Beginners choice.
 

I am very new to Buddhism.

(1) Is Theravada a good first choice?

(2) Did Buddha address the lay people much?

(3) The raft story in the sticky. Does it mean even good ideas should not be held too long?


May peace be with you.

Be welcome Twinkie,

(1) Is Theravada a good first choice? The choice depends in which tradition resonates or fits better with you. The best is to attend the different traditions if they are available in your country. I used to practice Zen and changed to the Thai Forest Tradition. Both have been wonderful for me but I have found better the Thai Forest of the Theravada tradition.

Also, for me, it is enough to practice from the teachings that Gotama Buddha left in the Nikayas.

But, for example, Tibetan and the Mahayana philosophy do not fit well with me at all.

So my advice is that you have to explore all this by yourself until you feel at home in a given tradition.

(2) Did Buddha address the lay people much? Yes he did. But not only lay people. Most of his main teachings can be practiced by monks or by lay people.

(3) The raft story in the sticky. Does it mean even good ideas should not be held too long? Being very new to Buddhism, try to follow with joy and enthusiasm the teachings of Buddha and practice his "good" ideas so to develop wisdom, ethical conduct and peace for the mind. This practice, by itself, will bring you into that stage of understanding.

Don't jump from the raft prematurely.

http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ies/flower.gif

May peace be with you. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/hands.gif

Hi Twinkie,

I'll try to keep this post easy to understand.

1. Theravada emphasizes the foundational texts and core teachings. It is up to you to decide if it is a good place to start. If you can, try to visit some local groups to get a feel for the tradition they represent. Only by experiencing it first-hand can you know whether it's right for you.

2. The Buddha addresses laypeople on many occasions. He spoke with people from all walks of life, some of whom left the life of householders to become monks and nuns, and some of whom remained as householders for their whole lives. Many of the Buddha's teachings were addressed to laypeople, and there are entire discourses devoted to the conduct of laypeople. The Buddha had plenty of advice to share with this notable segment of the population.

3. Generally, the simile of the raft is taken to mean that after one has forded the stream (samsara, the world of suffering), there is no longer any use in carrying around the raft (dhamma, the teachings). Views and teachings are tools or vehicles for the cessation of dissatisfaction. They are not meant to become objects of clinging or attachment.

I hope that makes sense. I'm sure others will have further clarifications to help you.

Abhaya

I'd choose whatever tradition or practice style that has a local group you can join and feel comfortable with, or that has teachers whose teachings you've read make sense to you.

In a lot of passages he begins by addressing monks but I understand this is because the culture was to address the most respected persons present at the time. Some teachings are only relevant to noks but most are relevant to both.

I'm not sure which sticky but I assume this is the story about discarding the raft after you've reached the other side of the river. It means that Buddhism is just a raft to get you to the other side, once you've got there let go of Buddhism, Buddhism is a means to an end not an end in itself.

Hi Twinkie,

It might be worthwhile to have a look in Buddhanet's worldwide search facility to see if there are any Buddhist groups or centres in your area:

http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/

I also think its a good idea to investigate what's available carefully first and visit different groups, because the occasional cult-like organisation does exist in some places.

In the meantime, if you haven't done so already, I suggest reading "What is Buddhism" and clicking on the MP3 at the top of the page to listen along as well.

http://www.dhammasukha.org/Study/Tal...T-MAR03-TS.htm

Please also feel free to ask more questions in our Buddhism for Beginners forum and members will answer according to their own understanding of the Buddha's teachings.



with kind wishes,

Aloka http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/grin.gif

Thank you all for the input.
A Buddhist friend tells me that there are over 1000 suttas and says they sort of fit together like a jig saw puzzle.

Is a strictly organized approach recommended.

Peace be with you.

I would recommend first investigating the core teachings of the Buddha such as The Four Noble Truths.


This is a good site for investigating suttas:

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/help.html#map


You might also like to look at the Buddhist Studies section at Buddhanet ...

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/index.htm

.

Hi Twinkie, Warm welcome to BWB and peaceful wishes to you too.

I also would suggest looking at the core teaching of the Buddha as found in the Pali Canon first as this will help you to begin to understand how different traditions relate to the core teachings.
My understanding of the raft story is that nothing is to be held onto permanently. This does not mean that we can not commit ourselves to practice or be a part of a sangha in a particular tradition or school which we find is a good fit for us.

Thansk Aloka and Andyrobyn.

Links very helpful re Suttas.
Great new Avatar Aloka.http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/hands.gif Peace be with you.