Simplistic
 

For a person who isn't overly scholarly or academic what school of Buddhism would you regard as the most practical?
Thank you
Gary

Hi Gary,

I would definately suggest investigating the Theravada Thai Forest Tradition.


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The tagline at my teacher's website, unfetteredmind.org, is "Pragmatic Buddhism." It's certainly had a lot of pragmatic effects for me. Try one of the podcasts. "Death: Friend or Foe?" is a good place to start.

Thank you both for your replies. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/hands.gif
Aloka-D could you suggest a link that explains the Theravada Thai Forest Tradition fully yet simply?
Fivebells I have been reading books from the Kagyu tradition which also speaks of Mahamudra so maybe I'm not too far away from your suggestion just now.
I'd be interested to hear the thoughts of others.
with kind regards
Gary

In the Kagyu tradition one doesn't start doing Mahamudra practice right away, one usually begins with the Four Ordinary Foundations and then on to the Four Special Foundations (Ngondro) You can find lots of information about Tibetan Buddhist practices at this website:

http://www.kagyu.org/kagyulineage/buddhism/


I think you mentioned being in the UK - so regarding the Theravada Forest tradition,you can find information here:

http://www.forestsangha.org/

and also there's info at the websites of the UK Amaravati and Chithurst Monasteries
You can get free e-books at Amaravati here:

http://www.amaravati.org/abmnew/inde...eachings/index


There are also Samatha Meditation Forest Tradition groups in various places in the UK. Woodscooter attends one of those meditation groups, so he might tell you more about it if you're interested.

Hi Fletcher,

Yes... it will be odd what I will share you...

I highly suggest Soto Zen Tradition. It makes accent in the way of living daily life and in a meditation technique named Zazen. All this do not need any kind of academic curricula or any special academic ability. Also we do not learn through intellectual struggle as a main way of practice... Just try...

Look, I have been into academia all my life... I am anthropologist and Human Ecologist and Zen has been for me a new and wonderfull way of learning far from academic and intellectual debate and it is really encouraging... is like fresh new air. I still do academics because of my job. I work for an academic project about Cultural Accepted Violence in a female Prison and I have to debate almost daily because of the nature of academic life.

But Zen, is very different... our practice is far from intellectual struggle and analysis. Is a kind of direct understanding, through zazen, of the very nature of stillness of mind and direct discernment about things and life. For Right View, there is no need to argument, debate and struggle. We just let it happen.

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Thanks again Aloka-D so much info thats great.
Kaarine Alejandra that interesting there is a Soto Zen group not to far from me, 125mile which when you're located where I am thats not that far, in fact its in the same city as the Kagyu group, most groups are 5 hrs drive away.
Kind regards
Gary

That is great Gary... part of the main essence of Zen is to do and live life in a simple way...

Namaste dear Gary,

Thai Forest Tradition, particualy Ajahn Buddhadasa, Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho


From these I would suggest



Aj. Buddhadasa:

Practical Paticcasamuppada - http://www.what-buddha-taught.net/Bo...asamuppada.htm

Two kinds of Language (explains what "birth" and "nibbana" etc mean in Buddhism) - http://www.what-buddha-taught.net/Bo..._Truth.htm#TWO KINDS OF LANGUAGE

Look at lecture two on the above one

These two works, I would say, are very important to getting a good grasp of Dhamma that is also practical in nature


Ajahn Sumedho:

Four Noble Truths - http://www.buddhanet.net/4noble.htm

The Way it is (very good book) - http://www.amaravati.org/abmnew/docu..._is/00int.html


Ajahn Chah:


All of his teachings - http://www.ajahnchah.org/


hope you find something useful


As for info on the Thai Forest Tradition, wikipedia has an entry on it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Forest_Tradition

Yes indeed -how can I have forgotten to mention Ajahn Buddhadasa!

Lots of important Buddhadasa essays here, on the website already mentioned above by Craig

http://www.what-buddha-taught.net/

Thanks guys that'll keep me going for while. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/read.gif

Ken's moved a long way from the standard Kagyu sequence, though.

Fivebells thanks for this great link.
I have just read An Arrow to the Heart. Commentary on Heart Sutra by Ken McLeod. Brilliant!

This is a great thread, thanks to all.

I would second/third the suggestions to look into the Thai Forest Tradition. It strikes me as the Zen version of Theravada; emphasis is on practice, investigating the truth as opposed to forming and clinging to beliefs. The teachings are expressed simply and always with regard to suffering and its cessation. Also for good Samatha-Vipassana, try "The Inner Art of Meditation" by Jack Kornfield (http://www.amazon.com/Inner-Art-Medi.../dp/1591791448), who was a student of Ajahn Chah.

Of all the traditions that I've studied, the Thai Forest Tradition may be the most practical/pragmatic of them all, for serious seekers of truth and peace. Good luck!

Namaste

Hello Cloud,

Agree. I practice Soto Zen with a reformed school that has leave aside all the metaphysical additions to the teachings. We basically focus in Zazen and the understanding and practice of the Four Noble Truths. This given sense of directness and practicality is similar to the approach of Theravada tradition and I feel really comfortable with the view given by the Theravada teachers. They sound Zen to me.

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