Hello Friends! :0)

Introduce yourself to others at Dhamma Wheel.
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Saravya
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Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:04 am

Hello Friends! :0)

Post by Saravya »

Hi, I'm Saravya. (It's actually my last name) from sunny Southern California. I'm a new member here (obviously. hehe) and happy to see that it's a small group. :D I came from e-Sanga, I joined there last month, but it's such a large group that it's sort of intimidating for me to join in on conversations. So, I'm very happy to see a small discussion forum for Theravada.

I'm also new to Buddhism. I've been reading up on the different traditions, and one of the reasons Theravada interests me is because it doesn't focus on rites and rituals. I do not believe in God...well, more accurately I cannot fathom the existence of a God. I have read through some of the Introductory resources in 'Discovering Theravada', however, that is a lot of text to read on a screen. It would be most appreciated if someone could suggest me some books on beginning Theravada, and anything else that anyone thinks would benefit me along the way. I'm very very new.

For a couple months now, I've made it a point to take into practice the 4 Noble Truth and Eight Fold Path along with Precepts. I even have it pinned up on my desktop as a reminder that I need to always be practicing this in everyday life. One thing I've left out is meditation. I haven't done it yet, I'm not sure how to do it. :? I suppose some more reading is in the works for me.

Wow, I just realized that most new members post are short, and mine is kind of long...Hehe, sorry about that.

:toilet: <--- Hahaha. I'm easily amused.
floating_abu
Posts: 94
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:50 pm

Re: Hello Friends! :0)

Post by floating_abu »

lol, Welcome, Saravya and thanks for your introduction.

Hope you find it useful here. Best wishes.
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Fede
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Re: Hello Friends! :0)

Post by Fede »

saravya, be gentle with yourself.
There is no hurry.
Study of the 4, the 8 and the 5 can, and may take you a lifetime.
This is a good thing to focus on, because this is what your practice boils down to.

Don't worry too much about meditation.
I also probably don't 'meditate' as much as I should.... or maybe I do, but not in a conventional sense!

Horses for courses.....

Welcome!
:namaste:
"Samsara: The human condition's heartbreaking inability to sustain contentment." Elizabeth Gilbert, 'Eat, Pray, Love'.

Simplify: 17 into 1 WILL go: Mindfulness!

Quieta movere magna merces videbatur. (Sallust, c.86-c.35 BC)
Translation: Just to stir things up seemed a good reward in itself. ;)

I am sooooo happy - How on earth could I be otherwise?! :D


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zavk
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Hello Friends! :0)

Post by zavk »

Welcome!

Metta,
zavk
With metta,
zavk
floating_abu
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Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:50 pm

Re: Hello Friends! :0)

Post by floating_abu »

Saravya wrote:One thing I've left out is meditation. I haven't done it yet, I'm not sure how to do it. :? I suppose some more reading is in the works for me.
Common references are "Mindfulness in Plain English" or alternatively, I like Anapanasati from Ajahn Sumedho - or Zazen if you are happy to read from other traditions.

You learn how to meditate by doing it. i.e. a bit like riding a bike. It is the pinnacle of right concentration so meditation is generally regarded as quite important and worthwhile.
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retrofuturist
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Re: Hello Friends! :0)

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings and welcome to Dhamma Wheel.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have. I think I'll hold off making any recommendations on texts etc. before seeing what you're curious about at the moment.

:hello:

Metta,
Retro. :)
"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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BlackBird
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Re: Hello Friends! :0)

Post by BlackBird »

Welcome friend.

As far as meditation goes, the link Floating_abu posted about Anapanasati is worth checking out. Venerable Ajahn Sumedho is very learned indeed.

Wishing you well
With metta
Jack :heart:
"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:
'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Path Press - Ñāṇavīra Thera Dhamma Page - Ajahn Nyanamoli's Dhamma talks
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Saravya
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Re: Hello Friends! :0)

Post by Saravya »

Thanks for the warm welcomes :D and thank you floating_abu for those recommended reading on meditation.

I'm curious about the very beginning of Theravada Buddhism and would like to read more about it. I've only read some texts on accesstoinsight.org about what Theravada Buddhism is and I've read about other traditions as well and that they all follow the 4 Noble Truth and 8 Fold Path, but have different paths (ie: Mahayana). But, I want to mainly focus on the Dhamma, apply it in everyday living, and so far from what I read, meditation is a very big part of it. I do have one book 'Loving Kindness' by Sharon Salzburg that was recommended to me. I'm only on the 3rd chapter, but when reading the text, I feel happiness arise in me.

:heart:
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Ben
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Re: Hello Friends! :0)

Post by Ben »

Welcome Saravya!

A couple of shorter references for you...

The Power of Mindfulness by Nyaniponika Thera
The Noble Eightfold Path: the way to the end of suffering by Bhikkhu Bodhi: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... toend.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Both should be available at reasonable cost from the Buddhist Publication Society: http://www.bps.lk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; distributed in the US at http://www.pariyatti.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

Another longer publication which I recommend is:
The Heart of Buddhist Meditation by Nyaniponika Thera: http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Buddhist-Me ... 0877280738" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Kind regards

Ben
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- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

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