existence (or non-existence).

With (arguably) the possible exception of Samsara.

[Canute]

Originally posted by Dana D
However an interesting rabbit trail to follow would be - how can one believe Buddhism to be true yet not be Buddhist? I find myself in a similar paradox and am interested in your definition and view.

I suppose what I meant was that Buddhist ideas on consciousness, cosmos and material universe seem to be coherent, complete and logically much more likely to be true than the worthy but inadequate and unsophisticated muddles that science calls psychology, quantum cosmology and so forth. However I'm not quite convinced that taking on board the implications of this necessarily means formally becoming a Buddhist in the sense of following the ceremonies and traditions and calling oneself a Buddhist. However it does seem to mean doing the practice and taking the same approach to life, and once one starts doing that perhaps one is a Buddhist. Perhaps I just don't want all the work and responsibility that comes from really accepting that ones ultimate fate is in ones own hands.

When you say that you believe Buddhism to be true do you mean in terms of lifestyle/practice/approach to life etc. or in terms of its explanations of existence?

[Dana D]

l/p/a I'm thinking (w/o the cerimonial dross). I'm not that familiar with it's veiw of existance. But if it's like most - it really doesn't matter. It's kinda like - monads vs. atoms or whether or not aliens are visiting earth - either way, it doesn't really change my everyday life.

[Canute]

Originally posted by Dana D
l/p/a I'm thinking (w/o the cerimonial dross). I'm not that familiar with it's veiw of existance. But if it's like most - it really doesn't matter. It's kinda like - monads vs. atoms or whether or not aliens are visiting earth - either way, it doesn't really change my everyday life.

I can only say that I feel you very seriously underestimate it. Don't do that too quickly. It's not some form of mysticism or endlessly inconclusive metaphysics. Of course it may be wrong but that's a different matter, one to decide for yourself.

[Dudeyhed]

Hi all, I've been born to and brought up in a buddhist family. My parents were buddhist, their parents, and so on. Coming from this background, I've experienced many aspects of the religion, or as I've come to understand it, philosophy.

Since i was a little kid, I'd often go to the temple with my family, and we would chant. I never understood what I was saying (the chants are in an acient Indian language (I think) called pali), and I don't beleive many of the adults understood it either), but we would chant them anyway.

After a few year of going to sunday school, they teach you what the different chants are all about, but I still don't understand the language.

There are few rituals that are done, but to me it all just seems pointless. It's as if people do them because that's just how it was done when they were kids.

I wouldn't have a problem if the rituals were meaningful, but I think they have just lost that. Rather than feeling invigorated and spiritually cleansed (or whatever) after a ceremony, more often I feel tired and sore (coz we have to sit on the ground).

I feel that a lot of buddhism has gone astray. The majority of its deciples don't even know what it means to be buddhist. They think that by going to the temple and chanting and taking part in rituals makes them buddhist. I don't even know if the Buddha ever even told people to have ceremonies! I think you'll find better buddhists working for charities than you'll find in a temple.

I think that what I've been trying to say is that its not doing things that may be considered icon events for a Buddhist that makes you one. It's the way you live your life, the way u treat other being, the way you think. That's what make you a Buddhist.

[Dana D]

Sounds a lot like modern Christianity to me.

This is all my impression but, it seems that over time, most if not all religions have this original, simple, true core that was preached by the "founder". Jesus, Buddha (probably Mohammed - I doubt if suicide bombers were part of his ideal). Over the years it becomes analyzed and interpreted to death. All kinds of additional "religion" added to it. You start seeing it with Moses in the old testament and Paul’s writings again in the new testament. And it's not even their doing, really. It's questions from the ignorant sheep that don't understand or even want to understand the "truth". They just want to know how many Hail Mary's they have to do to feel ok with themselves. I can see the frustration with the masses in their writings. Eventually, you have this bloated mind game of do's, don'ts and ceremony.

Whew ... ah, sorry about the outburst.

Something that borrowed from science - Occams Razor - a belief, yes belief, that truth is not complex, but simple and beautifully efficient. (I'm looking for a better word here).

