[Suentiend]

I feel like I've only been a tourist in the world of Buddha and I am ready to live there. I want to practice Buddhism in a more structured way and really concentrate on the fundamentals, I feel what little wisdom I have learnt is fragmented and I don't know how to use it properly. I would really appreciate a link to a site or any books I should buy with all the teachings necessary to following the Buddhas path.

I actively attempted mindfulness in my everyday life yesterday, but I kept getting lost in the fog of thought. A good way of describing it is like feeling really tired and you try so hard to stay awake, but you keep falling asleep. Until you actually try and live in the moment you just don't realise how hard it is. I know I should start practising meditation, but I can't seem to find the right time at the moment. If anyone could teach me a walking meditation it would be much appreciated.

I just need a push in the right direction please

[MarlboroCig]

Hi Jin Zen,

I think that maybe where you live there could be several sites about the different buddhist traditions. It is not my case here in México, but anyway... go, visit some of them, explore and see wich tradition fits with you. There are very known good authors like the same Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh (one of my first Zen "in a book" master), Taisan Deshimaru, Taizan Maetzumi (the founder of where I practice now), Shunryu Suzuki, Jakusho Kwong, Joko Beck.

You can also try some of the Ancestors like Nagarjuna, Atisha, and in my case Dogen Zengi that is the guide of Zen Soto tradition.

Others could be Sogyal Rimpoche, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, etc...

I think you need to read thoughly and to visit places before decideing where and with which tradition you will practice.

There is Zazen and Jhanas and Samatha and Vipasana systems for meditation.

Explore and try and reach some good teacher to give you guidance.

I feel I am not very good at pointing you to your own understanding but Im just guessing and shearing some ideas... Im shure others here will give you better guidance.

[zithromaxlinks]

I kept getting lost in the fog of thought. A good way of describing it is like feeling really tired and you try so hard to stay awake, but you keep falling asleep.

The core of practice should comfortable. We can not stay awake. Don't try to stay awake. Awake is result, not cause. Just do the cause and let mind awake by itself.
Reading the mind like reading the book. Don't try to read all the time. If we have something to do then put the book down and pause reading.
Just reader, not editor.
Awake is the tool to warn the mind that mind sleep. Without awake we don't know that we sleep. Only arahunt can always awake. For us sleep,sleep...,awake,sleep,sleep...,awake,sleep...
When mind awake, It's only a part of second. If we feel longer, It isn't real awake.
The cause of awake is the mind remember some kind of status and that status arise to the mind. i.e. For someone that always angry. If they observe the mind when angry arise to mind. Their mind will remember angry status. After that when angry arise to mind then mind awake.
We will know more detail of angry. We will be found that before angry, there is something arise in thorax.

For more detail please follow :-
http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries.com/index.php?action=vthread&foru m=4&topic=2674

[robstamps]

Jin Zen,
I'm a thereavadan,so that influnces my understanding and answer to your question,but would suggest you check out;
The Way It Is-Index
The way it is by Venerable Ajahn Sumedho, Amaravati Publications, 1991, ISBN 1 870205 11 1.
www.amaravati.org/abmnew/documents/the_way_it.../index.html - Cached

[Andrius]

Jin Zen,
Another couple of referances are;
accesstoinsight.org
and;
What-Buddha-Taught.net (((((0))))) PEACE THROUGH KNOWING a Handful ...A Collection of Practical Theravada Buddhism materials. Sila, Samadhi, Panna. The Noble Eightfold Path. From here to Release.
www.what-buddha-taught.net/ - Cached - Similar
Hope this helps,it's worth remembering that Buddhism is not an intellectual activity,though of course it can be. Maybe a useful way to go is to blend both the intellect and the Practise

[Zebrabitch]

If you're done touring, you need to read the Suttas themselves, and put the commentary to the side for a time. Become familiar with the Pali Suttas. Read the Majjhima Nikaya first, perhaps. While you're doing that, meditate - look up anapanasati for starters.

[aAaBecker]

Hi JinZen,

I agree with what Andyrobyn said. You can find lots of links to the Thai Forest Tradition and related material online. There are some talks you can listen to here:

URL

There are also talks on the website of Amaravati Monastery, Herts UK where Ven Ajahn Sumedho is abbot here:

URL

There's also Chithust monastery in the UK.

Connected to the Forest Tradition there are offline samatha meditation classes in some places in the UK, teaching walking as well as sitting meditation. Maybe there's one near you. Details here:

http://www.samatha.org/localgroups/index.html

You can also visit or stay at the monasteries I mentioned.

Getting right to the core teachings of Buddha with reading material I'd suggest "In the Buddha's Words- An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon" by Bhikkhu Bodhi.

URL


I agree with Sobeh about reading the Pali Canon - however the volumes of the different books of suttas in the canon are quite expensive.

