Can I start practising on my own?

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lonewolf
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Re: Can I start practising on my own?

Post by lonewolf »

lostitude wrote:Hello,

I am not a buddhist (yet) but I was wondering if this journey could be started on one's own. There is no theravada center near where I live, so is it ok to start practising (not just reading books) alone, without personal guidance? or is it likely I will make mistakes and go down the wrong path, waste my time or worse...?

Thanks!
I will reiterate what another user has already mentioned, take 5 precepts, and apply them to everything you think, say, and do. Even a white lie is a distortion of reality. Morality is the foundation of the practice, your progress overall will depend how morally pure your conduct is. Understand well what each precept means in a broad sense. Make it a point not to add to suffering, watch your words, say nothing unless you know what you say is true, and factual, but even then know the right way, and moment to say it. Serve others more than yourself. The list goes on, and on.

The path is the Noble Eightfold Path, this is the way, this is the 4th Noble Truth, learn it well, practice it.

And like in every other endeavor effort, and perseverance are the key to your success. There is no substitute for hard work. Man is not defeated until he quits. Good luck.
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Vanda
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Re: Can I start practising on my own?

Post by Vanda »

tattoogunman I re-posted the conversation to a new thread-

http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=24374" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
“Don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and to happiness’ — then you should enter and remain in them.”
- Kalama Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya
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tattoogunman
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Re: Can I start practising on my own?

Post by tattoogunman »

Vanda wrote:tattoogunman I re-posted the conversation to a new thread-

http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=24374" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Thanks
MaeCheeWannabe
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Re: Can I start practising on my own?

Post by MaeCheeWannabe »

Exactly why beginners... Myself included... Need not concern over topics like reincarnation vs rebirth. Complicated for us. Simplicity seems to be the way instead of debating souls, rebirth, dieties, ect. Perhaps when I have more knowledge I can get into those topics.

I take to heart what the Dhammapada says "
Though much he recites the Sacred Texts,
But acts not accordingly. That heedless man
Is like the cowherd who counts other's kine;
He has no share in religious life.

Though little he recites the Sacred Texts,
But puts the precepts into practice,
Ridding himself of craving, hatred and delusion,
Possessed of right knowledge with mind well-freed,
Cling to nothing here or hereafter,
He has a share in religious life."

I may be wrong but I understand this to mean it's more important to live a moral life in the Dhamma than to have deep knowledge and ability to recite the Canon. Perhaps in time I can increase my right knowledge through study of the Canon but as a beginner it's most important for me to focus on the basics and LIVE them.
:anjali:
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samseva
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Re: Can I start practising on my own?

Post by samseva »

MaeCheeWannabe wrote:Exactly why beginners... Myself included... Need not concern over topics like reincarnation vs rebirth. Complicated for us. Simplicity seems to be the way instead of debating souls, rebirth, dieties, ect. Perhaps when I have more knowledge I can get into those topics.
It isn't very complicated when explained correctly. Simply put, reincarnation hints at a 'soul', with all the features and personality traits from the previous life, that gets transferred to a new body. Rebirth on the other hand is basically 'a new birth'. There is no 'soul' or self that is transferred. What goes from one body (as well as consciousness and mind) to the next is one's kamma from previous lives.

Viewed differently, karma-formations/kamma (sankhārā, the second link of Dependent Origination) is a condition for consciousness, mind and body.
http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_ ... ppaada.htm
mal4mac
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Re: Can I start practising on my own?

Post by mal4mac »

samseva wrote: Simply put, reincarnation hints at a 'soul', with all the features and personality traits from the previous life, that gets transferred to a new body. Rebirth on the other hand is basically 'a new birth'. There is no 'soul' or self that is transferred. What goes from one body (as well as consciousness and mind) to the next is one's kamma from previous lives.
I might be wrong, but I think the important idea about "the soul" we have to get rid of is "permanency". We need to see that the soul isn't permanent. But I can't see that consciousness and mind are not the soul, and are impermanent. It's easy to hold this as as an intellectual hypothesis, but it's the most difficult thing in the world to see this in "personal" experience, in my personal experience. So I think that MaeChee is right - this is too difficult for beginners like her and me. Certainly, I don't get it after your explanation, Sam, although maybe I'm just very dense...
- Mal
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Vanda
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Re: Can I start practising on my own?

Post by Vanda »

There are six sense consciousnesses, as stated - but where is the soul to be found? In the eye? In the ear? This notion you have is not Buddha Dhamma. Read what the Buddha taught. Read the suttas. You can find them online in English. If you become a serious student you can buy them in hard copy bound as books (in English).
“Don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and to happiness’ — then you should enter and remain in them.”
- Kalama Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya
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tattoogunman
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Re: Can I start practising on my own?

