i need a teacher!!!

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
alan...
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i need a teacher!!!

Post by alan... »

there are no temples near me and travel is out of the question until i become rich for no reason someday :tongue:

there has to be some way i can find one remotely, online, or heck i'd even settle for writing letters like in ancient times!

anyone know of a way i could find this???
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Cittasanto
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Re: i need a teacher!!!

Post by Cittasanto »

alan... wrote:there are no temples near me and travel is out of the question until i become rich for no reason someday :tongue:

there has to be some way i can find one remotely, online, or heck i'd even settle for writing letters like in ancient times!

anyone know of a way i could find this???
are there any groups in your area?
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
alan...
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Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:37 pm

Re: i need a teacher!!!

Post by alan... »

Cittasanto wrote:
alan... wrote:there are no temples near me and travel is out of the question until i become rich for no reason someday :tongue:

there has to be some way i can find one remotely, online, or heck i'd even settle for writing letters like in ancient times!

anyone know of a way i could find this???
are there any groups in your area?
not theravada. plenty of zen and vajrayana, just no theravada :cry:
plwk
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Re: i need a teacher!!!

Post by plwk »

something i always ask myself: am i ready to be a student?
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Cittasanto
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Re: i need a teacher!!!

Post by Cittasanto »

alan... wrote:
Cittasanto wrote:
alan... wrote:there are no temples near me and travel is out of the question until i become rich for no reason someday :tongue:

there has to be some way i can find one remotely, online, or heck i'd even settle for writing letters like in ancient times!

anyone know of a way i could find this???
are there any groups in your area?
not theravada. plenty of zen and vajrayana, just no theravada :cry:
well until you find someone, may I suggest that the community here can support you to some extent.
Happing a live in person teacher is important but There are plenty of people here with 10+ years experience.
although on a side note you may wish to keep these posting in the general theravada sections rather than open Dhamma, so posts are more relevant.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
alan...
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Re: i need a teacher!!!

Post by alan... »

plwk wrote:something i always ask myself: am i ready to be a student?
um... what are you insinuating?
alan...
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Re: i need a teacher!!!

Post by alan... »

Cittasanto wrote: well until you find someone, may I suggest that the community here can support you to some extent.
Happing a live in person teacher is important but There are plenty of people here with 10+ years experience.
although on a side note you may wish to keep these posting in the general theravada sections rather than open Dhamma, so posts are more relevant.
good idea thanks. the main problem is i too have 10+ years experience. i need an accomplished master, either lay or Bhikkhu or Bhikkhuni, to teach me. although surely there are users on here who have had a more productive 10+ years than i and can give me guidance, i just don't know who they are.
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James the Giant
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Re: i need a teacher!!!

Post by James the Giant »

What city and country are you in? (if you are in a city).
Then,
saturated with joy,
you will put an end to suffering and stress.
SN 9.11
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Cittasanto
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Re: i need a teacher!!!

Post by Cittasanto »

alan... wrote:
Cittasanto wrote: well until you find someone, may I suggest that the community here can support you to some extent.
Happing a live in person teacher is important but There are plenty of people here with 10+ years experience.
although on a side note you may wish to keep these posting in the general theravada sections rather than open Dhamma, so posts are more relevant.
good idea thanks. the main problem is i too have 10+ years experience. i need an accomplished master, either lay or Bhikkhu or Bhikkhuni, to teach me. although surely there are users on here who have had a more productive 10+ years than i and can give me guidance, i just don't know who they are.
Well if anyone declarers their accomplishment I would be doubtful as to their accomplishment, particularly a monastic.
Even if they have only meditated one day and have gained insight they are worth listening to. your experience of 10+ years against someone who has had real progress in 5+ years is no reason to disregard what they say.

when you are looking for help ask, and the responses will come. how long they have practised is irrelevant to whether or not they have valuable advise.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
alan...
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Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:37 pm

Re: i need a teacher!!!

Post by alan... »

Cittasanto wrote:
alan... wrote:
Cittasanto wrote: well until you find someone, may I suggest that the community here can support you to some extent.
Happing a live in person teacher is important but There are plenty of people here with 10+ years experience.
although on a side note you may wish to keep these posting in the general theravada sections rather than open Dhamma, so posts are more relevant.
good idea thanks. the main problem is i too have 10+ years experience. i need an accomplished master, either lay or Bhikkhu or Bhikkhuni, to teach me. although surely there are users on here who have had a more productive 10+ years than i and can give me guidance, i just don't know who they are.
Well if anyone declarers their accomplishment I would be doubtful as to their accomplishment, particularly a monastic.
Even if they have only meditated one day and have gained insight they are worth listening to. your experience of 10+ years against someone who has had real progress in 5+ years is no reason to disregard what they say.

when you are looking for help ask, and the responses will come. how long they have practised is irrelevant to whether or not they have valuable advise.
oh indeed! please do not mistake my statement for arrogance. all i was saying was my questions are more abstract than the average beginners and require more explanation than early questions like how to avoid alcohol or how to be mindful when you are distracted and so on. i'm looking for a teacher that is scores above me and can guide me by the hand so to speak. i'm actually quite sure i inquire too much and am spreading myself to thin in the dhamma and i need someone greatly experienced to point me in the right direction and focus my efforts better. surely there are people like that on here? and of course, someone training even for five days could have more insight than me! i don't doubt that or think my length of time practicing means anything special.

and of course there is valuable advice but i need consistency. as it is i get golden advice that is really helpful from five or six people but it's not always consistent across the board since everyone has different interpretations and even different schools of thought completely. getting a single teacher would solve that as well.
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Cittasanto
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Re: i need a teacher!!!

