I am interested in learning more about Buddhism?

Question

I have read several books, and I don't know what to do next. I want to learn to meditate, and I want to have some instruction. Help! Thanks

Answer 1

You can learn the basic meditations by going to
http://www.buddhanet.net/meditation.htm

But you will really get a good experience if you
are able to invest 10 days time and learn it properly
in a conducive environment.
There is no fee for learning, only a nominal
donation for room and board. You can start
by reading this article: http://www.dhamma.org/art.htm
and then you can search a center by going to the
homepage at http://www.dhamma.org
Even if you are unable to take 10 days time off,
do try to do it whenever you are able to.
The type of meditation taught is completely
without rituals and blind faith.

If you like rituals and chanting, you may want to
check out a Tibetan Buddhist place in your area.

You may also want to try Zen Buddhist meditations.

You can find a list of various centers in the US here:
http://www.dharmanet.org/Dir/Usa/

If you have read the book "Accidental Buddhist", it also
lists centers of the 3 main schools of Buddhism in the
US - namely, Tibetan, Zen and Theravada.

Feel free to write if you need any clarification.

May you be happy and peaceful.

Answer 2

This is easier said than done, but I would recommend trying to find a Buddhist to help you out a bit. Reading books is probably the other great thing to do and you are already doing that. Finding someone that you can learn things from first hand would be an excellent way to further your understanding and interest, but it may be hard to find someone.

Answer 3

One thing to keep in mind as you follow all this advice: religions have many different sects and influences around the world. Just as someone in this US might become disillusioned of Christianity because of the way right-wing fundamentalists might apply it to their politics, Buddhism also has its right winger pro-war sects in other countries.

No religion is immune to abuse. But don't through the baby out with the bathwater.

Answer 4

researching world religions is an inspired idea. and buddhism, especially in its esoteric expression, tibetan vajrayana, for example, is one of my favorites. i also find taoism, and most esoteric forms of all religions fascinating. meditation is a key element in esoteric religion, as it helps you to, among many benefits, actually experience the presence of the "divine energies". such experience(s) are life altering and very healing. an excellent book to take a look it re buddhism is *the buddha book*, by lillian too. it offers a very thorough background on buddhist thought, from a tibetan perspective, and, most helpfully, introduces you to the main figures in the practice. very importantly it makes available rituals that can be performed to put you in touch with the various beings. i assure you they work, and their "power" is unmistakeable. included also are meditation "ideas" you might enjoy. also, the art work is truly remarkable. there are numerous sites on the web on buddhism, of course, to review. just use your intuition on what is helpful. if you can "feel" energies, you can "judge" a site by its frequency. that helps me to decide what to explore in greater depth. also, helpful with meditation and related considerations are http://www.sahajayoga.com; and the book *the complete idiot's guide to toltec wisdom*. both worth their weight in gold, as the saying goes. btw a good book on esoteric christian thought is *gnosis of the cosmic christ*, a very far cry from 'bible thumping". you'll probably find getting into "energy work" an important sidelight to your search; so, chi kung, tai chi, reiki, yoga, etc. are interesting practices to look into, as well.very best of luck. this area is a lifetime's pleasure and of greatest benefit to health and longevity. :-) p.s. a site that i found recently which is interesting and quite unusual in the tibetan buddhism area is http://www.tibetanfoundation.org

Answer 5

Try about.com or wikipedia.com they have great articles about Buddhism. Or you can find a local temple where the monks might teach you.