Isn't that what Buddha discovered, in a sense? Forced submission and denial of self (ex. starving yourself for Lent, Yom Kippur, or nirvana) leads no where. It's seeking an extreme. It's ornamentation (what does swinging an incense bucket really accomplish?). It hides the truth.

[Canute]

Originally posted by Dana D
This is all my impression but, it seems that over time, most if not all religions have this original, simple, true core that was preached by the "founder". Jesus, Buddha (probably Mohammed - I doubt if suicide bombers were part of his ideal). Over the years it becomes analyzed and interpreted to death. All kinds of additional "religion" added to it. You start seeing it with Moses in the old testament and Paul’s writings again in the new testament. And it's not even their doing, really. It's questions from the ignorant sheep that don't understand or even want to understand the "truth". They just want to know how many Hail Mary's they have to do to feel ok with themselves. I can see the frustration with the masses in their writings. Eventually, you have this bloated mind game of do's, don'ts and ceremony.
Quite agree. Except that ceremony is sometimes helpful in establishing an appropriate frame of mind and atmosphere. All religions and philosophies have different levels appropriate to different people, and most of them were less cluttered with doctrinal trivia in the past. Buddhism is no different, for some people only really want the superficial stuff and are not prepared to go deeper. Just don't mistake the baby for the bathwater.

Forced submission and denial of self (ex. starving yourself for Lent, Yom Kippur, or nirvana) leads no where. It's seeking an extreme. It's ornamentation (what does swinging an incense bucket really accomplish?). It hides the truth.
Again I would agree. This is why the Buddha, who was just a human being like you and me, insisted that people did not simply accept his words, but explored things for themselves and reached their own conclusions. At its heart Buddhism asks no more than that you learn by your own experience. Of course not everyone wants to go to the trouble of exploring their own experience, and thus they end up seeing no depth in Buddhist teaching.

The truth is (just my opinion here of course) that there is nothing to be learned from Buddhist teachings or ceremonies unless you first explore your own sense of consciousness. Unfortunately that means Buddhists are reduced to simply advising people to sit still and stop thinking so much, which does not seem very impressive advice at first glance. But there is no way of discussing in third-person terms what is first-person experience. This is one of the reasons for the opaqueness of Buddhist teachings.

Our increasingly intellectual approach to life sometimes seems to lead us into thinking that we can understand or believe things that we have not worked out for ourselves. Buddhism does not make that mistake.

[EvilPoet]

The Last Teaching of Buddha (http://www.amidabuddha.org/lastteaching.html)

[Dana D]

I understand having an appropriate atmosphere to help establish a state of mind. Totally agree. But this is where the balance is lost so often. There is no definable line between helpful ritual and asceticism unto death. Doesn't the pilgrim believe starving and crawling on his knees for 50 miles to the holy place put him in a special state of mind?

Buddha taught to avoid extremes, ah ... but we each define our own extreme. He also taught to find our own way. So, if it works for them then good on 'em. It is just not my way, and that is fine, also. So the real question to be answered is - "Does it bring you peace?"

[spookz]

i think to a person that is begining to meditate, "peace" is not something that is easy to come by. typically one would be re-evaluating old paradigms, modes of thought etc. a lot of reflection and self investigation should be going on. this is the point where most give up meditation because "peace" has not been attained. goals should be discarded. it is a distraction. furthermore concepts like peace imply its opposite, conflict. what if that is found to be the true nature of reality? would that be unacceptable? preconceptions and expectations will prove to be a hindrance as one progresses in meditation.

there are many paths to "enlightenment". if flagellating one self produces results, go for it. if rituals help, go for it. if biofeedback works, go for that too. people have different physiologies and psyches, work with what you have and move on. eventually (hopefully) we will all meet in the same place

[Canute]

Originally posted by Dana D
I understand having an appropriate atmosphere to help establish a state of mind. Totally agree. But this is where the balance is lost so often. There is no definable line between helpful ritual and asceticism unto death. Doesn't the pilgrim believe starving and crawling on his knees for 50 miles to the holy place put him in a special state of mind?

