Problem about learning Buddhism
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The problem is I never know who should I learn it from?
Seem like no one claim to be expert of it and knowing it all, that can give answers about buddhism.
There is no "user manual" like Bible in Christian that you can learn by yourself.
Different buddhist tell different stories. -
User manuals???
Have you forgotten that there are thousands of Buddhist scriptures? Aren't they manuals leading to enlightenment?
You can look into the "sutras" links: http://buddhism.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=97719
And why are there so many scriptures? Because there are 84,000* dharmas to enlightenment.
Bible? Well, I do know that many Theravadin Buddhists consider the "Dhammapada" to be the "Bible of Buddhism", but Mahayana and Vajrayana practitioners have a different set of Canon.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/khuddaka/dhp/
But for the "Zennists", the ultimate Dharma is not found in any scriptures.
Zen manuals are like...
What is the sound of one hand clapping?
What is your original face before you were born?
Take your manual and contemplate
My point to you is... do not look into Buddhism as an academic subject, (and another wrong view of Buddhism is to look upon it as mysterious or complex). Anyway if you are interested in Buddhism... I would suggest you visit a dharma centre and learn under spiritual guidance...
* 84,000: means "uncountable". not necessary literally. -
I heard that Buddhist scriptures are like 11 times the volume of the Bible.
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buddhism is not learnt
it shd be felt......
rber, it is a way of life
and there is no manual to life -
yes but you could do with a guide from those who have walked the path before you.
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true... maybe more....Originally posted by Suicine:I heard that Buddhist scriptures are like 11 times the volume of the Bible. -
Buddhism is like the moon, Buddhist scriptures are like your finger.
You can use your finger to point at the moon yet the finger is not the moon... -
What you said is so broad.... although it make you sound like a monk but it basically tell nothing.Originally posted by FireIce:buddhism is not learnt
it shd be felt......
rber, it is a way of life
and there is no manual to life -
it is broadOriginally posted by burntan:What you said is so broad.... although it make you sound like a monk but it basically tell nothing.
so complex but yet it's so simple -
Deep!Originally posted by erijazz:Buddhism is like the moon, Buddhist scriptures are like your finger.
You can use your finger to point at the moon yet the finger is not the moon...
Can you translate it to plain English?
You see, this is the problem I am trying to explain here, different people tell different stories and what make it worst is they try to be "deep". -
Yes, it's like unlimited number of it....then it just like people, some said this and some said that, don't know which one is true and some goes into very fantasy stories involved wars between gods and evils.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:And why are there so many scriptures? Because there are 84,000* dharmas to enlightenment.
You know what, the danger is some one can simply pretend to be a buddhist monk and we never know he is real or not? If I learn from him will going to waste my time. -
It means the teaching itself is not the real destination, but only leads you there.Originally posted by burntan:Deep!
Can you translate it to plain English?
You see, this is the problem I am trying to explain here, different people tell different stories and what make it worst is they try to be "deep".
When you reach the destination you even have to discard all teachings... -
It is so truth and yet it is so wrongOriginally posted by FireIce:it is broad
so complex but yet it's so simple -
Do you mean that we do not need a teacher, but the journey to Buddha is a process of self discovery?Originally posted by Suicine:It means the teaching itself is not the real destination, but only leads you there.
When you reach the destination you even have to discard all teachings... -
you need an enlightened teacher to guide you on the self discovery processOriginally posted by burntan:Do you mean that we do not need a teacher, but the journey to Buddha is a process of self discovery? -
it's like when you want to cross a river. you use the raft to cross the river. when you reach the other shore do you still travel around on that raft? of course not.
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How to find such a teacher and how to know he is genuine?Originally posted by Suicine:you need an enlightened teacher to guide you on the self discovery process -
that you got to wait for Xabir/An Eternal Now or some other people to answerOriginally posted by burntan:How to find such a teacher and how to know he is genuine? -
as i was told.......
oni "you yuan ren" can get to learn......and eventually attain the so-called nirvana -
sound like WKW, that's why you like his movie....Originally posted by FireIce:as i was told.......
oni "you yuan ren" can get to learn......and eventually attain the so-called nirvana -
Of course, if you are able to accept someone's teachings, then you are "you yuan ren".
