where to start ?

[Bruce Qi]

I would like to dip my toes into the world of buddhism but there is so much material available I am totally confused as to which practices and teachings to start with ?

can anyone suggest anything ?

 

 

[Vajra Fist]

My experience is only with Pure Land, and for an accessible introduction I would probably recommended Sukhavati by Wong Kiew Kit.

[Who.am.i]

Sukhavati is an excellent introduction to Pure Land practice. I would also reccomend Awakening The Buddha Within by Lama Surya Das as a good overall introduction to buddhism that is accessible to most people new to the subject.

[C T]

In terms of what actual Dharma practice is, as far as Mahayana Buddhism is concerned, I like this approach, as explained insightfully by Dr. Alex Berzin: 

 

(The preceding paragraphs, omitted here, was where Dr. Berzin explained how individuals with different personality traits can approach Dharma practice - the three traits, he goes on to say, are the intellectual, emotional or devotional types, and each have unique and specific perspectives/agendas of what a particular personality usually seeks in their quest to adopt Buddhism as a path). 

 

Dharma-Lite and Real Thing Dharma

Now, also in terms of these three approaches, I think another dimension has to be introduced – which I’ve spoken about many times in the past but I think is a very important aspect to repeat – and that is that one can follow these three types of approaches, or even a balanced form of these three types of approaches, in the manner of Dharma-lite or the Real Thing, as with the analogy of Coca-Cola Light and the Real Thing.

 

Dharma-lite is practicing Dharma in any of these three types of ways (or a balanced way) merely to improve this lifetime – to have healthy relationships, to have less psychological problems, and so on. And of course the Dharma can be very beneficial in this regard. If you like Coca-Cola Light, it’s refreshing; it’s very fine. But that’s not the actual Dharma. Psychotherapy does the same thing, and Dharma is not just another form of psychotherapy, although one could study and approach Dharma as a type of therapy and gain the benefits of a therapy from it. That’s Dharma-lite. Even if one follows it in the form of a therapy, it’s still very different from a therapy. In a therapy, basically as a client you go to a therapist in order for you to be heard, to tell your story. Whereas when you go to a Dharma class, it’s not to tell your story and to be heard; it’s to listen to teachings and apply them yourself.

 

A slightly stronger version of Dharma-lite would be to practice the Dharma in order to achieve better future rebirths or go to some Buddha-field, to a Buddha-land. But if one sees that as the entire scope of why one’s practicing Dharma, then that is also not exclusively Buddhist. There are many world religions where one practices in order to go to a paradise, go to heaven.

 

So if one wants to follow the Dharma (whether intellectual, emotional, or devotional) as the Real Thing, then this is done with the aim of either:

• Liberation from rebirth – not just from problems in this lifetime but from rebirth – which means you have to understand rebirth, understand what Buddhism says about it, be convinced of it, and therefore want to get rid of it and all the problems that are inherent to it.
• Or enlightenment, which would be the ability to help others to get rid of that type of uncontrollable rebirth.

That’s the actual Dharma – liberation from uncontrollably recurring rebirth, not just liberation from problems of this lifetime. “Mahayana-lite” is helping people to be free from their problems in this lifetime. That’s being a good therapist. That’s not what you’re aiming for.

 

For most of us in the West, this is very difficult, to actually take the Real Thing, because most of us have very little understanding of the Buddhist teachings on rebirth. Actually the Buddhist teachings on rebirth are totally dependent on the Buddhist teachings of there being no solid self, so if you don’t understand that, you can’t understand really the Buddhist teachings on rebirth. And so of course if we don’t really understand the Buddhist teachings on rebirth, how could we possibly have conviction in them, and how could we possibly want to get rid of that type of rebirth?

 

And so even while we’re working just to improve this lifetime, let’s say – a Dharma-lite type of approach – what will help to make it a Buddhist approach in general, in a more general type of way, is to see this as a stepping-stone. It’s a stepping-stone on the way: “I acknowledge the importance of rebirth, which follows from no solid self, and therefore I want to learn about it. But now I don’t really understand, so I’m working for this lifetime.” So if we work for this lifetime as a stepping-stone in that direction, towards liberation and enlightenment – whatever in the world that means (let’s not kid ourselves into thinking we know what liberation and enlightenment mean) – then this becomes a Dharma path, not just a therapy or a religion to be reborn in heaven.

 

But no matter what level we’re following Buddhism at – whether it’s a Dharma-lite level of just for this lifetime, or to go to heaven, or whether we’re following it as the Real Thing – in any of these situations, having a balance of a mature intellectual, emotional, and devotional approach is the most effective.

 

 

 

 

 

I hope this will in some small way guide you towards choosing which approach you will like to use in relation to your question. 

