Attaining Awakening

A forum for beginners and members of other Buddhist traditions to ask questions about Theravāda (The Way of the Elders). Responses require moderator approval before they are visible in order to double-check alignment to Theravāda orthodoxy.
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LeRien
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Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2015 3:19 am

Attaining Awakening

Post by LeRien »

Hi everyone,

I have recently started getting interest into Buddhism. My primary objective is to attain Awakening in order to end the cycle of samsara, which I believe, has repeated my past lives.

I have been a Christian practitioner and I am now a Deist. I want to use Buddhism as a method to become a Nothingnessness in order to find my true self and eliminate all ignorance. More specifically, I want to be liberated from reality.

As a Christian, I have been a sort of an ascetic. I have refrained from the world, from carnal desire, and feel generally detached from worldly things. I want to start fasting but I am not sure if it is a good idea.

Can anyone any practical thoughts on how to attain Awakening and end samsara? Maybe I am not supposed to be liberated from reality, after all.
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Pasada
Posts: 81
Joined: Sun Oct 18, 2015 3:20 am

Re: Attaining Awakening

Post by Pasada »

LeRien wrote:I have been a Christian practitioner and I am now a Deist. I want to use Buddhism as a method to become a Nothingnessness in order to find my true self and eliminate all ignorance. More specifically, I want to be liberated from reality.
Buddhism is not about becoming "a Nothingness", or finding a true self, or escaping from reality. While some may disagree, I don't think it's entirely compatible with Deism, either.

It sounds to me like you should acquaint yourself with the basics of Buddhist practice and thought. You might start with any of the following websites:

accesstoinsight.org

http://www.softerviews.org/AIM/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://buddhanet.net" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://dhammatalks.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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dhammacoustic
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Joined: Thu Jan 30, 2014 4:30 am

Re: Attaining Awakening

Post by dhammacoustic »

Welcome to DW, LeRien.
LeRien wrote:I have been a Christian practitioner and I am now a Deist. I want to use Buddhism as a method to become a Nothingnessness in order to find my true self and eliminate all ignorance. More specifically, I want to be liberated from reality.
Way too many conceptual fabrications there, start with getting rid of them :)
As a Christian, I have been a sort of an ascetic. I have refrained from the world, from carnal desire, and feel generally detached from worldly things. I want to start fasting but I am not sure if it is a good idea.

Can anyone any practical thoughts on how to attain Awakening and end samsara?
The Buddhist method is to follow the Majjhima Paṭipadā (the Middle Way), ie; the Noble Eightfold Path. One reaches full awakening or absolute stillness (nibbāna) as a result of withdrawing from all sorts of sensual dualities. In order to achieve that, we're supposed to understand the dynamics of Paṭiccasamuppāda (Dependent Origination) ─ a systematic doctrine which is built around the philosophical core known as the tilakkhaṇa; the three marks of existence, namely; anicca (impermanence), dukkha (suffering/unsatisfactoriness) and anattā (not-self). Meditation is the key to all this, and ultimately, the discipline is all about the direct realization of the Four Noble Truths, as it is the only way to put an end to dukkha, consciously.

Anyways, if you haven't already, I recommend you to start with reading the Dhammapada.
Maybe I am not supposed to be liberated from reality, after all.
There is no such thing as 'liberation from reality', liberation from dukkha (usually translated as - suffering) is the right way to put it.

:anjali:
coreycook950
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Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2014 2:33 pm

Re: Attaining Awakening

Post by coreycook950 »

Hello My Friend,

Buddhist practice is not about being liberated from reality, but rather seeing reality as-it-is: in light of the Three Characteristics of Inconstancy, Unsatisfactoriness, and Not-Self.

I too was once a Baptist Christian but I found that all my prayer and devotion, however passionate, could not end my suffering.
Rather I was liberated by dispassion, by the renunciation of sensuality, by looking within for the answers to life's questions.
You may ask, "What is the meaning of life?" But this is the wrong question.
What you should be asking is, "How can I end my suffering and help others?"
But after thorough investigation of Lord Gotama's teachings, I have found them to be true, realistic, and deeply profound.

So furthermore I encourage you to find a wise mentor in the Therevada Tradition, put Christianity behind you, and go from there.
dxm_dxm
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Re: Attaining Awakening

Post by dxm_dxm »

You may ask, "What is the meaning of life?" But this is the wrong question.
What you should be asking is, "How can I end my suffering and help others?"
:anjali:
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