Buddha taught to avoid extremes, ah ... but we each define our own extreme. He also taught to find our own way. So, if it works for them then good on 'em. It is just not my way, and that is fine, also. So the real question to be answered is - "Does it bring you peace?"
I think you look at it in the wrong way. 'Buddhism' doesn't bring you anything at all. What you work out for yourself as a result of the practice of it is what you get. No more and no less.

[Canute]

Originally posted by spookz
i think to a person that is begining to meditate, "peace" is not something that is easy to come by. typically one would be re-evaluating old paradigms, modes of thought etc. a lot of reflection and self investigation should be going on. this is the point where most give up meditation because "peace" has not been attained. goals should be discarded. it is a distraction. furthermore concepts like peace imply its opposite, conflict. what if that is found to be the true nature of reality? would that be unacceptable? preconceptions and expectations will prove to be a hindrance as one progresses in meditation.

there are many paths to "enlightenment". if flagellating one self produces results, go for it. if rituals help, go for it. if biofeedback works, go for that too. people have different physiologies and psyches, work with what you have and move on. eventually (hopefully) we will all meet in the same place
Well put. Considering 'the nature of opposites' led me to Buddhist-like beliefs long before I knew anything about it. I was a bit miffed when I did, I thought I was on to something new! Pathetic really.

[Dana D]

Interesting. So, it's more like "where ever you end up - there you are."

[Canute]

Originally posted by Dana D
Interesting. So, it's more like "where ever you end up - there you are."
If I take your meaning correctly then yes. It just so happens that people who practice this form of contemplation all arrive at much the same place. Which is either one hell of a coincidence or a suggestion that there is some truth in it. Not many 'religions' allow their followers to believe whatever thay happen to find out. This is why I am a bit inclined to argue when people categorise Buddhism as just another option on the list of world beliefs. It is a practice, not a set of beliefs. You can draw your own conclusions from your own practice.

Of course you can also choose to just believe what Buddhists say, as some do. However this is lazy and does not constite an understanding of anything or even half a step towards enlightenment.

[Ecstat]

LIGHT ON SANT MAT

Axioms of Spirituality

Excerpts from : The Science of the Soul
by Maharaj Sardar Bahadur Jagat Singh
(Radha Soami Satsang Beas - Punjab, India).
Page 77-85


1. Nobody is happy in this world

Some complain of unemployment and poverty, others of disease, death in the family or some other distress. Every-where a tide of pain, misery, grief and suffering seems to engulf mankind.

Nanak! all the world is steeped in pain,
Happy are those, whom doth Nam sustain.
Muslim philosophers have named this world, `The Home of Distress.'

The world is divided into, two parts, water and land. In water, big fish live upon the small ones, and are themselves eaten up by still bigger ones. On the land, big birds eat the small ones and the latter make worms and flies their food. Lions and tigers make smaller animals their prey, and thus it goes on. Man kills all. Nothing is safe from him.

And yet life is very dear to everyone. Imagine the agony of dumb creatures that are daily butchered to provide us food, and the distress of those that are wounded or killed when we are out hunting. The human form, that was granted to us for the sublime purpose of God-realization, is spent in tyranny towards His beings. When man sinks so low, he is worse than a beast. The beast kills only to satisfy its hunger, but man does it for pleasure, notwithstanding the fact that the slightest injury to his own person sends him reeling with pain and he demands immediate relief. What a strange world to live in, which has no security nor peace! No one knows when death will overtake or what catastrophe will befall one.

2. This world is not our True Home

We are in an alien land where nothing is either permanent or our own. All around us is matter and mind made up of the five elements: earth, water, fire, air and akash (the matter that surrounds the earth beyond the air and, for want of a better word, is called ether). Soul, on the other hand, is a denizen of Sach Khand, an essence of the Ocean of Light and Bliss, pure, radiant and transcendent. It is a drop of the ocean of eternal happiness but, in its association with mind, for many ages, has gathered so much dross that it has completely forgotten its origin and has come to believe that this world is its real abode. Soul is tied down with mind, which in its turn is led by the five senses. It thus suffers the consequences of this unfortunate association and has to go through the long chain of life and death. It is in the human form alone that it may come in contact with a perfect Adept, get the secret of Nam from Him and by devotedly practising it, attain liberation.

