Hello from africa

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Furaha
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Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2012 5:00 pm

Hello from africa

Post by Furaha »

I was born in kenya in the year 1988 to two teachers of english and literature. We are four siblings, my big brother is the first born, my sister the only girl and my small brother the last born, me... I have read alot in my life. I would not make any claim to have understood anything i have read but all that reading into philosophy and classical literature left me with a profound question about existence. I have suffered alot in my attempt to answer that question. Which is why i am here, trying to understand buddhism.
One day in 2008 after spending a strange day all over the country fixing a problem my small brother and his friends had gotten into, i just felt utterly lost. I have been in that position a few times since then. I would like to change my life and become skillful in living it. My goal is to be happy and even though at some point in the future i would like to taste the deathless, for now i just want happiness here and now.
I hope to find a teacher in this forum, whether it be a person or the community. And thats all there is to it
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DNS
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Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, Estados Unidos de América
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Re: Hello from africa

Post by DNS »

:hello:

Welcome to Dhamma Wheel

:buddha1:

I was in Nairobi once (before you were born). (showing my age -- :tongue: )
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cooran
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Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:32 pm
Location: Queensland, Australia

Re: Hello from africa

Post by cooran »

Welcome to DhammaWheel Furaha! :group:
Interesting how often the search for truth comes out of suffering and a feeling of discontent with life as it is. :group:

with metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
Furaha
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2012 5:00 pm

Re: Hello from africa

Post by Furaha »

Cooran... Bhikku bodhi in his essay on the eightfold path explains this dissatisfaction so well that am inclined to be a bit cross at him for leaving me with nothing to say.
Snyder, you should make a another visit, if only to re-examine the fact that all things are subject to change. I would love to hear about your experience here some day
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Ben
Posts: 18438
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:49 am
Location: kanamaluka

Re: Hello from africa

Post by Ben »

Greetings Furaha and welcome to Dhamma Wheel!
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
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bodom
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Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:18 pm
Location: San Antonio, Texas

Re: Hello from africa

Post by bodom »

Welcome Furaha!

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
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LonesomeYogurt
Posts: 900
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:24 pm
Location: America

Re: Hello from africa

Post by LonesomeYogurt »

Welcome!

Although I know Kenya and Uganda are very different places, the work of the Venerable Buddharakkhita may interest you. He is the first African Theravada monk in modern history, I believe.

PM me if you want any of his writings - I edit them for him and I have the word documents that I could send.

May your stay be fruitful!
Gain and loss, status and disgrace,
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.

Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.

His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta

Stuff I write about things.
Furaha
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2012 5:00 pm

Re: Hello from africa

Post by Furaha »

Thank you guys.
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puppha
Posts: 160
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 8:56 pm
Location: London, UK

Re: Hello from africa

Post by puppha »

Dear Furaha,

Welcome to DhammaWheel!
:group:
Furaha wrote:I hope to find a teacher in this forum
DN16.33:
Buddha wrote:Therefore, Ananda, be islands unto yourselves, refuges unto yourselves, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as your island, the Dhamma as your refuge, seeking no other refuge.
Also: if you are not spending time regularily in meditation, I think it will help you to do it. It will probably help you see things more clearly, and sort out what's essential and what's just speculation.

I wish you all the best!

Metta
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Dan74
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Location: Switzerland

Re: Hello from africa

Post by Dan74 »

Welcome to Dhamma Wheel, Furaha!

I have a good friend who is originally from Kenya and would very much like to visit your beautiful country one day.

Have you tried connecting with the temple in Nairobi?

http://nairobibuddhisttemple.org/

There is also some info on the temple and the spread of Buddhism in Africa here: http://blag.biz/node/47

And Kenya Buddhist directory: http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/country.php?country_id=32. Many members here sit with non-Theravada groups while finding their primary inspiration in the Suttas and writings of the Theravada.

Good luck with your practice!!!
_/|\_
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Caraka
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Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:01 am

Re: Hello from africa

Post by Caraka »

Hi, welcome:)
Furaha
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2012 5:00 pm

Re: Hello from africa

Post by Furaha »

Hey dan. I sent the temple an email i havent gotten feedback yet. I am using resources from http://www.accesstoinsight.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for now.
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