What are you currently reading?

[Coco]

So are you practicing or just reading the literature?

Both. Otherwise, why bother unless your interest derives from a historical or literary standpoint?

In studying Buddhism, it's also important, to my mind, to study how it's been transmitted to the West and interpreted or modified to suit. You might want to try books like Batchelor's Awakening of the West or McMahan's The Making of Buddhist Modernism. A big oversimplification: Western scholars and practitioners have historically tended to try to divorce Buddhist philosophy and meditation from ritual, theology, and cosmology, positioning Buddhism as a rational, godless alternative or antithesis to both Hinduism in the East and Christianity and Judaism in the West.

Jowcol here at GMG might have some insights to offer if you're interested in such matters.

Thanks, I'll look for those. I know that D.T. Suzuki is considered a Buddhist Modernist. I agree with you in that Buddhism is mostly misunderstood. I think people underestimate how much it is colored by the cultures in which it thrives and how much it has absorbed from other indigenous religions. There are a disorienting number of different schools/sects, and it's extremely difficult to sum up "Buddhist belief" without ignoring or disregarding a lot of tradition. I'm interested in teachings that appeal to what I find experientially to be true.

[Mn Dave]

There are a disorienting number of different schools/sects, and it's extremely difficult to sum up "Buddhist belief" without ignoring or disregarding a lot of tradition. I'm interested in teachings that appeal to what I believe intuitively and experientally to be true.

Oh, there aren't that many varieties, not of the popular ones anyway. (Personal favorite: Theravada. Stripped down concentration on what the Buddha actually "said.") I got into Buddhism in 1990 with a book called Teach Yourself Zen. Epiphany City.

[Coco]

Oh, there aren't that many varieties, not of the popular ones anyway. (Personal favorite: Theravada. Stripped down concentration on what the Buddha actually "said.") I got into Buddhism in 1990 with a book called Teach Yourself Zen. Epiphany City.

I seem to be leaning towards Theravada as well, as the focus on the fact that practicing mindfulness is a process appeals to me.

Another book I'm planning on reading soon (it's sitting on my nightstand):

[Mn Dave]

I seem to be leaning towards Theravada as well, as the focus on the fact that practicing mindfulness is a process appeals to me.

Another book I'm planning on reading soon (it's sitting on my nightstand):

Read any Thich Nhat Hanh yet? OLD PATH WHITE CLOUDS is wonderful. And THE MIRACLE OF MINDFULNESS is a handy, quick read. But, uh, he's Zen.

After a while, the books will become repetitive to you and all there will be left to do is sit.

[Karl Henning]

Don't do something, just sit there.

[Coco]

Don't do something, just sit there.

Walk, don't run.

Read any Thich Nhat Hanh yet? OLD PATH WHITE CLOUDS is wonderful. And THE MIRACLE OF MINDFULNESS is a handy, quick read. But, uh, he's Zen.

After a while, the books will become repetitive to you and all there will be left to do is sit.

I've read "True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart", which was given to me by a friend. I enjoyed it, but I think his book "Anger" might feel more relevant to me.

To answer your first question more accurately: I am in an experimenting phase.

[Mn Dave]

To answer your first question more accurately: I am in an experimenting phase.

Yeah, try it out and see if it's for you. That's what the Buddha said. 

[Lethevich]

I found a nice old edition of Waverley, printed in pocket Bible style (embossed cover, gilded pages) with those super thin pages. I can indulge in my silly passtimes with it, such as when a sentence uses the now increasingly outdated proper meaning of "intercourse", to then count the words after the instance and see how long it takes to silence the initial giggle at the choice of word:

"Their intercourse, however, though thus renewed, continued to be rather formal and civil than partaking of brotherly cordiality; yet it was sufficient to the wishes of both parties"

26 words later and he could still be talking about sex. Maybe not a record, but quite impressive. I also ran into this slightly bizarre cluster of words:

"his preceptor proposed the perusal"

[Grazioso]

(Personal favorite: Theravada. Stripped down concentration on what the Buddha actually "said.")