Post by tattoogunman »

Vanda wrote:There are six sense consciousnesses, as stated - but where is the soul to be found? In the eye? In the ear? This notion you have is not Buddha Dhamma. Read what the Buddha taught. Read the suttas. You an find them online in English. If you become a serious student you can buy them in hard copy bound as books (in English).
I also think this confuses people since Buddhism doesn't agree with the concept of "soul" and uses "anatta" instead right?
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samseva
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Re: Can I start practising on my own?

Post by samseva »

mal4mac wrote:I might be wrong, but I think the important idea about "the soul" we have to get rid of is "permanency". We need to see that the soul isn't permanent. But I can't see that consciousness and mind are not the soul, and are impermanent. It's easy to hold this as as an intellectual hypothesis, but it's the most difficult thing in the world to see this in "personal" experience, in my personal experience. So I think that MaeChee is right - this is too difficult for beginners like her and me. Certainly, I don't get it after your explanation, Sam, although maybe I'm just very dense...
The usual understanding about the soul is that it is somewhat permanent. Either you would have to convince everyone who uses the word to change their definition or use another new word. :smile:
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samseva
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Re: Can I start practising on my own?

Post by samseva »

mal4mac wrote:
samseva wrote: Simply put, reincarnation hints at a 'soul', with all the features and personality traits from the previous life, that gets transferred to a new body. Rebirth on the other hand is basically 'a new birth'. There is no 'soul' or self that is transferred. What goes from one body (as well as consciousness and mind) to the next is one's kamma from previous lives.
I might be wrong, but I think the important idea about "the soul" we have to get rid of is "permanency". We need to see that the soul isn't permanent. But I can't see that consciousness and mind are not the soul, and are impermanent. It's easy to hold this as as an intellectual hypothesis, but it's the most difficult thing in the world to see this in "personal" experience, in my personal experience. So I think that MaeChee is right - this is too difficult for beginners like her and me. Certainly, I don't get it after your explanation, Sam, although maybe I'm just very dense...
Keep meditating and studying and you will eventually understand it. :smile:
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Vanda
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Re: Can I start practising on my own?

Post by Vanda »

Tattoogunman -
I also think this confuses people since Buddhism doesn't agree with the concept of "soul" and uses "anatta" instead right?
True, the idea that there is no residing “soul” or “self” is a core insight gained by the Buddha. Understanding anatta is essential. Read the Dhammacakkappavattana sutta (considered to be the first discourse given by the Buddha) and the Anatta-lakkhana sutta (the second discourse given by the Buddha), one after the other. This should help you.
“Don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and to happiness’ — then you should enter and remain in them.”
- Kalama Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya
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samseva
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Re: Can I start practising on my own?

Post by samseva »

mal4mac wrote:So I think that MaeChee is right - this is too difficult for beginners like her and me. Certainly, I don't get it after your explanation, Sam, although maybe I'm just very dense...
Another way to understand the difference between rebirth and reincarnation is that when rebirth takes place, only 5% (which are kamma-formations or sankhāra) of what is usually considered a person, "transmigrates" to a new body.
lostitude
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Re: Can I start practising on my own?

Post by lostitude »

Hi again,

Glad to see that my thread has led other beginners to share their experience.
So far I feel that getting familiar with buddhism, even at a basic level, requires a huge amount of knowledge acquisition. I stopped counting the number of hours spent reading and I am still nowhere near having covered substantial ground.
I still feel that vipassana is incredibly hard, a few weeks into my lone practice. I can now bear sitting for ten minutes (couldn't stand more than 3 minutes at first) but still can't focus on just one thing for so long.

Thanks again to everyone for the links you have provided, I have no idea how I will find the time and energy to read so much, but I will try :)
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StrivingforMonkhood
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Re: Can I start practising on my own?

Post by StrivingforMonkhood »

Vanda wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2015 1:11 pm There are six sense consciousnesses, as stated - but where is the soul to be found? In the eye? In the ear? This notion you have is not Buddha Dhamma. Read what the Buddha taught. Read the suttas. You can find them online in English. If you become a serious student you can buy them in hard copy bound as books (in English).
Where is the "I"? Can you find it?

Nothing exists independently, on its own side. Everything depends on something else to be in existence.

Peace and enlightenment. :anjali:
May we all fulfill our deepest wish for happiness

We are already Buddha
simsapa
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Re: Can I start practising on my own?

Post by simsapa »

I am not a buddhist (yet)
And what does it mean to be a Buddhist?
but I was wondering if this journey could be started on one's own.
The journey to where, doing what?
There is no theravada center near where I live, so is it ok to start practising (not just reading books) alone, without personal guidance? or is it likely I will make mistakes and go down the wrong path, waste my time or worse...?
You need to understand the basics. There are plenty of resources available. You can start with this:

https://accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors ... toend.html

You could also watch something like this:



Other people can help make sure you're not meditating in a bad posture, and can help clear up misunderstanding of the teaching. Ultimately, though, we're all practicing alone.
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