Thanks Frank.
Theravada for Beginner
Re: Theravada for Beginner
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
Re: Theravada for Beginner
I am not new to meditation. I have been practicing mindfulness for 5 months. The book that started me in meditation was The Miracle of Mindfulness by TNH. Now, I want to deepen my practice. So my interest in the Anapanasati Sutra. Do you recommend any books to me before I start practicing the Anapanasati Sutra?Frank23 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 17, 2019 12:51 am"Mindfulness in Plain English" is his best-known book, and is an introduction to meditation practice. If you are new to meditation it's a good guide on getting situated.
He wrote "Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness" later in response to friends and students who asked him for a book on the Noble Eightfold Path. It focuses not so much on meditation but rather general principles for living.
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Re: Theravada for Beginner
Greetings,
Metta.
Paul.
Personally, I would practice the sutta, as taught by the Buddha, over anapanasati, as taught by someone else... but each to their own.
Metta.
Paul.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Re: Theravada for Beginner
Are you familiar with the following two Sutta.Zolbec wrote: ↑Thu Jan 17, 2019 7:50 amI am not new to meditation. I have been practicing mindfulness for 5 months. The book that started me in meditation was The Miracle of Mindfulness by TNH. Now, I want to deepen my practice. So my interest in the Anapanasati Sutra. Do you recommend any books to me before I start practicing the Anapanasati Sutra?Frank23 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 17, 2019 12:51 am"Mindfulness in Plain English" is his best-known book, and is an introduction to meditation practice. If you are new to meditation it's a good guide on getting situated.
He wrote "Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness" later in response to friends and students who asked him for a book on the Noble Eightfold Path. It focuses not so much on meditation but rather general principles for living.
Anapanasati Sutta
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
Stipathana Sutta
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
Re: Theravada for Beginner
Transformation and Healing is a good book. Even though TNH is a Mahayana Zen Buddhist he has written many commentaries on Theravadan suttas and he was actually responsible for my introduction to the suttas and the Theravadan path. I am very grateful for his works. As far as what books I recommend see my list here:Zolbec wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:26 pm Hello guys.
I am a beginner in Theravada. How should I start? Should I read the sutras? Which sutras are recommended for beginners? I was interested in the Satipatthana Sutra. Can I start with it? I want to buy the book Transformation and Healing by Thich Nhat Hanh. What do you think?
Thanks.
viewtopic.php?f=41&t=341
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
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Re: Theravada for Beginner
When I was becoming familiar with the Anapanasati Sutta, the following two books were recommended to me by a Theravadin monk:Zolbec wrote: ↑Thu Jan 17, 2019 7:50 am I am not new to meditation. I have been practicing mindfulness for 5 months. The book that started me in meditation was The Miracle of Mindfulness by TNH. Now, I want to deepen my practice. So my interest in the Anapanasati Sutra. Do you recommend any books to me before I start practicing the Anapanasati Sutra?
At the second link, scroll down to the sixth title. It may be worth noting that Namgyal Rinpoche ordained initially as a Theravadin monk, later receiving robes in a Tibetan school. However, he continued to teach Theravada as well as Vajrayana, and to the best of my knowledge the book above includes no content that is problematic from a Theravadin point of view.For the theory I would recommend Ñāṇamoli's Mindfulness of Breathing, available online here:
http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma14/mindfulbreath.html
And for the practice, Namgyal Rinpoche's Breath of Awakening
http://www.bodhipublishing.org/contents/en-ca/d2.html
Going back to Bhante Gunaratana (not specifically Anapanasati), I really enjoyed his writing when I was getting started. Some one-liner notes on the contents of each of his books that I read:
As others have mentioned, Bhikkhu Bodhi's In the Buddha's Words is a great collection of suttas.1988 Jhanas in Theravada Buddhism (thesis)
1985 The Path of Serenity and Insight (expanded jhanas)
1994 Mindfulness in Plain English (mindfulness meditation)
2001 Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness (eightfold path)
2009 Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English (concentration/samatha/jhanas)
2012 The Four Foundations of Mindfulness (details of seventh step)
2014 Meditation on Perception
2017 Lovingkindness in Plain English (metta)
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Re: Theravada for Beginner
Greetings,
The Satipatthana Sutta certainly seems applicable for beginners, yet certainly not restricted to beginners... especially in light of the progress alluded to in the final section.
