What exactly is Buddism? Whats Enlightenment? Why do you meditate? How do you mediate? I wish to know these things, Buddism strikes me as very interesting and wish to know more about....Please help
Hippie_Chick666 is right in suggesting reading the FAQ in the stikies of each forum you enter. However, such short FAQ's cannot fully define what something is, only a short understanding. Buddhism is nothing more than a label to identify the teachings of a Buddha. While some would rather identify this label as a religion, others do not. Any being can become Enlightened without being a Buddhist, or practioner of Buddhism. How? Enlightenment ... understanding, realizing, and eradicating the conditions that bring about action, which brings about craving, clinging, becoming ... suffering, sorrow, grief, lamentation, despair. How you get there ... ??? Become completely disillusioned with your current mode of existence ... Seek an end to your current mode of existence, and all others that might possibly follow ... terminating one's existence in this present lifetime only extends ones mode of existence in another form in unlimited realms. The realms of existence being taught in Buddhism today are remanents or carry-overs from Hinduism that were adopted into the teachings of Buddhism much like the cultures of various countries are adopted and integrated into Buddhism. One uses meditation to single-pointedly focus the mind to penetrate ones present view and perception of reality to bring about factors of Enlightenment. There are various methods of meditation which suit the disposition of the one practicing meditation. I believe in the teachings of Buddhism there are fourty different types of meditation practice. But the most common are Anapanasati (in/out breath mindfulness) meditation which one practices to corral the mind to stillness, followed by Vipassana (insight, clarity of perception) meditation. In following the teachings of Buddha, or practicing Buddhism, one must be fully aware of what the teachings of Buddha are and be able to differentiate between the teachings of Buddha and the teachings of the one intrepreting Buddhism from their own perception. One teaching from their own perceptions are teaching whatever their name-ism is with a Buddhist wrapper. In order to learn various methods of meditation, it is extremely advisable to seek out meditation retreats specializing in the various methods one wishes to learn. It is also extremely important not to carry one's expectations with them to meditation retreats ... expectation leads to disappointment ... disappointment leads to impatience ... impatience leads to anger ... anger leads to hatred ... hatred leads to violence, killing, extinction. Suffice it to say, for the sake of this writing, lets just stop with expectation leads to disappointment ... Personally, I practice Anapanasati meditation first, followed by Vipassana. But before I practice any form or method of meditation, I practice morality ... Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livlihood. The practice of morality leads to meditative concentration ... Right Mindfulness, Right Effort, Right Concentration. The practice of meditative concentration leads to wisdom ... Right View, and Right Intention. HTML:
Hi Azog 150, It's important to find out what is the benefit you got from meditation. I know that some people in modern Buddhism teach that meditation is the way to enlightenment, but so far there hasn't been any proof that anyone has attained enlightenment through the practice of meditation. In order to attain enlightenment you have to burn out your bad karma. It's not possible to attain enlightenment through chanting, prayer, zen, meditation, bowing, tantra, etc... I heard that only love can burn away karma for good. One day, I was looking for enlightenment and I found Tathagata, the man who teaches about karma. He claims that he attained the Supreme Enlightenment at the age of 44.. Shortly after his enlightenment, the third eye (the eye of wisdom) grew on his forehead. He travels endlessly to teach people what he can see. I read his teachings and they really make a lot of sense to me. Master Tathagata explains like this regarding enlightenment, "Enlightenment is the opening of one's eyes to what is. If someone attains Supreme Enlightenment, from that moment on they will come to see what is inside the principle that makes things of the world exist. They all see and say the matters through which what is, is made." The full article is available on his website at What is Enlightenment ? Where can I find an enlightened teacher? What is the way to enlightenment? Spiritual Enlightenment Paul
OK Thanks for the replies, I also had a read of the FAQ, and a bit on the Nobel Truths, some of it anyway....lol. I will carry on reading it, its interesting stuff.
Chodpa, please try to stay on topic! If you want to disparage someone do it in another thread, please. I don't see how saying what you did was related to those four questions. HTML:
It's where you walk around and go, "Hey Bud!" It's where you walk around and go,"Hey Bud!" and really mean it earnestly in an infinite manner. Because it's a way to get to know oneself and go, "Hey Bud!" to yourself. You settle down and loosen up and go, "Hey Bud!" until you find the Bud within. Buddhists are interesting, Buddhism is just more going, "Hey Bud!" Sorry if this bored anyone.
If you read the Zen stories where one becomes suddenly enlightened, they don't make any sense unless one considers that they are always in meditation. A woman is carry a pail of water. The bottom drops out. She is suddenly enlightened. She "obviously" was already in meditation and the water suddenly rushing out served as a trigger for her own consciousness to rush into the void, to see that all thought will suddenly rush out upon the body's death. As to enlightenment itself, I've read that it is not something attained, it is that obstacles are removed revealing what is already there. It is not attained because the ego, the "I," no longer exists. Who then attains it? You are very wrong about Tantra. imo. It is a very close experience to no-mind, to deep sleep and being in the womb before birth. It is pure subjectivity. "If you do it just right." Constant prayer, as a form of surrender, can lead to Enlightenment, I have read, as it opens completely the Heart. Enlightenement is always instantaneous and spontaneous. It happens to those who are supposed to have it happen to. As for karma, karma belongs to the body, not the Self, I have read. Once the consciousness becomes Enlightened it is not under karma, but under Grace because there is no individual "I" upon which karma can act or identify with.
To know Buddhism is to know oneself. To want to know Buddhism is to want to know oneself. "You are what you think." Watch your thoughts. When a thought arises, follow it back to its origin. Find the habits in thought.
