Questions from Beginners
 

Hello to all our new members !

General questions to the group about Buddhism and Buddhist teachings which are shared by all traditions are welcomed in this forum.

Tradition-specific questions can be asked in the other appropriate forums.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

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So....what's 'Buddhism'?

Buddhism comprises a large category of personal responses to the claim of enlightenment made by Siddhārtha Gautama in north-eastern India, c.450 B.C.E.

"What is Buddhism?"


"The name Buddhism comes from the word 'budhi' which means 'to wake up' and thus Buddhism is the philosophy of awakening. This philosophy has its origins in the experience of the man Siddhata Gotama, known as the Buddha, who was himself awakened at the age of 35. Buddhism is now over 2,500 years old and has about 300 million followers world-wide. Until a hundred years ago, Buddhism was mainly an Asian philosophy but increasingly it is gaining adherents in Europe and America."


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I agree with what Aloka # 5 has told, and I just want to add: Buddhism is much more than a human being teachings. It is a way of "understanding" how things are. Buddha was awakned and took counciousness about suffering, the origin of suffering and the way to overcme it. That is his teaching and that is why he become a Buddha.

A way of understanding keeping it day to day becomes, unavoidably a "way of life", a way of life is about experience that can be supported by studding the guidance that lead to it. An experience gives you, neither faith, nor blind faith, but confidence, that in Soto Zen is called Kung Fu. Inner faith. Faith in your own spiritual path. Failure and success are the way a wise can learn, keeping attention to failure and forgeting your succees gives you the strength of practice called Gyo in Zen.

This is not an statemente... but as far as I can understand now, this is the way of Buddhism and knowing the way you can know the path.

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Hi Kaarine dear,

Just a gentle reminder that this forum is for general questions and answers for newcomers and is not tradition-specific.

Questions and answers relating to Zen can take place in the Mahayana forum

Thanks


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Naughty plwk isn't a beginner of course ! http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries...ies/tongue.gif

Sorry Aloka dear,

thats right...

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Yes for shure... I was a little inspired... so I posted all that stuff...

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For me Buddhism is a way of life, that encompaces moral,ethical behavior and responsability for ones own actions. It can be a philosophy, a religion or a spiritual path. It has adapted to different cultures and mindsets.

My humble opinion only.

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I think Buddhism is the fact that Buddha found and tried to tell us.

Like everybody live in one place and never know that there is another place outside better than our place. And one day Buddha told us there was another place that without suffering and taught how to go there.

We loss in our status. We sleep but never know that we sleep.

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Yes sukitlek dear, I have ever understood Buddhism as an awakening... to what? To your own suffering, to know the origin of it and to ovecome that understanding that the origin of suffering is deeply rooted in ignorance about impermanece; So simple... so hard.

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I remember the day that my teacher told me, "you loss, you don't know yourself". I'm very very confused. I think "I am not loss. I know myself." Some of my friend didn't beleive him and went away. Luckily that I'm not go with them.

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Thanks sukit dear.



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Is it "okay" to mix parts of different traditions together? Like...practice Theravada and meditate with zazen, for example?

Hi JS,

I can't really answer that because I haven't tried mixing traditions together.

However I think some of the different traditions might have similar beginner meditation methods but possibly have slightly different names for it.

Anyway returning to Theravada and Mahayana Zen again, there's a short article on Theravada Anapanasati which takes the breath as the meditation object, here:

http://www.amaravati.org/abm/english...now/03ana.html

and an article on Zazen here:

http://www.mro.org/zmm/teachings/meditation.php

kind wishes,

A-D

You have to see what is right for you, and it depends on what you are doing, and what it is from each tradition that you are working with. Both Zen and Theravada practice mind-calming (shamatha) quiet sitting meditation. And both have ways of utilizing analytical meditation (vippasyana). On the other hand, if you are training like a theravada monk and then want to drink Sake and write poerty like a Zen monk, this might cause some conflicts.

My opinion is mix whatever. To me, Buddhism is the best "spiritual training" but no one said you choose one or the other. Bruce Lee said, "use no way as way". Read everything from everywhere. Study all modes of traditions, philosophies and religion. Pick and choose what fits you and build your own path. At some point, you'll through off the world and just be, regardless of what you call yourself.

Ha ha, spell check only works if you proof-read as well, lol. I meant THROW off the world :D

I'm not even sure what there really is to mix. The scriptures are for you to comprehend. Other than that, don't they share the Noble Eightfold Path, the Five Precepts? It seems only meditation would be the active practice, and those are close to the same too...