hey every one some nooby questions

[VanCitySean]

Hello Everyone,

Obviously i am brand new here, just dropin a quick note to say hi.

I realized that i want to mastermind with other people who are on the spiritual path,
to get more clarity on what im doing.

3 years ago my ego kicked my ass very hard and i hit rock bottom and ever since i
have been deeply intersted in finding the truth, and the more i gain and grow in life
the more it becomes obvious to me that at least one of our main purposes as human beings
is to reach the truth and be realized.

I have been doing daily sittings for a couple of years only 15min, but recently i atttended a
vippassana meditation course by goenka which was a profound experience.

im not sure what path are most of you people are following, but one of the questions i have
is how do i go about finding a master who can point me to the right direction.

I have heard when the student is ready the Teacher will show up, may be i am not ready
or may be i am blind to seeing the teacher that is already showed up in my life, but
bottom line is i want to find a master to show me the way.

thanks for reading this, hope to get to know more about each of you in the months/years to come,

Sean

[Maitri]

Hello and welcome!

I'm not sure where you live, but most people begin looking for a teacher, group, or temple in their local area. A good place to start searching is on Buddhanet. I think it has one of the most comprehensive listings online. http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/ You can visit several temples (if that's possible in your area) until you find a teacher that works well with you.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Sean,

Welcome to Dhamma Wheel.

My recommendation would be to continue with the meditation practice taught at the Goenka retreat and commence some studies into the teachings of the Buddha. As far as introductory materials, there's a lot of Dhamma Books that can be read without the guidance of a flesh-and-blood teacher, so don't feel like you need someone to teach Buddhism to you. In fact, a teacher (if/when you find one) would probably be appreciative of your initiative.

Metta,
Retro.

[VanCitySean]

Thanks For your responses.

I think I am at the state that i need to work one on one with a living teacher. I have plenty on buddhism, its history, its evolution. Know the 8 fold path (conceptually only) 4 truths, heard talks by alan watts on this topic, read the boook "science of enlightnement by shinzen young (any one read this? awesome book)

any way thanks again for feed back and the link. I will continue on my search , cheers

[parth]

Dear Vancity,

I think you already are on right path by taking up goenkaji's retreat, just please carry on with it.

Regards

Parth

[Ben]

Dear Vancity,

I think you already are on right path by taking up goenkaji's retreat, just please carry on with it.

Regards

Parth

Seconded. I've been practicing under the guidance of Goenkaji for 25 years now. Its a very worthwhile path.
All the very best with your practice.
kind regards

Ben

[lojong1]

If that's Vancouver BC you're in, there are Goenka style weekly group sits nearby, likely with an AT (Assistant Teacher) in the mix to answer questions. Check the Vipassana website for times locations numbers.
You may need to spend time with the master's apprentice before the master hirself.

[rowyourboat]

Hang around - read the forums- see how you can turn all this talk into practice- ask questions - develop the practice steps in the Noble eightfold path. There's plenty to do without having to 'link-up' with a single teacher: there's no guarantee of 'results' even if you do. The Buddha clearly understood how much another person could help (and not), especially if you aren't motivated to put some of it into practice, sitting/talking with a meditation 'master' is not going to help.

with metta

[parth]

RYB Wrote:

Hang around - read the forums-

That is certainly a great dhamma advice to a newcomer

There's plenty to do without having to 'link-up' with a single teacher: there's no guarantee of 'results' even if you do.

Certainly a guarantee that nothing would happen if you dont follow one path (ekayano maggo)

sitting/talking with a meditation 'master' is not going to help.

Here (refering to lojong1's post) group sit means group Vipassana / Anapana meditation not usual sitting around / chat as you are probably thinking.

RYB, uninformed abhorance for Genkaji's method (in the tradition of Sayaji U Ba Khin) is one of the hinderance which you have to certainly overcome before you earn your release.

With continuous Metta

Parth

[rowyourboat]

oh hi, no not thinking of Goenka- I would give the same advice for the approach to any teacher, myself included. If we we become blinkered and closed off to advice from other teachers (this man is clearly asking advice on the matter, after attending Goenka, s/he seems to want more) we are going to be in trouble.. Do you suggest only sticking to GoenkaG?

with metta

Matheesha

[parth]

Hi Matheesha,

You wrote:

oh hi, no not thinking of Goenka- I would give the same advice for the approach to any teacher, myself included.

Thanks for clarifying

If we we become blinkered and closed off to advice from other teachers (this man is clearly asking advice on the matter, after attending Goenka, s/he seems to want more) we are going to be in trouble.. Do you suggest only sticking to GoenkaG?

I for one am sure and convinced that it is right path (the ekayano maggo) I got more than what I ever expected / wanted. Though yes,for Jhana somebody might want to undertake some other meditations (while anapana should suffice but not sure on that).

Metta

Parth

[rowyourboat]

Hi Parth

Ekayano maggo- means 'one right path' if I am not mistaken. Do you take that to mean that the Goenka method is the only one right path?

with metta

Matheesha

[parth]

Hi RYB,

You wrote:

Ekayano maggo- means 'one right path' if I am not mistaken. Do you take that to mean that the Goenka method is the only one right path?

Well I only speak for myself others can have differing views

But I quote few things which can justify what I say

Extract from last day of buddha :

In my reaching the Noble Eightfold Path has been expounded. So in this Teaching only, the Four Noble persons can be found. All the other teachings, being void of Ariyas. are futile

- Buddha while expounding Dhamma to Subhadda

Extract from sayings of one of my dhamma friend (if I can say so)

While I have come across a person who did reach stream entry using the Goenka method
by rowyourboat » Thu Jun 24, 2010 9:58 pm

I rest my case. Please note here by no means am I saying that Mahasi method is not ekayano maggo. Any teaching which follows satipatthana is 'ekayano maggo'

Metta

Parth

[unspoken]

All meditation themes are right inside of you. Birth, ageing, sickness and death.
Same goes for the teacher is right inside of you.
You could not see the teacher inside yet, because you are not practicing deep enough to reach into your heart.
The book worth the read is your heart. The teacher worth to teach is mindfulness.
You need the teacher to open up your very first page of your book.

[parth]

All thats all right but except for a Buddha / Paccekabuddha a teacher is needed to expound on the Dhamma.

Metta

Parth

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

All thats all right but except for a Buddha / Paccekabuddha a teacher is needed to expound on the Dhamma.

But how do you define 'teacher'?

Arguably many of us here have teachers we've either never met, or who died (or attained parinibbana) centuries before we were even born.

Metta,
Retro.

[parth]

Well in modern age a teacher could be several miles away

[nameless]

Several countries away even

There are a lot of talks by different teachers online, here and here, among others. You can listen to a variety of teachers, see which one resonates with you, and go to the teacher if geographically feasible, or go to someone from the same lineage.