Hello from Toronto, Ontario, CANADA

[Sudarsha]

Hi, I'm not exactly new to either Buddhism or to the Theravada tradition. I have studied in the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah as well as Soto Zen and Tibetan Dzogchen and Mahamudra.

I began my interest in Buddhism in 1964. Theravada makes the most sense to me and I am not quite sure what else to say.

I look forward to reading your comments and sharing mine.

Sudarsha

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

Welcome to Dhamma Wheel.



Metta,
Retro.

[Sudarsha]

Hi, Retro - For starters, I have a question: how do I add a picture, an avatar?

Sudarsha

[David N. Snyder]

Welcome to Dhamma Wheel!

[Sudarsha]

Thank you for your kind greetings and, maybe a tad red in the face, I also found where to install an avatar. If y'all hadn't put it right in front of me, I'd have seen it right away.



Now to begin reading.

[Ben]

Greetings Sudarsha and welcome to Dhamma Wheel!
I am looking forward to your contributions!
metta

Ben

[zavk]

Welcome!

[Sudarsha]

Greetings Sudarsha and welcome to Dhamma Wheel!
I am looking forward to your contributions!
metta

Ben

---------------------------------------------------------

Well, Ben, I surely wish I could make a contribution. But I have yet to have read sufficient of the already present contributions to know if I might actually have something to say.

From my own study and practise, I have begun to feel very strongly that all the teachings of the many Buddhist vehicles are like footnotes to the words of the Buddha recorded in the Pali Canon. Each vehicle seems to clarify the other. In the end, It has only enriched the value of the Theravada, what the local Buddhist College calls the Adiyana (as opposed to or in consort with the Mahayana and Vajrayana). For me, the key has been the little quote I use, translated {s/he} sets up mindfulness in front. Thus, Boshidharma facing that wall, the kasina, Zen all mark the only place from which it will all make sense.

At least, I hope that makes sense.

[Ben]

Dear Sudarsha

Well, Ben, I surely wish I could make a contribution. But I have yet to have read sufficient of the already present contributions to know if I might actually have something to say.

Sadhu!
FWIW, I have a similar attitude. The further along this path I travel, the more I realise that I really don't have anything to say and that everything that requires saying is either in the Canon, the ancient commentaries or in the writings of later luminary scholar monks. What I do try to do here is to encourage our members to discover the Dhamma and to engage in practice. Perhaps in this way you could also contribute here at Dhamma Wheel.
metta

Ben

[Sudarsha]

Sadhu!
[...] What I do try to do here is to encourage our members to discover the Dhamma and to engage in practice. Perhaps in this way you could also contribute here at Dhamma Wheel.
metta

Ben

_________________________________________



Thank you, Ben, for sharing your kind understanding. I am not sure which of the many topics I am going to "nest" in ... ... but I would like to talk about practice and share whatever I am able as well as share in the contributions of others. Speaking only for/of my own practice, I know of no better way to encourage discovery of the Dhamma than to encourage successful, rewarding meditation. Any suggestions regarding topics and threads would be greatly appreciated. -- I am reminded of Rabbi Kushner who said, at the end of one of his talks: whatever I may have said that is of value to you is yours and whatever is not of value can be forgotten; we'll still be friends.

[Ben]

Hi Sudarsha
Noproblem. You are welcome to post anywhere. We've got a couple of specialised fora in the Mahavihara Classical section which restricts the type of discussion that goes on there - check out the forum specific guidelines for more information. Modern Theravada and some of the sub-fora within General Dhamma are where some of our members present issues they have with integrating their practice in daily life or seek guidance on developing their understanding. What a lot of our members tend to do is to access the current active topics on Dhamma Wheel by clicking on the 'view new posts' link from the board index page: search.php?search_id=newposts and then join in the most recent discussion of their particular interest.
metta

Ben