Atlanta Vampire Alliance [AVA]

[figment]

Figment's Course of Buddhism. Introduction.

I'm going to start a thread for different courses. I always wanted to see what it would be like if I started explaining buddhism in a completely flip flop way. You're supposed to explain buddhism by starting out about being nice to everyone and about Buddha's life and explain the symbols in the temple and then go into meditation and... well... that's how it's always done in the west. I don't like it that way. I'm going to do it a different way. I may start another thread for the more "traditional" way to learn buddhism (or add on to Eclecta's post, because she started a wonderfully traditional way to start Buddhism off), but I'm going to see if you guys can take starting with the meat of the religion first. Because, really, the rest is just details.

I'll be posting a new "lesson" in a different post in this thread. Please be helpful and not comment in this thread. I'd kind of like to make it so that people can go through the entire process of thise course again with out the kind comments of "Wow that was so profound!" inbetween the lectures. If you would like to comment on this Diving Into Buddhism course or get extra Q and A help from me about certain phrases, go ahead and start a "Diving into Buddhism (Discussion)" thread, and let's let that be the only extra thread about this course.

Make sense? Nice and organized. Each day or so, I'll post part of the Pali Canon. You can either dissect it yourself, or read my dissections for it. If you need more help, to prevent losing the "flow" of the course, just ask your question (copy and pasting JUST what it's about) in the "Diving into Buddhism (Discussion)" forum.

I've done other classes on forums in this method, but not on this topic. Quite excited.

[figment]

Lesson #1. The Ten Recollections.

This is wonderful to practice when generally angry or sad.

Sit for a moment. Think to yourself.

What is the one thing you want above everything else?

All of those things you think you want, you only want them because of your true ultimate goal: because they will make you happy.

Even if you are suicidal and want to die, it is because you believe in that moment that dying will make you happy.

You can look around you and everyone you see no matter how different or frustrating they may seem to you... you share something in common with them. Both of you, in the end, just want to be happy.

Buddhism is about that. Buddhism is about being happy forever.

We're going to skip the causes of suffering for a moment. We're going to skip Buddha's life. Those are important. But I'm going to show you how to make you happy.


One thing — when developed & pursued — leads solely to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. Which one thing? Recollection of the Buddha. This is one thing that — when developed & pursued — leads solely to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding.

One thing — when developed & pursued — leads solely to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. Which one thing? Recollection of the Dhamma... (f:teachings)

One thing — when developed & pursued — leads solely to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. Which one thing? Recollection of the Sangha... (f:community)

One thing — when developed & pursued — leads solely to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. Which one thing? Recollection of virtue...

One thing — when developed & pursued — leads solely to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. Which one thing? Recollection of generosity...

One thing — when developed & pursued — leads solely to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. Which one thing? Recollection of the devas... (f:holy beings)

One thing — when developed & pursued — leads solely to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. Which one thing? Mindfulness of in-and-out breathing...

One thing — when developed & pursued — leads solely to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. Which one thing? Mindfulness of death...

One thing — when developed & pursued — leads solely to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. Which one thing? Mindfulness immersed in the body...

One thing — when developed & pursued — leads solely to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. Which one thing? Recollection of stilling. This is one thing that — when developed & pursued — leads solely to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding.

— AN I.287-296



That may be the first thing "by the Buddha" you've ever read. If you notice, he writes in a very repeating way. Chances are, you skipped over a lot of it. You also probably skipped over a lot of words you don't know. Try reading through it again, and not skipping over anything. The reason Buddha repeats parts is actually proven in psychology... it gets those thoughts into your head so you don't forget them. It's easier to understand things, for most people, when they're repeated.

---

Stanza 1)

"leads solely to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. "

That is happiness, sir. When you are completely unattached to everything, you have the ability to feel everything, absolutely everything, fully. You have the ability to understand everything, without having your mind so clouded by being inside the maze. Happiness is not some frenzied mad dash. Happiness is a peaceful, still, contentness with a fully understanding of the world around you.

The first stanza asks you to recollect the Buddha. Recollect a being, an entity that is perfectly happy and peaceful all the time. That is never sad or angry. Think of this being. Remind yourself that this is how you want to be, happy all the time.

Stanza 2) Now that you know your goal, you need to look at the teachings. You can recollect whatever teachings you want, but the Buddhist teachings are called the "Dhamma." These are not just teachings but the ultimate truth. For you to be able to achieve what a Buddha did (or whatever entity you recollected in Stanza 1), you will need to recollect, in general, the ultimate truth and teachings of the universe.

Stanza 3) When faced with frustrating emotions, it is encouraging to think of the Sangha, or your community. These people will always stand by you. They are here to help you progress upon your spiritual path and to offer a more physical hand when things get tough. Imagine them.

Stanza 4) Anger and sadness rushing through you, it's easy to let go of your morals. Recollect on your virtues. What is it important for you to practice? Quickly start with some virtues you perform well (treating your donors well) and then go through some virtues you need work on (cursing loudly around children, perhaps?).

Stanza 5) With so many people helping you, at this point in the ceremony, you may be getting precariously close to becoming selfish. Recollect on generosity (daynah).

Stanza 6) Many of us get help from holy beings. Now that we have our goal in mind, our worldly tools, and our virtues and generosity in mind, reflect on asking a higher being for help. If you do not want help from a higher being, remind yourself (like you did in stanza 1) why it would be so wonderful to be happy all the time and be completely free from suffering.

Stanza 7) But remember, happiness is not something to get completely giddy over. Happiness is still and peaceful. Try a quick in and out breathing meditation. Imagine white light surrounding you and all the negativity (possibly the negative virtues you identified earlier?) in you is dark smoke. As you breath in, you breathe in the white light and it pushes out some of the dark smoke. You don't change your breath because it just happens naturally. The black smoke dissapates as it exits your body. Soon, you are completely filled with white light.

Stanza We do not have an infinite time to achieve this. Death, symbolic of the worst suffering possible, will always come. Contemplate on either death and the impermanence of your body or the worst suffering you could conceivable endure tomorrow. It is imperative that we achieve this permanent happiness as soon as possible to avoid this suffering!

Stanza 9) Continue your breathing in and out. Listen to your body, but don't answer, as if your body is a radio. When your body says it itches, don't scratch it. Would you scratch a radio when the feminine itch commercial came on? Simply listen to your body, it's quirks. Now that you have asked for all this help and seen all your tools and found your determination, you are calming your body and mind for peace.

Stanza 10) Contemplate on this peace. Contemplate on how this stillness makes you feel. How does it feel not to have to worry about work or homework? How does it feel not to be attached to a lover anymore, even, with all the stress they bring. How does it feel to have a few moments to simply be feeling air moving through your body? How does it feel to simply feel your body exist? How does it feel to feel your mind exist and to see your thoughts move through your mind on their own without trying to moderate them?

This is said to be the sublime abiding.



This is also said to be difficult. Please try it before you knock it. If anyone would like to get on Skype and participate in me leading them, I would be fine with that.