Like grass have I grown many times;
Seven hundred and seventy forms have I been.
--Rumi

Guru Nanak says:

Many times have you been born as worms and flies;
Many times have you been born as deer, sheep and swine;
Many times have you been born as birds, horses and trees;
After numerous ages have you received this human body;
Therefore, meet the Lord now.
This is the only time.

3. It is only in the human form that the Soul can realize God and retrace its footsteps Homeward

None other of the eight million and four hundred thousand species has this capacity. Man alone has this privilege. Even gods and angels pine for it. The human body is the exit through which one can get out of the vast prison and thereby put an end to all pain and misery.

But alas! we do not give up the pleasures of the senses. Our mind has become so feeble and erring that it finds itself unable to withstand the ravishing sense pleasures and falls an easy prey to temptation. It is, however, never satiated. The more it gets, the more it desires. It perfectly realizes that the reaction of all `bhogas' (sense enjoyments) is pain, sorrow and dejection, yet it persists in its silly pursuits. Beware! DO action in this world goes without bearing fruit. Every action has its reaction. The worst reaction is that of lust.

Guru Nanak says:

For one moment of lust enjoyment,
Ten million days of agony await thee.
This adds up to thirty-three thousand years of agony for one moment of sensual pleasure. Only a fool would enter into such a bad bargain. What fools are we! If the result of pleasure is pain, how can it be pleasure? A wise man always keeps the ultimate result in mind.

Blessed is the person
Who always keeps his eye on the goal.
--Maulana Rum

But what is the remedy? How to dissuade the rabid mind from following this insane course, which takes it to destruction? In order to find a suitable remedy we must consider the nature of the mind. We know that it is fond of pleasure but it never sticks to one thing. It constantly keeps flitting from one to another. Nothing can keep it engaged for long. As soon as it sees something better, sweeter or prettier than what it has, it runs after that and throws away what it has in hand. The mind is never constant. The same is true of its love and attachment. It will readily give up all if we provide it with something sweeter and more absorbing than the worldly pleasures. That `something' is within us, in our own body. It is resounding above and behind our eyes in the form of sweet Music, which the Saints call Shabd, Bani, Nam, Word, Anhad Shabd, Sound Current or Audible Life Stream. When the mind hears this Celestial Music, all worldly pleasures become tasteless.

All the Saints and Sages say that God is within us and that all our sorrows and worries will come to an end, only when we turn our attention inward.

Christ says:

The Kingdom of God is within you.
Guru Nanak, Kabir, Tulsi Das, Soami Ji, Prophet Mohammed, all say the same thing. But we search for Him without, in temples, mosques, and churches; in rites and rituals; in scriptures and holy books; in sacrifices, penances and charities. All these, undoubtedly, have some merit in them but they keep us confined to lower worlds and cannot take us beyond the sphere of action and reaction. For reaping the reward of good deeds, we have to be born again in this phenomenal world. We can get true liberation only by totally withdrawing our attention from the outside and concentrating it at the eye centre as instructed by the Master.

4. God-realization is not possible without a perfect Master

He alone can show us how to vacate the nine portals of the body and enter the tenth which leads to our Eternal Home. The Vedas, Shruties, Smrities, other holy scriptures and the Saints and Sages of all religions stress the need for a Mystic Adept for transport into subtle realms. Actually, man needs a teacher at every step from the time of his birth. He has learnt nothing without one. His first guru is his mother who teaches him how to sit, stand, walk, eat, drink and dress. Later his father, brothers and sisters take on the onerous role and he begins to prattle. When he grows a little older, his friends and playmates become his guru. Next he goes to schools and colleges where there are any number of them to teach him. Yet when it comes to learning the science of the soul-the most intricate of sciences, rarely do we search for a guru, and without one it is impossible to proceed even an inch on this path. Maulana Rum says:

