Can we practice with more than one tradition ?
 

Can we practice with more than one Buddhist tradition - or is it better to choose only one ? What are your thoughts about this?

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Yes why not,although l must admit the extent of the the Mahayana and Tibetan schools causes a deal of confusion in my mind.
I would like to think that the different schools are all pointing in the same direction,(Liberation).

Yes.
I found many practice of Mahayana can explain in Theravada term.
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I have always thought that to be "married" with only one tradition can not be a very good idea. As I am not very orthodox in the way I think I do not conssider just practicing only one tradition.

In Zen we have also different Zen aproaches so we have Soto and Rinzai just to tell two of them. I have found in my practice very usefull to take some good things from Rinzai even being a Soto student.

But not only for Zen, here I have found Theravadin tradition very interesting also for the improvement of my Zen practice and I am now in the task of looking for a Theravadin group in my country.

For many years I was enloved with Tibetan. From there I learnt many good things and disciplines to focus my mind that I now use to help myself with Zazen.

To be attached to only one traditon, and to what "my teacher says" is, for me, a big mistake because as Frank has told:
But on the other hand, we have to pay attention not to make a kind of New Age mixture with buddhist traditions.

I have had expresed some of my inquietudes about Theravadin tradition and I have been encouraged to keep looking at that.

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Some of the great 20th century teachers have shown this is possible.

For one, Thich Nhat Hanh is very adept at reconciling Theravada & Zen.

Great, I can tell about many aspects that in my Zen practice are very similar to those expoused by some Theravadin teachers and some aproaches given by some Theravadin memebers in the forum.

Also I tasted that "reconciliation" style in the first books of Thich Nhat Hanh wich I think those were writen in his best moments as a spirtual teacher. And that is what, realizeing now about that, I have most enjoyed in his books: The aim of reconciling traditions.

Thanks Daozen,

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NM115. Bahudhatuka Sutta, The Many Kinds of Elements.
"He understands: 'It is impossible, it cannot happen that a person possessing right view could cause a schism in the Sangha . . .could acknowledge another teacher - there is no such possibility."
So there we have it from the horse's mouth.

Frank dear, sorry but I have missed your point here... Are you telling that the consideration of other traditions is not correct?

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I think we can practice - informed by more than one tradition.http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries...lies/hands.gif

I also wondered this Kaarine. Perhaps Frank will explain in due course. His post No.3 did not seem averse to the idea???

I agree Kris dear, not also I think is conveninet but wise.

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In that post he states in the final sentence that all schools point to the same direcction and I agree absolutly with that. But it is not clear that if even pointing all to the same direcction he considers shearing form different traditions in the practice.

In my personal case it is not just about couriosity about different traditions, but also some traditions tend to make some accent in some aspects and not in others so you can bring some other elements to complement your practice or your understanding.

Now, in the case of Zazen, it has to be practiced as it is told by the tradition and is difficult to find equivalences in other meditative methods as the jhanas, but there are other aspects from other traditions that can complent or confirm the Soto Zen practice, as are some fundamental understandings from Theravada or Tibetan arround, for example, the eightfold noble path or the four noble truths.

Just some quik ideas...

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No Kaarine, just quoting from NM115.
Of course this sutta wasn't 'written' by the Buddha,so for example the Mahayana tradition didn't exist.
I understand this quote to mean that Buddha would have not allowed Jains,Hindu's,whatever access to the same platform.(In those days there were many spiritual practises)
Yes l personally agree with this,we must just keep track of the main idea.
This is so. I think this curiosity is no bad thing, again providing we don't lose the plot.

The Lankavatara Sutra
534. He who studies under the Buddhas may not live together with those who cherish dualism and are destroyers of others.

Yes, like a kind of Buddhism tourism or "New Age" Buddhism... http://www.buddhismwithoutboundaries...ilies/wink.gif

Well this hadn't entered my mind.

Thanks frank,

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I have been told about that when I express such an idea of shearing between traditions.

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Spiritual tourism isn't really the best approach to these matters.
The intellectual curiosity is fine,(imo) but when it becomes cherry-picking then we are wasting time.

Of course frank dear, that is why we need a real commitment with the tradition you have choosen but never forgetting other aproaches that can complement your practice.

Absolutly True,

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Thanks Frank,

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