There are a few cults (e.g True Buddha School; Yi-Kuan-Dao) and a few others are controversial (e.g New Kadampa Tradition; Chinese Gelugpa; Soka Gakkai; a few others) that exists in Singapore.. (see: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Ithaca/4886/cults.htm)
Other than that, look out for Dharma Centres that provides and teach the masses Dharma. All dharmas are equal (fa fa ping den), there is no High nor Low. Ultimately, there is no sectarian difference, no 3 vehicles. There is only One Vehicle (according to Lotus Sutra).
It's *not* easy to meet an enlightened saint nowadays... when you are finding a teacher, check his backgrounds, check his teachings and see if it suits you, just like Kalama Sutra:
"But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and the benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.".7. What is the meaning of practising Buddhism honestly, earnestly and in a down-to-earth manner? What must one do to be considered so?
Focus on learning from one teacher.
There are many people who like to learn and practise Buddhism but they do not do so honestly, earnestly and they are not down-to-earth. They wander from one teacher to another; they don't know how to learn and practise Buddhism the way it should be done. In fact all Buddhist teachers are equally good. A person only needs to focus on learning from one teacher and cultivate accordingly. If a person has a little knowledge about the Buddhist teachings and brags about them to the world, then that is not correct. All the patriarchs of Buddhism encourage their disciples to practice Buddhism the way as it should be - honestly, earnestly and down-to-earth. -
Actually last time my neighbour is the famous "Fo Siao Sheng" (Fo=Buddha Siao=Smile Sheng=Live/Birth). He drove a BMW and have 2 wifes. He already move away few years ago, but from time to time I still see his ads on the paper about the next Buddha Ceremony he organized.
What I want to say is that, the image he give me and the Level he achieved in the "Buddha Industry" make me worry.... -
Fo Siao Sheng?
got such thing meh!?!? are you sure it's buddhist? i not sure, need to tell me more.
Not all Buddhist teachers have to be monks.... there are lay-teachers, but you have to be careful. Buddhist should also be careful not to slander suspicious people... because you may never know the real situation.
For example, in Jodo Shinshu, the priests are allowed to marry... they are not monks or nuns, they do not take the bhikshu/bhikkuni precepts. Tibetan lamas can be lay-man too... Even my dharma centre's teacher is a lay-teacher. My dharma teacher wanted to chu-jia, but the family all dowan her to go, she got children and all that and they dowan to let her go.. but my dharma teacher lives in the same house as her husbands', but is not of the relationship with him. She has renunced in her mind.
So... you have to understand the situation before making any conclusions. -
Let me try to explain.lOriginally posted by FireIce:buddhism is not learnt
it shd be felt......
rber, it is a way of life
and there is no manual to life
Usually for laypeople, wheneveer people 1st think of Buddhism, they think it's superstitious. They relate it to Taoism or some other stuff.
Then as time go by, if they have the interest, they read some books or hear more stuff and they feel that it's a good way of life and think it's about life.
It was like that for me too. Until I started to devote more time to deeper study of the teachings.
What Buddha taught is so comprehensive that we really need to study it. If we can just feel it, we'll all be Buddhas by now. Or we'll all be free from suffering and be full of bliss and happiness.
All the stuff discussed here are the basics of what Buddha taught. What is taught in the monasteries are a very comprehensive and complex teachings of the Buddha. I'll talk about some of the topics.
Like for example, Buddha teaches the different levels of delusion, the types of minds, the way of apprehension with our senses, the reasoning behind certain statements used in different schools, all these are very technical subjects which is not discussed openly just like you do not discuss about quantum physics with just anyone.
All these studies are incredible. Imagine Buddha teaching stuff like these more than 2500 yrs ago and only in the last 200 yrs are our modern scientist coming up with theories which are not even close to the teachings. I'm tempted to elaborate but I dun wanna bore anybody here with a long post. Maybe another session if we have the fate to meet.
It is a mind blowing experience if you could ever have the chance to study about these teachings. I'm taking a 5 yr program on such topics. Anybody who really wishes to know more just pm me. -
Very simple, if you allow me to relate it to other people perception of Christianity.Originally posted by burntan:Deep!
Can you translate it to plain English?
You see, this is the problem I am trying to explain here, different people tell different stories and what make it worst is they try to be "deep".
Many people mistook Christianity as another religion, a worship of a supreme being. But after reading many explanations by many Christians, its more than that, Its about faith, and relationship with God, and cannot be argued out in a scientific way or logical manner, except to oneself.
Similarly, Buddhism is self learning, and it felt by oneself. Its main principles lies along understanding and appreciation, not just having mere knowledge. Its understanding must be understood and appreciated deeply, and cannot be merely explained away.
Eh, correct me guys if I am wrong.