With the caveat that the Pali canon was first written down around 80BC or 29BC (depending on your source), centuries after the Buddha's death. Scholars still debate just how those texts represent/are related to the Buddha's actual words. It's interesting to read of the Buddhist Councils that led up to this, including the sending forth of Buddhist monks to Ancient Greece--makes you wonder about philosophical developments there.

[Grazioso]

Both. Otherwise, why bother unless your interest derives from a historical or literary standpoint?

Thanks, I'll look for those. I know that D.T. Suzuki is considered a Buddhist Modernist. I agree with you in that Buddhism is mostly misunderstood. I think people underestimate how much it is colored by the cultures in which it thrives and how much it has absorbed from other indigenous religions. There are a disorienting number of different schools/sects, and it's extremely difficult to sum up "Buddhist belief" without ignoring or disregarding a lot of tradition. I'm interested in teachings that appeal to what I find experientially to be true.

Buddhism's relative lack of dogmatism and emphasis on personal empirical experimentation can feel like a blast of fresh air.

It's a very complex and interesting question as to how/if Buddhism per se can ever be divorced from its cultural "trappings," as well as how it's been, so to speak, packaged and sold to different "buyers" as it has traveled to and been transformed by the West. I haven't read it in some time, but Tricycle Magazine http://www.tricycle.com/ used to be an interesting (I almost said enlightening ) place to see that process in action.

[Mn Dave]

Scholars still debate ...

Yes, scholars will debate. 

[Coco]

Buddhism's relative lack of dogmatism and emphasis on personal empirical experimentation can feel like a blast of fresh air.

It's a very complex and interesting question as to how/if Buddhism per se can ever be divorced from its cultural "trappings," as well as how it's been, so to speak, packaged and sold to different "buyers" as it has traveled to and been transformed by the West. I haven't read it in some time, but Tricycle Magazine http://www.tricycle.com/ used to be an interesting (I almost said enlightening ) place to see that process in action.

Cool, thanks.

Maybe we should start a thread?

[Grazioso]

Yes, scholars will debate. 

Someone should.

Cool, thanks.

Maybe we should start a thread?

A good idea. Funny how many GMGer's study or practice Buddhism. Small world

[Mn Dave]

Cool, thanks.

Maybe we should start a thread?

I was thinking that. A Buddhism thread.

[Karl Henning]

Yes, scholars will debate. 

To echo a line from The Terminator: that's what they do, it's all they do!

[val]

Marcelo Gleiser:     "Imperfect Creation"

Gleiser is a physicist in the USA. This remarkable book is a very convincing critique to the Theory of All or other unified theories in physics or biology. He shows that symmetry involving different levels of organization is impossible. From the Big Bang to the beginning of life only singularities, asymmetries, can provide a development and a result.

[SonicMan46]

The House of Wisdom (2011) by Jim Al-Khalili (impressive sub-title: The House of Wisdom: How Arabic Science Saved Ancient Knowledge and Gave Us the Renaissance) - fascinating read w/ some hyperbole - purchase stimulated by an excellent review in the Sunday New York Times Book Review a number of months ago - HERE for those interested!

[DavidRoss]

Good, indeed.  Sadly, those who would benefit most from it are among the least likely to read it, since they fear challenging their own prejudices.

Sigh.

[Opus106]

The House of Wisdom (2011) by Jim Al-Khalili (impressive sub-title: The House of Wisdom: How Arabic Science Saved Ancient Knowledge and Gave Us the Renaissance) - fascinating read w/ some hyperbole - purchase stimulated by an excellent review in the Sunday New York Times Book Review a number of months ago - HERE for those interested!

That's on my to-read list, Dave. I definitely came across, but not sure if I participated in a poll for deciding the title of the book sometime last year or thereabouts. I'm interested to know what are some of the things you find hyperbolic in the book, so when you have the time, please let us know.


Thread duty: Contact, Carl Sagan. The movie is an all-time favourite... saw it first when I was an impressionable 14-year-old who had just discovered pop-sci books. 0:)


EDIT: This is the poll I was referring to.

[Karl Henning]

Good, indeed.  Sadly, those who would benefit most from it are among the least likely to read it, since they fear challenging their own prejudices.

Sigh.

This was yesterday (that I read it, I mean), but: a piece by Geo. Will