Metta,
Paul.
Not "support" per se, but there's some interesting comments in the commentary about the setting of this sutta. See here and search the word "Kuru".Manopubbangama wrote: ↑Thu Jan 17, 2019 6:20 pm Quite a blanket statement?
Where is the suttanta support?
The Satipatthana Sutta certainly seems applicable for beginners, yet certainly not restricted to beginners... especially in light of the progress alluded to in the final section.
Metta,
Paul.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Re: Theravada for Beginner
Read the Nikayas in this order
Anguttara nikaya -> Samyutta Nikaya -> Majjhima Nikaya -> Digha Nikaya
AN is very practical, easy and straight forward. SN is considered the most original nikaya. Read at least 1-2 suttas a day, should take you a few years for just those 2 books.
Anguttara nikaya -> Samyutta Nikaya -> Majjhima Nikaya -> Digha Nikaya
AN is very practical, easy and straight forward. SN is considered the most original nikaya. Read at least 1-2 suttas a day, should take you a few years for just those 2 books.
Re: Theravada for Beginner
The Satipatthana Suttas (MN 10 and DN 22) have the most basic practises, including mindfulness towards bodily movts, painful feelings and the five hindrances.
The Anapanasati Sutta (MN 118; MN 62; etc) appears more advanced, with only mindfulness towards pleasant feelings with breathing and only impermanence & nirodha with breathing as the last tetrad.
Jhana suttas have no awareness of breathing when experiencing pleasant feelings thus appear to be even more advanced.
Thanks for asking. You might consider starting a new topic about this.
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Re: Theravada for Beginner
Just my opinion, but if the sutta explicitly states it can take the meditator all the way to arahantship, it is definitely not exclusively for beginners.retrofuturist wrote: ↑Thu Jan 17, 2019 10:59 pm Greetings,
Not "support" per se, but there's some interesting comments in the commentary about the setting of this sutta. See here and search the word "Kuru".Manopubbangama wrote: ↑Thu Jan 17, 2019 6:20 pm Quite a blanket statement?
Where is the suttanta support?
The Satipatthana Sutta certainly seems applicable for beginners, yet certainly not restricted to beginners... especially in light of the progress alluded to in the final section.
Metta,
Paul.
It seems a very superficial reading of the sutta could make one think it is for beginners but when one is aware of the four stages of enlightenment, it seems that it can be inferred that it is for all meditators who are not yet arahants.
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Re: Theravada for Beginner
Excellent advice.budo wrote: ↑Thu Jan 17, 2019 11:17 pm Read the Nikayas in this order
Anguttara nikaya -> Samyutta Nikaya -> Majjhima Nikaya -> Digha Nikaya
AN is very practical, easy and straight forward. SN is considered the most original nikaya. Read at least 1-2 suttas a day, should take you a few years for just those 2 books.
I *personally* would do Anguttara > Majjhima > Samyutta > Digha.
But thats just me.
The Anguttara generally uses language of everyday life to describe "people" "places" and "things" and lacks the more "advanced" wording of the Samyutta.
Re: Theravada for Beginner
Hey, guys. Do you think I should start by studying
The Eightfold Path or Mindfulness (Anapanasati)?
The Eightfold Path or Mindfulness (Anapanasati)?
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Re: Theravada for Beginner
Greetings,
Metta,
Paul.
They're not separate things... Samma Sati (right mindfulness) and Samma Samadhi (right concentration) are the 7th and 8th elements of the Noble Eightfold Path, respectively.
Metta,
Paul.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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Re: Theravada for Beginner
just study relentlessly