Even in the streets through which,
You have passed a number of times,
You often miss the way,
If you do not have a guide.
Beware of the way,
Which you have never traversed.
Never go there alone,
Always take a guide.
Not only is it impossible to know God without the help of a Mystic Adept, but without his protecting hand over one, it may be hazardous to make an attempt at going into subtle regions. In this path, many are the temptations to lead us astray, many the pitfalls to drag us down. Without a guide, we are sure to lose the way and fall into the quagmire of delusion and danger. The Perfect Master will show us how and where to enter the body, "the temple of the living God". There are nine outlets which lead to the sense world but the tenth opens into the spiritual regions. This is called the `Sushmana' gate and is located in the centre behind the eyes. It is through this aperture that we pass beyond matter and mind to reach the Everlasting and Immortal Region where the Supreme Lord-The Creator of all-resides. Austerities and the yoga of Pranayam (breathing) do not take us beyond the six centres. Only the Surat Shabd Yoga, the Yoga of the Audible Life Stream, the Anahat Shabd of the Upanishads, the Word or Logos of the Bible, can take us to the Highest Region, which is Eternal. This yoga can be taught only by the Saints. Nanak, Kabir, Dadu, Paltu, Maulana Rum, Shams-i-Tabriz, all preached and followed this way.

The Surat Shabd Yoga is not a new science. It has existed ever since the world was made. Saints do not come to establish a new religion, nor a new creed, nor even a new sect. Their mission is simply to liberate the qualified souls from this land of misery, and to guide them back to their Home of Eternal Bliss and Peace. The Saints say:

Brothers, this world is not your True Home. Nobody is happy here. This is the home of pain and sorrow. Leave this prison-house of evolution and devolution, and return to your own Home. This can be accomplished only while you are in the human body. Take full advantage of this opportunity. Seek a Perfect Master. Learn from Him the Science of Surat Shabd Yoga. Attach yourself to the Voice of God which calls within you at the eye centre. Follow this Divine Melody. Like a Powerful magnet, it will pull you up and take you to the feet of the Lord, whence these Currents emanate.
These are the teachings of the Saints (Sant Mat) in a nutshell. The Saints do not ask you to give up one religion and join another, nor do they ask you to renounce the world or your family, or to change your mode of living. They advise you to live with your wife and children as usual, to carry on your profession and to perform all other duties. They only enjoin you to give some time daily, punctually and regularly to the most important of your duties, which is devotion to God and listening to His voice, the Celestial Sound within.

You are to live in the world, but in a sensible way. Enjoy the world and its objects, but realize their true worth. They are meant to serve you. Take full service from them but do not yourself become their slave. Let not your mind be so entangled in attachment to these objects that, instead of being of service to you, they become your master. Live in the world in the most unconcerned way. Neither should the gift of a kingdom elate you, nor the loss of possessions depress you. Live in the world, but be of God and not of the world. Without actually renouncing, live like one who has renounced it. This is the real `Sanyas' (renunciation of the world) and has nothing to do with donning a saffron coloured robe or other religious garb. How aptly a Hindu Mystic has portrayed it in the following lines :

Even when you have renounced the world,
And live not in a village or town,
Nor possess property or chattel of any kind,
But instead roam about in forests and hills,
And drink water from brooks and springs,
Eat whatever is available in the forest,
Put on no clothes,
Read scriptures day and night
And do repetition of `Om',
Yet if there is an iota of desire,
Of worldly pleasure in your mind,
You are still a householder,
through and through.
Both renunciation and attachment pertain to the mind. Outward forms and symbols have nothing to do with them. Enter this garden of the world. Take a walk in it. Enjoy the fragrance of the flowers. Eat fruits and behold the beauties of Nature, but do not get entangled in thorns and prickly shrubs, lest you may get abrasions and wounds.

Earn wealth honestly and spend it well. It is meant for you. Attend to your work during the day. Day is for work. But at night give some time to devotion and contemplation. This is `your real work'. Just think for a moment. Of all that you do during the day, nothing of it is for yourself. Much that you do is for your family and friends. Daily you spend some time in adorning your body, but realize that even this is not yours and will not accompany you on your last journey. It will stay behind to be buried or cremated.

