[Buddha-l] Request for help from learned members of this list

[Charlie Hodgin]

Humbly agree with the previous postings.

However wanted to provide some specifics as far as beginning points (along
with sitting regularly), these got me going**:

Have a full intellectual understanding of:

the 4 noble truths
Dependent origination
Anatman (no soul)

Particularly integrating an understanding of the quality of
impermanence...without this I would be lost.

If you find yourself drawn to vajrayana read *Cutting Through Spiritual
Materialism* - Trungpa, first.

{**-I studied Buddhism academically at College of Wooster and in India.  I
am a Nyingmapa practitioner of Vajrayana Buddhism (laity).}


Love,

Charlie Hodgin



On Thu, May 14, 2009 at 1:57 PM, Curt Steinmetz <curt at cola.iges.org> wrote:

> Just to add what Jack and Joanna (which is almost, but not quite, a John
> Mellenkamp song...) already said, go with your own personal strengths
> and/or inclinations.
>
> If you happen to be artistic, use your art to investigate Buddhism. If
> you are a potato farmer, use potato farming. Etc.
>
> If you happen to be a bookish and/or scholarly type, then don't hold
> back on that end. That is, do not deprive humanity of your gifts - the
> world needs more Buddhist scholars, not fewer (but the pay is lousy and
> prospects for advancement rather dim). But do beware of those
> occupational hazards of that "personality type", especially melancholy,
> egotism, ungroundedness, lack of physical exercise, and social
> isolation. The same goes for those hazards common among artistic types
> and potato farmer types - but I have less direct personal experience
> with those.
>
> Curt
>
> mburch5717 at aol.com wrote:
> > I've been a lurker on this site for some time and have been enormously
> impressed by the vast erudition of its various members.
> >
> > As someone who is relatively new to the study of Buddhism but who has a
> great desire to study it more deeply I wanted to request your help.
> >
> > Thus far all my knowledge of Buddhism has derived directly from reading
> books about it on my own but as anyone who has ever studied any subject
> independently knows there are significant problems with being an autodidact.
> >
> > I would like to undertake a broad and in-depth study of Buddhism
> including Buddhist practice with the goal of becoming a better Buddhist but
> am at a loss?as to what to do.
> >
> > In giving me your advice on what to do it may help you to realize that
> I'm a married man, 56 years of age who lives approximately an hour south of
> Los Angeles, CA.
> >
> > I would welcome any and all advice.
> >
> > Many thanks for your help.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > Mike
> >
> >
> >
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> >
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