Its probably best to start with the Middle Length Discourses of 152 suttas (Majjhima Nikaya)

URL

[actrisski]

You also might like to browse the material in our Theravada forum .There's a link to Anapanasati Sutta (Mindfulness with breathing) here:

URL

In general Jin Zen, personally I would definately suggest that you begin with Theravada and investigate other traditions later. I didn't do it that way myself and then found out that there was quite a lot I'd missed out on and much that I'm still discovering, even though I've practised with another tradition for most of my life.

Don't go for the popular ''feel good ''reading material is my advice - Investigate the core teachings of Buddha.

[homerdienru]

If you have an MP3 player or iPod available, there are some great audio talks at:

URL

The speakers in this group have a non-denominational, very down-to-earth "the practice of daily life" sort of attitude. You can listen to the talks, fitting them in when you have time.

As for walking meditation, I find simply concentrating on my feet contacting the earth as I walk to and from work everyday gives me a regular amount of time that's easy to fit in, and gives me literal "grounding" when it's needed.

[Kayacterype]

The Four Noble Truths would be a good place to start.

Yes, Jin Zen, quite simply, The Four Noble Truths is where you should start !

[Tveabuti]

from post #15

from post #14

Yes... also we have the Eightfold Noble Path as our basic and core teaching at the tradition with wich I practice.

It is, maybe, the best way to be started because it gives you a complete comprenhension of what is Buddhism about.

[pertikuss]

very down-to-earth "the practice of daily life" sort of attitude.

If you develop this very attitude from the very begining it would be wonderfull... I can consider that the best "Point me to the right direcction".

[styhorporry]

It's good to have regular face-to-face contact with other Buddhists if you can.

Very good advice... having a direct contact with a Roshi or a practising group gives you a much more better understanding about.

[AbeldeldepBug]

Yes... also we have the Eightfold Noble Path as our basic and core teaching at the tradition with wich I practice.

The Eightfold Path is usually incuded with the Fourth Noble Truth, Kaarine.

[jgztw2es]

from post #19

Yes, of course and we usualy, as begginers, return again and again to its understanding. Four Noble Truths gives you a very wise understanding for another suttas, teachings and practices and gives us a bridge to keep dialoging with other non Zen tranditions.

Thanks Aloka dear for the remembering...

[zueqhbyhp]

Thanks for all the support guys, I read all your posts earlier today and they really Inspired me. I didn't reply earlier because I didn't have enough time to give you the responses you deserve. It may take me a while but I'll try to respond to all your posts, I'm really slow at finding the right words to express myself properly
The good news is I'm in the right state of mind now thanks to all of you.

[mas-dkt-sive]

Jin, Do you meditate at all?

Hi Lise,
thanks for the reply. I did attempt counting the breath and I managed to complete one cycle before my little brother came bursting in
I learnt this technique thanks to Aloka-D showing me some excellent meditation videos on youtube, here's the ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03nifVj9pqI&feature=related[/url]

I'm finding there's not enough hours in the day at the moment, but hopefully when I can get a bit more ' Me time ' I can practice meditation properly. At the moment I'm trying to meditate lying in bed just before I fall asleep because I'm too tired too to do sitting meditation. I'm sort of experimenting with watching the breath while listening to a CD of a thunderstorm of all things. This might sound a little strange, but I find it really hard to sleep in silence and I always fall asleep with a CD or the radio on, it's a bad habit I know but I've been doing it for many years now.
I did have a strange experience while doing this, it seemed like emptiness. All the sounds around me became crystal clear and I lost that feeling of chaos I normally associate with a thunderstorm, I think I got a momentary glimpse of peace. Unfortunately I was drifting in and out of sleep and I think it was me falling asleep which ended the moment so I didn't get a chance to fully contemplate the moment till the next morning

If you have any more questions feel free to ask away

[DoterForeva]

"I'm trying to meditate lying in bed just before I fall asleep because I'm too tired too to do sitting meditation. I'm sort of experimenting with watching the breath while listening to a CD of a thunderstorm of all things.

I would suggest that listening to any 'external' stimulus is not meditating,but may be relaxing.

[rarpAcconavox]

Jin Zen#22:
"I'm trying to meditate lying in bed just before I fall asleep because I'm too tired too to do sitting meditation. I'm sort of experimenting with watching the breath while listening to a CD of a thunderstorm of all things."

"I would suggest that listening to any 'external' stimulus is not meditating,but may be relaxing."

Hi JIN ZEN,

I agree with Frank. Lying in bed drifting in and out of sleep listening to relaxation CD's may be pleasant and relaxing, but it isn't really meditation.

I play CD's of natural sounds when I'm treating clients with complementary therapies in order to help relax them - but it doesn't mean that they're meditating !

Try sitting for 5 or 10 minutes as instructed in the video I mentioned.

[sleelverrex]

If you have an MP3 player or iPod available, there are some great audio talks at:

URL

A fantastic site,thanks for passing it on.