Interested in Buddhism

[margotb822]

I'd like to start a practice, but I'm not sure of the best way. I'm also not sure what type of Buddhism is right for me. If anyone has insight/ideas to get me headed in the right direction, I'd appreciate it.

[jakem]

1. fins a local buddhist center- plenty in san diego-

do some basic research online or library as to what your inclination is toward-

http://www.suite101.com/course.cfm/19042/seminar

theravada= thai style old school buddhism with a monastic bent (=get yourself in order)
mahayana- a bit more community oriented (=help others by being better yourself)

[margotb822]

3. San Diego

[Warpy]

2. Google's probably the best place to start.

The Buddhist Society of Western Australia has a series of online lectures by both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhists as well as guided meditations.

There is a wealth of print material online to differentiate the various sects, although all the sects manage to lead to the same practice, and it's the practice that's the core, not dogmatic hairsplitting.

Enjoy the search.

[tekisui]

4. It is your path to take, dive right in.

I have found the most peace and understanding in Zen Buddhism. I highly recommend Shunryu Suzuki's "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" and "Not Always So".

Also, Thich Nhat Hanh has written some very accessible and beautiful books.

If you prefer a Westerner's perspective try Alan Watts.

Follow it wherever it takes you. Because whichever path or "type" of Buddhism you practice or study; they all point to a truth. And that truth is found within rather than without. It is the experience.

I wish you well, I am sure you will enjoy it and gain much.

[Occam Bandage]

5. Find your local Sangha (spiritual community) and begin practicing basic meditation.

As your journey progresses, you may find yourself with questions. Ask them. Contemplate them while meditating. You'll find yourself drawn one direction or another.

If you're more a literary type, consider reading the sutras. The Pali canon is the collection of Theraveda texts; of these the Sutta Pitaka is the one dealing most directly with theology There are many Mahayana texts; the Heart Sutra, Diamond Sutra, and Lotus Sutra are probably the three to read (in that order) if you pick only one, two, or three. Me, I like the Platform Sutra most of all.

[grantcart]

6. Here is a teacher that I find particularly helpful

http://www.dharmaweb.org/index.php/Category:Buddhadasa_Bhikkhu

There are books that you can get by him that are easier to read than the lectures.


I note that you are in San Diego.

There are two temples I go to in San Diego - one is a Thai temple (where many foriegners go to) in Escondido that you can get many good materials.


Also there is a world renowned temple monestary a little further out of Escondido that is called Wat Metta and you can find information here:

http://www.watmetta.org/

They have American monks there who have spent decades in Thailand and are very easy to talk with and they have a great deal of material in English that they give to visitors. (The monestary is visited by large numbers of folks from Los Angeles and Southern California on the weekends. Many visitors come from Europe to spend extended stays there.

[Journeyman]

7. Interesting website with a basic overview available here. . .

http://www.buddhanet.net/

I especially enjoyed these pages. . .

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/basic-guide.htm

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/qanda02.htm


Good luck in your journey, where ever it may take you.

Life is what happens to you as you're busy making other plans. ~ Lennon

[conscious evolution]

8. The Falun Gong Buddha School works for me.

http://www.falundafa.org/eng/home.html

Here is a link to our Tai ChiGong exercises- http://www.falundafa.org/bul/audio-video/audiovideo_video.html

[Azooz]

9. Buddhism.about.com

I do not think there is a best way, it is undefinable as they often say but you get there if you try - or something like that anyway. I like this one:

http://buddhism.about.com/

I got interested in it because it's run by the same Barbara O’Brien of MahaBlog :)

http://www.mahablog.com/

[bananas]

10. A couple of suggestions

1) You might want to ask in the California forum for more local resources:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=141

2) You might be interested in a university class in Buddhism,
although it probably won't include meditation,
it would give you an good overview.
A guick google turns up a class at USD:
THRS 314 Buddhist Faith and Practice
http://home.sandiego.edu/~ktsomo/
http://www.sandiego.edu/theo/resourceslinks/

There should be similar classes at UCSD, SDSU, and local colleges.