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paulbear
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 10:46 am

Hello everyone

Post by paulbear »

I wanted to say hello to everyone and introduce myself. My name is Paul and I'm an American now living in Italy. I've been searching and longing to have inner peace for most of my life. I've filled my life with "stuff" and more stuff. I've recently met a woman a few days ago at a holiday gathering and instantly I saw a peace and kindness in this woman that I've rarely seen. After talking with this woman I've decided to ask her the significance of her necklace (om) which later we've discussed her commitment to Buddhism. I know this is a first step but I thought I would reach out and ask how I can speak with a teacher or recommendations on good beginner books. Thank you for any information Peace Paul
plwk
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Re: Hello everyone

Post by plwk »

Image

Try this
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Khalil Bodhi
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Re: Hello everyone

Post by Khalil Bodhi »

Welcome Paul! I'm not sure where you are in Italy but I can recommend Pian di Ciliegi http://www.piandeiciliegi.it/ and Santacittarama http://santacittarama.altervista.org/welcome.htm as two great places to start your journey. May you find true peace and happiness! :heart:
To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one's mind — this is the teaching of the Buddhas.
-Dhp. 183

The Stoic Buddhist: https://www.quora.com/q/dwxmcndlgmobmeu ... pOR2p0uAdH
My Practice Blog:
http://khalilbodhi.wordpress.com
paulbear
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Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 10:46 am

Re: Hello everyone

Post by paulbear »

Thank you so much for the retreat centers in Italy, I can't wait to make plans to visit. Peace Paul
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DNS
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Re: Hello everyone

Post by DNS »

:hello:
:toast:
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cooran
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Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:32 pm
Location: Queensland, Australia

Re: Hello everyone

Post by cooran »

Welcome Paul! :group:

with metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
alan...
Posts: 824
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:37 pm

Re: Hello everyone

Post by alan... »

paulbear wrote:I wanted to say hello to everyone and introduce myself. My name is Paul and I'm an American now living in Italy. I've been searching and longing to have inner peace for most of my life. I've filled my life with "stuff" and more stuff. I've recently met a woman a few days ago at a holiday gathering and instantly I saw a peace and kindness in this woman that I've rarely seen. After talking with this woman I've decided to ask her the significance of her necklace (om) which later we've discussed her commitment to Buddhism. I know this is a first step but I thought I would reach out and ask how I can speak with a teacher or recommendations on good beginner books. Thank you for any information Peace Paul
get yourself this book "the heart of buddhist meditation" by nyanaponika theraand this one "focused and fearless: a meditators guide to states of deep calm, joy and clarity" by shaila catherine

you can get both for under twenty dollars total if used ones are okay. the first covers mindfulness, the second jhana meditation. also really familiarize yourself with the eightfold path, each step is crucial! learn it inside and out. all of buddhist practice can fit within it. this book covers that "eight mindful steps to happiness" by bhante gunaratana

and this book "in the buddha's words" translation and notation by bhikkhu bodhi. it is a collection of suttas (a pali word more commonly seen in sanskrit as "sutras") on core buddhist ideas with introductions and notes by a very well respected bhikkhu (pali word for "monk") named bhikkhu bodhi.

and/or this one "the life of the buddha: according to the pali canon" by bhikkhu nanamoli. this is a collection of suttas that tell the life story of the buddha chronologically. you won't find this elsewhere easily as the suttas in the pali canon (the name for the collection of theravada texts, or "tipitaka") are arranged by length as opposed to chronology and even if they were arranged in order like that there are thousands of suttas so you would have to sift through them and only read ones that detail life events of the buddha to get a biographical story. his life story is not necessary to know, just really cool! this book also has a wonderful section on his teachings.

for an instant fix and a really good clear cut summary of the dhamma see "buddhism in a nutshell" by narada mahathera. that's a free article from an amazing site called accesstoinsight. thousands of suttas and articles all for freeeeee!


oh and welcome to dhammawheel!!!
paulbear
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 10:46 am

Re: Hello everyone

Post by paulbear »

Thank you for the wonderful recommendations , I will for sure be ordering these from Amazon Peace and love Paul
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