Post by Cittasanto »

alan... wrote:oh indeed! please do not mistake my statement for arrogance. all i was saying was my questions are more abstract than the average beginners and require more explanation than early questions like how to avoid alcohol or how to be mindful when you are distracted and so on. i'm looking for a teacher that is scores above me and can guide me by the hand so to speak. i'm actually quite sure i inquire too much and am spreading myself to thin in the dhamma and i need someone greatly experienced to point me in the right direction and focus my efforts better. surely there are people like that on here? and of course, someone training even for five days could have more insight than me! i don't doubt that or think my length of time practicing means anything special.

and of course there is valuable advice but i need consistency. as it is i get golden advice that is really helpful from five or six people but it's not always consistent across the board since everyone has different interpretations and even different schools of thought completely. getting a single teacher would solve that as well.
like I suggested to you before, start with what you are actually doing now and worry about what is next later on when you come to the next point. preparing for what is coming up does not mean you have a precice detailed knowledge of what it is before the need. develop and master one things at a time.
why not rely on those whom you have faith in their experience here for the time being until you find a teacher?
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
Justsit
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Re: i need a teacher!!!

Post by Justsit »

alan... wrote:
plwk wrote:something i always ask myself: am i ready to be a student?
um... what are you insinuating?
Perhaps plwk is hinting that becoming a student is not always simple or easy.

Many students travel long distances to receive precious teachings. For example, in the old days, students walked across the Himalayas from Tibet to India to seek authentic masters. Today, we may not have to make those kinds of sacrifices, but the path will often require us to move out of our comfort zone. In the old Christian terms, it will require our time, talent, and treasure. We may have to take off work; some people go into debt to travel, or use their vacation time for retreat, or whatever. It isn't always convenient, but sometimes more effort yields better results.
:anjali:
alan...
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Re: i need a teacher!!!

Post by alan... »

Cittasanto wrote:
alan... wrote:oh indeed! please do not mistake my statement for arrogance. all i was saying was my questions are more abstract than the average beginners and require more explanation than early questions like how to avoid alcohol or how to be mindful when you are distracted and so on. i'm looking for a teacher that is scores above me and can guide me by the hand so to speak. i'm actually quite sure i inquire too much and uam spreading myself to thin in the dhamma and i need someone greatly experienced to point me in the right direction and focus my efforts better. surely there are people like that on here? and of course, someone training even for five days could have more insight than me! i don't doubt that or think my length of time practicing means anything special.

and of course there is valuable advice but i need consistency. as it is i get golden advice that is really helpful from five or six people but it's not always consistent across the board since everyone has different interpretations and even different schools of thought completely. getting a single teacher would solve that as well.
like I suggested to you before, start with what you are actually doing now and worry about what is next later on when you come to the next point. preparing for what is coming up does not mean you have a precice detailed knowledge of what it is before the need. develop and master one things at a time.
why not rely on those whom you have faith in their experience here for the time being until you find a teacher?
I don't really know anyone on here well enough. Who do you think is experienced?
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Cittasanto
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Re: i need a teacher!!!

Post by Cittasanto »

Hi Alan...,
I am not going to drop names of who I personally pay more attention to in certain areas than others, but use your discernment and look at what people say or do not say, and potential reasons why. things maybe missed out because these have already been mentioned a number of times....

This is an online community so commune with others.
alan... wrote:
Cittasanto wrote:
alan... wrote:oh indeed! please do not mistake my statement for arrogance. all i was saying was my questions are more abstract than the average beginners and require more explanation than early questions like how to avoid alcohol or how to be mindful when you are distracted and so on. i'm looking for a teacher that is scores above me and can guide me by the hand so to speak. i'm actually quite sure i inquire too much and uam spreading myself to thin in the dhamma and i need someone greatly experienced to point me in the right direction and focus my efforts better. surely there are people like that on here? and of course, someone training even for five days could have more insight than me! i don't doubt that or think my length of time practicing means anything special.

and of course there is valuable advice but i need consistency. as it is i get golden advice that is really helpful from five or six people but it's not always consistent across the board since everyone has different interpretations and even different schools of thought completely. getting a single teacher would solve that as well.
like I suggested to you before, start with what you are actually doing now and worry about what is next later on when you come to the next point. preparing for what is coming up does not mean you have a precice detailed knowledge of what it is before the need. develop and master one things at a time.
why not rely on those whom you have faith in their experience here for the time being until you find a teacher?
I don't really know anyone on here well enough. Who do you think is experienced?
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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SDC
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Re: i need a teacher!!!

Post by SDC »

alan... wrote:there are no temples near me and travel is out of the question until i become rich for no reason someday :tongue:

there has to be some way i can find one remotely, online, or heck i'd even settle for writing letters like in ancient times!

anyone know of a way i could find this???
Do you have a monk or teacher in mind? Find out where they are and write a letter or email.

Took me two years of emails to various people before I was able to find a certain monk I was looking for. Eventually I was able to meet and speak with him.
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
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