Some Help, Please?

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Philovitist
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 11:14 pm

Some Help, Please?

Post by Philovitist »

Hi, I'm a Philovitist. I'm a 17 year old American feeling drawn to Buddhism.

Ever since I first learned about Buddhism in the 6th grade, I've been enraptured by the idea of Buddhism. It calls to me — there hasn't been an article about it I've read that I didn't like. I now really want to make that commitment to Buddhism that I've been putting off.

Though I'm probably not interested in the Theravada sort of Buddhism (I may be wrong, since I know so little), I was wondering if you guys could lead me to resources to help get me started. I already know the very basics of Buddhism, but I don't know how to begin practicing it beyond going on through my life with those general principles in mind.

My family wouldn't at all be supportive if they knew about this interest of mine, so I can't really go too far out of my way to do any of this until I get into college.

Thank you, and hello.
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LonesomeYogurt
Posts: 900
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:24 pm
Location: America

Re: Some Help, Please?

Post by LonesomeYogurt »

Well is there a reason you aren't interested in Theravada?

The best introduction to Buddhism is either The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching by Thich Nhat Hahn or What the Buddha Taught by Rahula Walpola. The former is written by a Vietnamese Zen master and the later by a very important Sri Lankan monk.

For meditation, try Mindfulness in Plain English, which you can read here.

Otherwise try getting a copy of Bhikkhu Bodhi's In the Buddha's Words which is a collection of the Buddha's actual sayings.

Otherwise, if you have specific questions or just general inquiries, feel free to post a topic or PM me as I was 17 or so when I first discovered Buddhism and I may be able to offer some guidance, at least in pointing you towards the right source.

Good luck, brother in the Dhamma!
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.
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Alobha
Posts: 565
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 8:27 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Some Help, Please?

Post by Alobha »

Philovitist wrote:Though I'm probably not interested in the Theravada sort of Buddhism (I may be wrong, since I know so little), I was wondering if you guys could lead me to resources to help get me started. I already know the very basics of Buddhism, but I don't know how to begin practicing it beyond going on through my life with those general principles in mind.
LYs recommendations are very good. Get some instructions on meditation like "Mindfulness in plain English" and start meditating. Making effort to keep the five precepts is recommendable, too.

Apart from Bhikkhu Bodhi's "In the Buddha's words", "Word of the Buddha" — by Ven. Nyanatiloka gives a shorter overview over the teachings and is available for free here: http://urbandharma.org/udharma5/ebooks.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (You need to scroll down a bit to find it)

If you look for advice on rather specific topics, there are many Audiotalks from Ajahn Brahm and Ajahn Brahmali on various topics (like happiness, death, anger, dealing with a loved one's suffering, dealing with difficult people, ending conflict, forgiveness, Attachment,...). Ajahn Brahm has a teachingstyle many people can relate to.
Of course you can also ask about specific things here on Dhammawheel!

If you need an overview on where to start and what to do, I recommend on reading up on the noble eightfold path in more detail.

Best wishes,
Alobha
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waimengwan
Posts: 159
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2012 2:22 am

Re: Some Help, Please?

Post by waimengwan »

Welcome Philovitist

I have read this when I was young
"What Buddhists believe" , This was written by an eminent sri lankan monk in malaysia

http://www.dharmaweb.org/index.php/What ... hammananda" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


This is an introduction to buddhism by my own teacher
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2Y7YVDIVa0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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DNS
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Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, Estados Unidos de América
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Re: Some Help, Please?

Post by DNS »

:hello:
Welcome to Dhamma Wheel!
:buddha1:
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James the Giant
Posts: 791
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2009 6:41 am

Re: Some Help, Please?

Post by James the Giant »

Philovitist wrote:Hi, I'm a Philovitist.
What's a Philovitist? I couldn't even find a definition on the internet.
Then,
saturated with joy,
you will put an end to suffering and stress.
SN 9.11
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cooran
Posts: 8503
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:32 pm
Location: Queensland, Australia

Re: Some Help, Please?

Post by cooran »

Welcome! :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 ---
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bodom
Posts: 7216
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:18 pm
Location: San Antonio, Texas

Re: Some Help, Please?

Post by bodom »

Welcome Philovitist!

: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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Assaji
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Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 7:24 pm

Re: Some Help, Please?

Post by Assaji »

Hi Philovitist,

Seems like your name means "one who loves life"?

Good luck!
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LonesomeYogurt
Posts: 900
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:24 pm
Location: America

Re: Some Help, Please?

Post by LonesomeYogurt »

Dmytro wrote:Hi Philovitist,

Seems like your name means "one who loves life"?

Good luck!
I think the direct translation would be what, lover of being alive?

Either way, everything sounds cooler in Greek.
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.
Brian_type
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2012 9:13 pm

Re: Some Help, Please?

Post by Brian_type »

Hi, Philovitist,

+1 to LonesomeYogurt's suggestions.

Dr. Rahula recommends reading his book in the following order: I, V, VII, VIII, II, III, IV, VI. I found it more understandable when read that way.

Setting aside quiet time and actually practicing meditation is the most important part. Mindfulness in plain English is very good at explaining a form of meditation the Buddha espoused.

The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler helped me get out of a mental rut and led me to the Buddhist path.
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Assaji
Posts: 2106
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 7:24 pm

Re: Some Help, Please?

Post by Assaji »

Hello again Philovitist,

I would recommend you an online meditation course at http://vipassana.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; .

That's a good introduction to practice.
Philovitist
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 11:14 pm

Re: Some Help, Please?

Post by Philovitist »

Thank you all so much for the assistance; I will obtain and study those works as soon as possible.
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Ben
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Location: kanamaluka

Re: Some Help, Please?

Post by Ben »

Greetings 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]..
rowyourboat
Posts: 1952
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:29 pm
Location: London, UK

Re: Some Help, Please?

Post by rowyourboat »

Greetings Philovitist. I hope you won't undervalue the importance of living your life according to the basic principles. This is an essential part of the practice. :anjali:

With metta

Matheesha
With Metta

Karuna
Mudita
& Upekkha
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