Too much information.

[questionasker]

Hello fellow Buddhist,

Buddhism has a lot of scriptures and different rules and opinions, lots of teacher with different points of view. Sooo much to the Buddhist ways.
Why so much?? If there is a truth, wouldn't it be something simple. I heard enlightenment is like a joke, once you realize its funny or something like that.

Anyway, i believe that the truth to eliminating suffering or complete happiness and enlightenment should be something simple, it makes more sense that way. It doesn't seem right to have to learn all these rules and techniques to become enlightened or reach our full potential.

What are your opinions on the simple way??
I would really appreciate any reply please!!

[bodom]

From Ajahn Chah:

Do you know where it will end? Or will you just keep on studying like this? …Or is there an end to it? … That’s okay but it’s the external study, not the internal study. For the internal study you have to study these eyes, these ears, this nose, this tongue, this body and this mind. This is the real study. The study of books is just the external study, it’s really hard to get it finished.

When the eye sees form what sort of thing happens? When ear, nose and tongue experience sounds, smells and tastes, what takes place? When the body and mind come into contact with touches and mental states, what reactions take place ? Are there still greed, aversion and delusion there? Do we get lost in forms, sounds, smells, tastes, textures and moods? This is the internal study. It has a point of completion.

The rest of the short talk here...

http://buddhavacana.org/

[Kare]

Ajahn Chah had deep wisdom.

But sometimes a certain amount of study is useful just to get rid of of the unnecessary complexities and realize how central to the Buddhas teaching this is.

[santa100]

BuddhaDhamma is like medicine. There're different medicines because we uninstructed worldlings have so many illnesses..

[manas]

Hi questionasker

sorry, had to edit ... upon reflection, I decided that my previous answer here was better left unsaid. I will just say that I empathize with your question.

with metta.

[James the Giant]

If there is a truth, wouldn't it be something simple.

The truth is really really simple. But the problem is, we humans are complicated, messy, stupid monkeys. So the truth has to be explained in a way that a monkey can understand. That's why it seems so complicated.

[Dan74]

Other people's delusions tend to seem unnecessary and grotesque. But our own are very real and necessary. And it usually takes quite a bit of work to let them go or for them to let go of us.

[robertk]

Hello fellow Buddhist,

Buddhism has a lot of scriptures and different rules and opinions, lots of teacher with different points of view. Sooo much to the Buddhist ways.
Why so much?? If there is a truth, wouldn't it be something simple. I heard enlightenment is like a joke, once you realize its funny or something like that.

Anyway, i believe that the truth to eliminating suffering or complete happiness and enlightenment should be something simple, i
!!

We have been in samsara for uncountable aeons, more aeons than grains of sand in the oceans. If it was simple we would have been enlightened long ago.
A quote from the Buddha:
Deep, Vaccha, is this Dhamma, hard to see, hard to realize, tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise.

. It doesn't seem right to have to learn all these rules and techniques to become enlightened or reach our full potential.

!!

Rules (sila) and techniques are aspects of silabataparamasa and are types of worng practice. Until they are seen as wrong path they will keep one in samsara.

[reflection]

The truth may be simple, but as said, it's not easy to see. It's hard to get enlightened. That alone explains why there are so many opinions. If it was easy, everyone would agree and would just be having a cup of tea.

But the practice is simple, yet not so easy also. It's looking deep. What's the mind attached to? Let it go and become more peaceful, step by step. The mind goes deeper and there is finer stuff to let go of. Until the mind sees there is nothing. See it like this and there is no confusion anymore, the Buddha-Dhamma will be in your heart instead of in your intellect.

This is how I reflect.

With metta,
Reflection

[Aloka]

Hi questionasker,

Together with some sutta study, I like to have the uncluttered directness and simplicity of a teacher like Ajahn Sumedho to help me on the path.

My opinion is that since the time of the Buddha so long ago, study and practice has probably become unnecessarily complicated with the arising of "Buddhist traditions," different commentaries, and various interpretations of Dhamma. So I guess one has to try and find a way through all of that to what resonates as being a direct way to minimise dukkha and increase one's personal understanding and peace of mind.

with kind wishes

Aloka

[mikenz66]

Together with some sutta study, I like to have the uncluttered directness and simplicity of a teacher...

This is very true. With a good teacher (there are many out there, don't think you need to find someone famous to have a good teachers...) and a good community it certainly comes across as a lot simpler and clearer.


Mike

[dharmagoat]

Buddhism's profundity lies in its ultimate simplicity.

From the mahāyāna point of view, once buddha-nature is revealed, all doctrine has served its purpose.

[Durt_Dawg]

Buddhism doesn't have to be complicated, ya just have ta stick wid one GOOD teacher, one school, and study from da basics. You definetly gonna be confused if ya start looking at da theory of emptiness, mind only, and da deep theories first.

Start off by building up ya faith on da triple gem, cause, condition and effect, rebirth etc.

Right view homes right view!

[Durt_Dawg]

Buddhism's profundity lies in its ultimate simplicity.

From the mahāyāna point of view, once buddha-nature is revealed, all doctrine has served its purpose.

Oh, just noticed ya from Kiwi Land.

Kia Ora bro!

Nek minute

[dharmagoat]

Oh, just noticed ya from Kiwi Land.

Kia Ora bro!

Nek minute

You's a funny guy, Dawg.

[SDC]

Quick story:

About 10 years ago I took at trip to British Columbia from New York. In theory the trip was very simple; go to airport, get on plane, change planes in Minneapolis, land in Vancouver, get on bus, check into hotel, go skiing. Very simple steps, right?

However when I got to the airport my flight was delayed, which caused me to miss my flight out of Minneapolis, so that stopover was extended 6 miserable hours. I forgot drops for my contacts so my eyes hurt all day. My stomach hurt. I was tired. I was bored. Once I landed in Vancouver the bus to Whistler was delayed. My back hurt. My headphones were crappy. My girlfriend was sick at home and I felt bad. The bus ride was long and uncomfortable. When all was said and done I got to Whistler 15 hours later than expected.



Intellectual understanding is only one part of the journey. Our urgency, overconfidence and excitement can cause us to overlook any possible pitfalls. It can even cause us to mistake intellectual understanding for experiential confirmation of the path; a mistake that can easily plateau one's practice and send it into obscurity. Speaking from experience.

Progress along this path can happen, but it takes work. It is NOT simple.

Just my 2 pennies.

[danieLion]

Please see:
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=13262
Best,
Daniel

[questionasker]

Hi questionasker

sorry, had to edit ... upon reflection, I decided that my previous answer here was better left unsaid. I will just say that I empathize with your question.

with metta.

now you got me all curious!