[Peabelilt]

I have been studying Buddhism for about 3 months now. Since I have not read a book cover to cover that did not pertain to my chosen profession since college, I find it reassuring that I have easily knocked out a half dozen on Buddhism and related topics in that time frame. The dedication is there, to be sure.

However, I live in a place (and work in an industry for that matter) that is drastically negative, amazingly materialistic and totally void of moral values. I feel like it is a hindrance on my own progress sometimes, and find myself falling into periods of brief remission, if you will. Since I am here for at least a little while longer, I must make the best of it.

If any of the more experienced practitioners and scholars would recommend some passages or readings that pertain to this type of situation that I find myself in, that would be most beneficial.
Thanks!

kereD

[antiggill]

Hi Kered,

You might like to explore the resources in the 'Meditation' thread in our Study Links section at the bottom of the main forums page.

Metta practice for self and others can be helpful when one feels confused about negativity in one's life and there are some instructions there.

http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries...356-Meditation


"Liberating Emotions" by Ajahn Sumedho might also be helpful to read...


We can reflect on the way it is—on this tropical kind of weather, for example. In the attitude of acceptance we can allow ourselves to be receptive to life rather than try to control it, run away from, or resist it. This receptivity contrasts resistance. Culturally, we tend to be conditioned into resisting things. There is a fear of being open and receptive, as if by doing so we shall allow something to take us over. We feel we have to develop some kind of protection in order to keep ourselves from being annihilated or taken advantage of; it is a kind of paranoia of the mind. We may also have the attitude of needing to resist evil, of having to kill the devil and destroy the evil forces.

The Buddhist attitude is one of loving-kindness (metta), of open acceptance of everything as it is. If we take loving-kindness to its ultimate, all conditioned phenomena are accepted for what they are. That doesn’t mean all things are approved of; they are simply accepted. Everything has to be the way it is in the moment. You can’t say, ‘I don’t want the weather to be like this,’ or, ‘I don’t want things to be this way.’ If you do, you are not accepting the way it is and are creating suffering around something that you don’t like or don’t want.

Continued:


http://buddhismnow.wordpress.com/201...ajahn-sumedho/
with kind wishes

Aloka


.

[squicscor]

I can't really think of any teachings that would help with this. Basically stick to the eightfold path and keeping the precepts. Read them every day. And meditate every day. And try to get out of this industry as soon as you can.

Reading about impermanence can help with a tendency to want to accumulate stuff. In fact i find reading about buddhism in general and its approach to ethics make me less materialistic on the whole. Of course i still want things but they are not frivolous things.

On the other hand, i do indulge too much in certain unutritious foods at times. So i guess that's a similar vice.

If the vice is about being dishonest - eg gambling, well you've got to get away from that basically. Frankly i would suggest you walk away from it right now. Otherwise, put your energy into looking for an alternative job.