Your own work is that of doing Simran and Bhajan (the Spiritual Exercises) which will, in due course, liberate you from this vast prison in which you have been confined for countless ages. Life is short. Time is fleeting. Take full advantage of it, and if you have not done 'your own work' already, start doing it now. Seek a True Master and under His guidance attach your soul to the `Word' and reach your True Home.

[spookz]

yes we musnt forget the guru. meditation like any other science has its own "tricks of the trade". i suppose one who has more experience could hasten you along

[Canute]

It's that sort of stuff that used to make me scoff. It can have no meaning at all to anyone who does not already more or less know it.

[Siddhartha]

Originally posted by Canute
The main point is that the words in the books are supposed to help you in your inner exploration, not to make rules or to tell you answers. Their message is extremely simple. If you can still your mind you will get to know your own consciousness better and start to answer the questions for yourself. Once you start to do that then all the opaque words begin to make sense (and you start wondering why other people can't see the truth of them).

In the end it is about experiencing reality, and experiences cannot be communicated in writing. That sounds like Zen Buddhism specifically, and I can vouch for that. I don't need to link to the 101 Zen Stories, but reading them... there's so many of them that have a perfectly clear meaning, that if I tried to relay to joe public, they'd look at me like :bugeye:

[Canute]

Ouch - I don't half sound pompous in that quote. Anyway I know what you mean. We are very clever at communicating knowledge, but understanding is forever personal.

[EvilPoet]

"Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find
it, live it, be fortified by it, do wonders through it, but one cannot
communicate and teach it." -Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha

[Voltaire]

well you could always read the original Buddhist scriptures but i find them too repetitive. Anything written by the dalai lama is awesome. i found out about Buddhism in a very weird way. it was like if the book drew me to it and when i read the teachings, i realized i agreed with them. blah, i'll stop my story, too long. anyway, budhism is great but it is important that you meditate upon the teachings not just accept them because the Buddha said so.

[Canute]

To also get personal -

I came to the Buddhist view of physical existence via science and Western philosophy. In my arrogance I thought ar first I had made a great discovery. One day I talked to a Buddhist and discovered to my disappointment that my conclusions were identical to theirs.

I therefore feel that there is nothing mystical about Buddhism, it's simply common sense. Meditation may be the best and easiest way to grasp it, but it seems that it can also be done by just working it out from first principles.

[Voltaire]

to me, buddhism makes so much sense. but it is most excellent if you come to your own conclusions on your own because you have experienced it and you don't have to take the word of another person.

[moementum7]

Please excuse my ignorance if this has already been mentioned somewhere in this thread.But the whole concept of meditation is to improve and/or strengthen ones ability to focus.

Whether or not you understand this to be a primary or secondary way of cementing your own sense of identity(who are you without at least some degree of focus anyway?) Meditation is a secondary use of focus.
In the sense that it is not something to do once in awhile but a consant way of living,of waking up so to speak.
You should unrelentlessly focus your mind continually.
Never give up.
Many people have been taught to ride the wave.Unfocussing your mind is what leads so many people to make irrational goals that they wonder why they never acheive.

You can go through a whole day and end up at the end of it not feeling like you were truly there to experience it fully.
When you meditate you increase your focus,thus giving what many people feel is at least temporary fullfillment which they hope will eventually spill into the rest of their waking moments.

Focus.This is your identity.Never let it go.
This is how you learn and continue to perceive truth.
Once you are able to grasp,and maintain your focus,your identity and self confidence.esteem begin to rise.
With a concrete foundation of living and perceiving,one then can begin to make long term decisions and stick with them.

Where do you go when you unfocus your mind?
wake up.
Yes it takes extreme effort to fight for your own consciousness, but what other alternative do you have?
Eventually, your moods,perceptions and ability to make effective decisions for yourself increase and level off to an upward spiral of continual growth.

What does christianity,buddism,all religions and philosophies have in common? You.What ever concept you decide to rest your own focus upon is irrelavant.Do not rest your own focus.

Anyways,meditation/focusing is not something you should do once and awhile,you should choose it as a way of living life.
Peace Out.

[Voltaire]

i agree with you, moementum7. great! there is this excerpt in the Dhammapada were it tells practitioners that whatever they do they should do it with mastery. excellent advice, FOLLOW it, people!