book or sutta club??

[jcsuperstar]

would you guys be interested in doing one? we could read a book or maybe work on suttas together?

i'm not sure how it would work.

its just an idea... but i could be fun and helpful...

[bodom]

would you guys be interested in doing one? we could read a book or maybe work on suttas together?

i'm not sure how it would work.

its just an idea... but i could be fun and helpful...

Im down.

[jcsuperstar]

you know what we could do is like a sutta week or two weeks, and since everyone here is obviously on the internet, that means we all have access to A2I at least.

we could ask Dhammanando to lead it. maybe he knows some sutta learning scheme or what not so we'd have an order to do them in. also he could help with pali terms.

also we could come up with some blank questions for each sutta such as "how does this discourse relate to meditation practice?" or "how does this discourse offer us guidence in our modern lives?" or whatever.. i dont know i've never done something like this before...

but i think a study group like this would be something different from other web boards.

[bodom]

The Path to Freedom
A Self-guided Tour of the Buddha's Teachings

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/index.html

Maybe we could go through something like this for starters? Or maybe if enough people own In the Buddhas Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi we could do that? Any and all ideas welcome. The possibilities are endless lol.

[Will]

One is already going on here:

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=40&p=153#p153

[clw_uk]

Id be up for that, really gd idea

[Cittasanto]

I'm in!

Maybe a new section on the General board for different threads

[Ben]

Hi all
Another suggestion would be Bhikkhu Bodhi's lecture series which is available at the Bodhi Monastery site. The lectures are available as free downloads (mp3) and most of the suttas are in 'In the Buddha's Words' and all are in Bodhi's translation of the Majjhima Nikaya.
Metta

Ben

[jcsuperstar]

it can be our own little dhamma discussion group.

[clw_uk]

I think it would be good to study the suttas and also study different teachers interpretations of those suttas.

When should we start this up?

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

If there's anything I can do from an admin perspective to help facilitate this, please let me know.

Metta,
Retro.

[Cittasanto]

Hi Retro I think a section for threads on Books may help with that one but not for the Suttas as it already has one sort of!

Greetings,

If there's anything I can do from an admin perspective to help facilitate this, please let me know.

Metta,
Retro.

[Cittasanto]

actually just had a look at the board how about in the clasical section having a sutta discussion link and in the modern having a book discussion link? as I think the other sections are more general discussion related to a wider ranging field than book reviews, or Sutta discussions

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Manapa, all,

If you have a look through the General and Classical folders, you'll see quite a few of the topics are already focused around a single sutta or a single text.

What would need to be worked out then, is how is this proposition different to that which exists already throughout the forum? I get the impression that it would need to have an established "Program of Study" in the form of schedule or timetable and that topics should be closed once we move onto the next topic, in order to keep the group focused on the current topic.

Therefore it seems like a "Study Group" forum would be required, with a couple of pinned threads... one with the schedule and the guidelines for the study group, and another where people can suggest texts for study.

The Study Group would also require a 'leader' to determine the study program and kick off discussions.

Just some thoughts to help get you started. Once you've worked out an approprach, we can build you an appropriately structured electro-vihara to match.

Metta,
Retro.

[Cittasanto]

OK my idea sucks in comparison Retro but I have a couple of links to study of MN and another more general study course sylabus if those would be useful, but maybe Dhammanando knows of a more all encompassing syllabus or the use of in the buddhas words as a guide?

Greetings Manapa, all,

If you have a look through the General and Classical folders, you'll see quite a few of the topics are already focused around a single sutta or a single text.

What would need to be worked out then, is how is this proposition different to that which exists already throughout the forum? I get the impression that it would need to have an established "Program of Study" in the form of schedule or timetable and that topics should be closed once we move onto the next topic, in order to keep the group focused on the current topic.

Therefore it seems like a "Study Group" forum would be required, with a couple of pinned threads... one with the schedule and the guidelines for the study group, and another where people can suggest texts for study.

The Study Group would also require a 'leader' to determine the study program and kick off discussions.

Just some thoughts to help get you started. Once you've worked out an approprach, we can build you an appropriately structured electro-vihara to match.

Metta,
Retro.

[Will]

A sutta or other Dhamma text focus is fine. But I would prefer a graded approach from basic to advanced, using either a series of suttas or topics or a book recommended by Bhante Dhammanando or any other Bhikkhu.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Will,

A sutta or other Dhamma text focus is fine. But I would prefer a graded approach from basic to advanced, using either a series of suttas or topics or a book recommended by Bhante Dhammanando or any other Bhikkhu.

There's no reason why theoretically, we couldn't have a separate Basic Class and Advanced Class. I'd just have to work out how to structure it.

Metta,
Retro.

[Ben]

Thanks Retro
That sounds like a good idea. Some thought should go into where to place the 'electro-vihara'. My personal preference is the Classical sub-forum but many members may find the stricter guidelines of the Classical sub-forum may constrain questions or interpretations they have already formed about certain texts.
Kind regards

Ben

[jcsuperstar]

retro, your ideas are great. kinda exactly what i was looking for.
i dont know if we need 2 groups though.. that would be a lot to ask of who ever is leading it. but if you think its a good idea, okay.

[jcsuperstar]

Thanks Retro
That sounds like a good idea. Some thought should go into where to place the 'electro-vihara'. My personal preference is the Classical sub-forum but many members may find the stricter guidelines of the Classical sub-forum may constrain questions or interpretations they have already formed about certain texts.
Kind regards

Ben

yeah i dont know if thats the best place for it. as i thought it would be a good idea to ask how these teachings are relevent to our modern lives... but i dont think making it wholely modern is the right course either.