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Buddhism
- Thread starter Essence
- Start date
The Dhammapada; The Teachings of The Buddha (edited by Jack Kornfield); the Wiki article on Buddhism; articles from Buddha.net; and its home page.
DreadFish
Cosmic Vagabond
Here's a page with the basics of Buddhism:
A Path to Freedom: A Self-guided Tour of the Buddha's Teachings
Access to insight is a Theravada website that has lots of good information and translations of most of the Pali suttas, which form the most basic cannon of scriptures shared by all schools of Buddhism.
A Path to Freedom: A Self-guided Tour of the Buddha's Teachings
Access to insight is a Theravada website that has lots of good information and translations of most of the Pali suttas, which form the most basic cannon of scriptures shared by all schools of Buddhism.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Don't fill your head with too much junk. Just sit first.
zenzero
Its only a Label
Friend Essence,
You may start just with the Mindfullness techniques.
http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/buddhism-dir/161574-mindfullness-techniques.html
Love & rgds
You may start just with the Mindfullness techniques.
http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/buddhism-dir/161574-mindfullness-techniques.html
Love & rgds
Denny Crane!
Member
5 minutes a day sat doing nothing.
Denny Crane!
Member
Wow where to start. Took me 5 years to start meditating if it helps.
Have you got a place you could make just for mleditation? That would be good. Set up a little cushion and a little table with a singe candle in a plain stand. If you can't spend any money to set this up (and why should you) improvise. None of this is important but if you can make this dedicated area something a little special and comfortable to you in whatever way you can.
Sitting with eyes closed is hard. So here is what I suggest you do. If 5 minutes is to hard start with 3 minutes, sounds ridiculous doesn't it! But its 3 minutes just for your mind alone and you'll do 5 in a matter of days.
Now every advice you'll ever read will tell you that early morning is best. While I was working this was totally impossible for me and its also not necessary. For me I set aside a time at every day, didn't matter when it was. For me it was 6PM every day.
I did not sit with my eyes closed I stared at a candle and I breathed in and out. I regarded the breath, didn't worry to much about thoughts but just kept trying to think about the breath. And when I forgot which I did frequently I didn't chastise myself I just returned to the breath and the candle.
So if you can:
1. A little space, made nice somewhere to sit that is just for you and time for you.
2. A little time every day (the hardest part) any time of the day but same time is best time.
3. Just before you start stretch out a little bit. Make yourself comfortable and prepared to sit down.
4. Sit and look at that lit candle and regard the breath coming in and out, in and out, observe that breath and look at that candle. Do that for a couple of minutes. Doesn't matter if its a really short time. 3 minutes at first. Turn into 5 minutes turn into 10.
After that you can start looking at other things (or not!) but prepare, then do, then think after. Dead easy I promise when done like this.
Meditation is a whole life change though and it comes along with various other incremental changes and it helps to talk someone through what you are doing and what you want to be doing because if you can't meditate its a knocking bet there are plenty of stumbling blocks in your way. Paradoxically meditation melts those away like ice on a frying pan. But thats life!
zenzero
Its only a Label
Friend Denny Crane,
Thank you very much and do get your point as it is somewhat similar except that the mind here 'monkeys' a lot; maybe shall catch you in a few years however as we are participating in a non-competing exam could you share as to how you learned this technique??
Love & rgds
wanted to frubal but can't repeat to soon!
Thank you very much and do get your point as it is somewhat similar except that the mind here 'monkeys' a lot; maybe shall catch you in a few years however as we are participating in a non-competing exam could you share as to how you learned this technique??
Love & rgds
wanted to frubal but can't repeat to soon!
Rick O'Shez
Irishman bouncing off walls
One thing you could do is check whether there are any local Buddhist meetings. The Buddhanet World Directory would be a place to start.
Denny Crane!
Member
Oh man the monkey mind is a problem and I know it so much!
Monkey mind isn't the problem that stops you meditating though its the reason.
Honestly the biggest problem is that people think that you have to stop thinking to start meditating, nothing is further from the truth. You will think and it will monkey and I can't stress this strongly enough: you will not stop your mind jumping around! My god the first times I started meditating I did a combination of the following:
slept repeatedly
Itched abominably
fidgeted atrociously
cramped painfully
replayed past conversations endlessly
daydreamed forever
It goes away, nothing to suggest you should not keep going at it. These things drop away. The first steps towards meditating aren't even that the mind quiets it is that you learn to see the distractions and thoughts as you are thinking them and recognise them.
Perhaps never having known this idea it will not arise in you, and I've forgotten how to refer to it....AGHHH. I'l say it as best I can even if I can't think of the words, its like a disembodied you observing your own mind. Like a third eye, or yourself as an overseer of you. You sit there and think OK I am thinking those thoughts I recognise it and I let it pass. It is mindfulness in meditation and meditation in mindfulness.
Yeshe Dondrub
Kagyupa OBT-Thubetan
Meditating is working with mind, since you can't see your true conscious state through your eyes.
Key point which many seem to be misguided on, is you are working with mind, not trying to be mindless.
Different meditation, combinations of mantras, meditation, and engaging body, has benefits.
During meditations, certain aspects, thoughts, emotions will arise. This is normal, and what you will work with. Ignoring it and going blank, has little benefit, that is ignoring and suppressing.. Evaluating it, seeing it's true nature and how it is, then letting it pass has benefit. Let go of the grasping onto things. Eventually you can meditate longer. Being blank is easier, then working with mind in full aspect meditation, which can tire you before you let go relax at the end. However in that type of meditation expect a minimal of 30 minute segments. Start more basic at first. Do it daily. Steady. I also go on retreats, to Nepal, India, and do 7-14 day meditation retreats where you only break to drink water/tea, and biscuits.
Different people will benefit from different schools. Some are more naturally compassionate and need a school based on more wisdom thinking. Some or more wise, but struggle with a temper, or holding onto negative aspects and need to go for Mahayana then to Vajrayana practices . Some are in a chaotic world easily distracted and would first benefit from Theravada. If you are taking it serious. Regardless there are benefits. Explore options, search temples, centers, and sangha's in you area.
Key point which many seem to be misguided on, is you are working with mind, not trying to be mindless.
Different meditation, combinations of mantras, meditation, and engaging body, has benefits.
During meditations, certain aspects, thoughts, emotions will arise. This is normal, and what you will work with. Ignoring it and going blank, has little benefit, that is ignoring and suppressing.. Evaluating it, seeing it's true nature and how it is, then letting it pass has benefit. Let go of the grasping onto things. Eventually you can meditate longer. Being blank is easier, then working with mind in full aspect meditation, which can tire you before you let go relax at the end. However in that type of meditation expect a minimal of 30 minute segments. Start more basic at first. Do it daily. Steady. I also go on retreats, to Nepal, India, and do 7-14 day meditation retreats where you only break to drink water/tea, and biscuits.
Different people will benefit from different schools. Some are more naturally compassionate and need a school based on more wisdom thinking. Some or more wise, but struggle with a temper, or holding onto negative aspects and need to go for Mahayana then to Vajrayana practices . Some are in a chaotic world easily distracted and would first benefit from Theravada. If you are taking it serious. Regardless there are benefits. Explore options, search temples, centers, and sangha's in you area.