Edited March 10, 2017 by C T

[rex]

If it's at all possible visit local practice groups to see what gels with you. Listen also to the part of you that feels inspired to enquire about dharma and see if you get any positive internal signals when surveying the different practice traditions available.

[Seeker of Wisdom]

You might find my post thoughts for beginners helpful.
 
I would suggest to focus on getting to grips with Theravada - without it, you likely won't fully appreciate where Mahayana and Vajrayana pov's and practices are coming from. So basically, learn about the Four Noble Truths, 8fold Path/Three Trainings, Three Characteristics (especially anatta, which trips people up in the start) and get used to doing some shamatha and vipassana before you really look into stuff like emptiness, Buddha-nature, tantra...
 
I haven't read it properly myself, but I hear good things about What the Buddha Taught as an introduction. This translation of the Dhammapada is solid, and the introduction is a quite good intro to Buddhism. (Gil Fronsdal also has a great translation of this text.)
 
In terms of practice, a great place to get started imo is with a shamatha practice such as mindfulness of breathing. Here's a practical guide for getting started on that. (I'd also recommend looking into Leigh Brasington). It's a practice which is easy to get started with and relaxing, but really develops you, goes to profound places in itself, and builds an important foundation for other practices. (Later on, when you feel you've got good shamatha skills, look to Daniel Ingram for vipassana).

 

Best wishes in your toe-dipping!

Edited March 10, 2017 by Seeker of Wisdom

[qicat]

I am going to my first retreat at the end of the month. Total n00b ( minus past lives of course). I will let you know what it looks like. 

[Fa Xin]

My first dealings with Buddhism was with Thich Nhat Hanh's books.

 

People say he's slightly repetitive, which I agree with. But he repeats the essentials like compassion, so by the end of the book it really makes an impact on you.

 

"Heart of the buddha's teaching" is my favorite, I gave that book to many people as gifts.

 

Buddhanet.net is an amazing, huge resource of free information, including meditation instructions and articles.

[Bruce Qi]

thanks everyone , i will look into the suggestions and see which ones resonate with me.

[roger]

I would like to dip my toes into the world of buddhism but there is so much material available I am totally confused as to which practices and teachings to start with ?

can anyone suggest anything ?

 

You might want to try mindfulness of breathing. It's the classic first technique in Buddhism.

 

I just finished Mindfulness for Beginners by Jon Kabat-Zinn, and it was great. It gives you a very good idea of what mindfulness is all about.

[Bruce Qi]

what do you guys think of

mindfullnes bliss and beyond ?

I have just started to read it

[rex]

what do you guys think of

mindfullnes bliss and beyond ?

I have just started to read it

It looks a nice choice. Haven't read the book though it's from a reputable Buddhist publishing house and I like the author's Youtube videos. Going by the blurb, "Full of surprises, delightfully goofy humor, and entertaining stories that inspire, instruct, and illuminate", it looks a fun read and humour is always good; and we all need a sense of humour for when the honeymoon period of beginning practice is over and the kitchen sink phase begins.

Edited March 13, 2017 by rex

[C T]

Not sure if Bruce will be back to this thread, but here's Noah's lowdown on the whys & wherefores that got him on the path

 

[C T]

[futuredaze]

If you want to supercharge your practice, I recommend a Vipassana retreat.

 

http://www.thedaobums.com/topic/43677-returning-from-my-first-vipassana-retreat/

 

I just posted about my first retreat.  I've done lots of meditation before, and it has all been helpful, but if 27 -year old me could give advice to 19-year old me that was first getting into meditation -- I'd tell myself to do the Goenka retreat.

 

edit: Reading about Buddhism is helpful.  Talking to Buddhists, etc. is helpful.  Going to temples and learning their meditation is helpful.  Doing meditation club or group sits are helpful.  but with retreats, you can get really inward and re-orient your life path more quickly and efficiently than if you only give partial effort for a longer period of time.

Edited March 14, 2017 by futuredaze

[taoguy]

Lol there is so much information out there and frankly you'll be overwhelmed.

 

'Listen to me, he is wrong!' All of these voices...

 

What you should do is start understanding Buddhist principles straight from the SUTRAS. Pick up the Long Discourses of the Buddha, Middle Discourses, Shorter Discourses, etc (hinayana suttas) + Mahayana sutras like Surangama, Diamond, Heart, Lankavatara, Avamtasaka, etc.

 

When you are clear on principles, you will not be easily misguided.

Edited March 15, 2017 by taoguy

[Sudhamma]

I would recommend that before you jump into the deep end of the Buddhism, do read the book by Christmas Humprey, "Buddhism" which will prepare you with some inkling about the religion. It was his 2 books, "Buddhism" and "Buddhist Sutras" that triggered my interest in Buddhism about 40 years ago. The next book should be "What the Buddha taught" as recommended earlier by Seeker of Wisdom.