Theravada for Beginner

A forum for beginners and members of other Buddhist traditions to ask questions about Theravāda (The Way of the Elders). Responses require moderator approval before they are visible in order to double-check alignment to Theravāda orthodoxy.
SarathW
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Re: Theravada for Beginner

Post by SarathW »

Thanks Frank.
:anjali:
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
Zolbec
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Re: Theravada for Beginner

Post by Zolbec »

Frank23 wrote: Thu Jan 17, 2019 12:51 am
Zolbec wrote: Thu Jan 17, 2019 12:32 am Which of these two Bhante G books do you think would be most useful to read before I started practicing the Anapanasati Sutra?

Eight mindful steps to happiness or Mindfulness in plain english?
"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.
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?
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retrofuturist
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Re: Theravada for Beginner

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,
Zolbec wrote: Thu Jan 17, 2019 7:50 am Do you recommend any books to me before I start practicing the Anapanasati Sutra?
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."
SarathW
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Re: Theravada for Beginner

Post by SarathW »

Zolbec wrote: Thu Jan 17, 2019 7:50 am
Frank23 wrote: Thu Jan 17, 2019 12:51 am
Zolbec wrote: Thu Jan 17, 2019 12:32 am Which of these two Bhante G books do you think would be most useful to read before I started practicing the Anapanasati Sutra?

Eight mindful steps to happiness or Mindfulness in plain english?
"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.
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?
Are you familiar with the following two Sutta.

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”
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bodom
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Re: Theravada for Beginner

Post by bodom »

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.
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:

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=341

:anjali:
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.

- BB
Anukampati
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Re: Theravada for Beginner

Post by Anukampati »

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?
When I was becoming familiar with the Anapanasati Sutta, the following two books were recommended to me by a Theravadin monk:
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
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.

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:
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)
As others have mentioned, Bhikkhu Bodhi's In the Buddha's Words is a great collection of suttas.
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Manopubbangama
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Re: Theravada for Beginner

Post by Manopubbangama »

DooDoot wrote: Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:15 pm The Satipatthana Sutta was written for beginners
Evidence?? :shrug:

Quite a blanket statement?

Where is the suttanta support? :shrug:
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retrofuturist
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Re: Theravada for Beginner

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,
Manopubbangama wrote: Thu Jan 17, 2019 6:20 pm Quite a blanket statement?

Where is the suttanta support? :shrug:
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".

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."
budo
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Re: Theravada for Beginner

Post by budo »

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.
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DooDoot
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Re: Theravada for Beginner

Post by DooDoot »

Manopubbangama wrote: Thu Jan 17, 2019 6:20 pmEvidence?? Where is the suttanta support?
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. :smile:
There is always an official executioner. If you try to take his place, It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood. If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.

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https://soundcloud.com/doodoot/anapanasati
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Manopubbangama
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Re: Theravada for Beginner

Post by Manopubbangama »

retrofuturist wrote: Thu Jan 17, 2019 10:59 pm Greetings,
Manopubbangama wrote: Thu Jan 17, 2019 6:20 pm Quite a blanket statement?

Where is the suttanta support? :shrug:
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".

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. :)
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.

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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Manopubbangama
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Re: Theravada for Beginner

Post by Manopubbangama »

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.
Excellent advice.

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.
Zolbec
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Re: Theravada for Beginner

Post by Zolbec »

Hey, guys. Do you think I should start by studying
The Eightfold Path or Mindfulness (Anapanasati)?
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retrofuturist
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Re: Theravada for Beginner

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,
Zolbec wrote: Fri Jan 18, 2019 9:29 pm Hey, guys. Do you think I should start by studying
The Eightfold Path or Mindfulness (Anapanasati)?
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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cappuccino
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Re: Theravada for Beginner

Post by cappuccino »

Zolbec wrote: Fri Jan 18, 2019 9:29 pm Hey, guys. Do you think I should start by studying
The Eightfold Path or Mindfulness (Anapanasati)?
just study relentlessly
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