WOW! SO MUCH!

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zavk
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Re: WOW! SO MUCH!

Post by zavk »

Sanghamitta wrote:Its a bit like vitamin C Zavk. You can take a vitamin c capsule, or you can eat fresh fruit and veg which gives you not only vitamins but a range of micronutrients and roughage too...The Suttas are more than the basic nutrition. More than the key concepts.
Hahaha...yes. To continue your metaphor a little further. I've been working hard at establishing a 'healthy lifestyle', developing various healthy activities in my everyday life and also in formal 'gym' sessions (if you know what I mean). Now that I have established this base of a 'healthy lifestyle', I feel more inclined to explore a wider range of 'healthy foods' to further improve my 'healthy lifestyle'. :)
With metta,
zavk
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Cittasanto
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Re: WOW! SO MUCH!

Post by Cittasanto »

Sanghamitta wrote:One use of pen and paper that i would recommend for those to whom it suits, is the ancient and traditional practice of Sutta copying. You take good clean paper and a good pen, you sit in a way that you find comfortable, but that aids awareness and you copy the Suttas line by line. You do this as mindfully as you can , it makes sense to have a set time for each session. It has two obvious effects . The mind becomes calm and clear, and the Suttas go in almost subliminally and sink through the various " layers" of the mind. Most people find that they have learned sections of the Suttas without consciously trying to. As well as creating a relaxed but aware state which maximises the chance of insights arising.
This is something I have never thought of doing! sounds like a really good prctice!
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sherubtse
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Re: WOW! SO MUCH!

Post by sherubtse »

mikenz66 wrote:
For me, Bhikkhu Bodhi's collection has much broader coverage and diversity than anything else I've seen. Suttas about "mundane" topics such as how to live a good life, how to respect parents, how to look after spouses on up to Suttas about kamma, meditation, and liberation. Also, it has a lot of complete or near-complete Suttas, rather than the extracts that the other works resort to.

Metta
Mike
Yes, BB's work is the best introduction to the suttas. But I think it may be unsuitable for someone who is at the very start of such study. Some of his chapters are rather dense and "technical" and may be "off-putting" or confusing for someone just starting study of the suttas.

With metta,
Sherubtse
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mikenz66
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Re: WOW! SO MUCH!

Post by mikenz66 »

Greetings Sherubtse,
sherubtse wrote: Yes, BB's work is the best introduction to the suttas. But I think it may be unsuitable for someone who is at the very start of such study. Some of his chapters are rather dense and "technical" and may be "off-putting" or confusing for someone just starting study of the suttas.
Yes, it's certainly true that some of the Suttas are rather technical. This seems unavoidable. It's possible that Ven Nyanatiloka's collection might be a little more manageable to start with. However, another approach would be to concentrate on reading the early chapters of BB's book on living a better life, etc, and leave the more technical topics aside for a time. It is clear from reading the Suttas that the Buddha didn't teach the more advanced teachings until the audience was well versed in the basics of generosity and sila.

In terms of technicality, my view is that Ven Thanissaro is much more difficult than Bhikkhu Bodhi. I find his work useful and interesting, but to me "Wings to Awakening" reads like a graduate thesis (presenting the Venerable's perspective on liberation) where "In the Buddhas Words" reads like a well-balanced introductory text book (with a few hard bits...).

Metta
Mike
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sherubtse
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Re: WOW! SO MUCH!

Post by sherubtse »

mikenz66 wrote:
However, another approach would be to concentrate on reading the early chapters of BB's book on living a better life, etc, and leave the more technical topics aside for a time. It is clear from reading the Suttas that the Buddha didn't teach the more advanced teachings until the audience was well versed in the basics of generosity and sila.
Yes, that approach makes alot of sense, and is a good alternative to what I had proposed previously.
mikenz66 wrote:
In terms of technicality, my view is that Ven Thanissaro is much more difficult than Bhikkhu Bodhi. I find his work useful and interesting, but to me "Wings to Awakening" reads like a graduate thesis (presenting the Venerable's perspective on liberation) where "In the Buddhas Words" reads like a well-balanced introductory text book (with a few hard bits...).
I have never read anything by the Ven. Thanissaro, I must admit. I have heard much about him, pro and con, but have avoided his work. I think that it is time to rectify that. Where would you recommend that I start, Mike?

Thanks.

With metta,
Sherubtse
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mikenz66
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Re: WOW! SO MUCH!

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi sherubtse,

You might look at some of Ven Thanissaro's essays here:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-author.html#t" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The only book of his I've read is "Wings to Awakening", which is certainly interesting and available there as a PDF.

Mike
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AdvaitaJ
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Re: WOW! SO MUCH!

Post by AdvaitaJ »

Rob427,

I see that you've already received a great many excellent suggestions, but I need to add one more: http://www.audiodharma.org/

I've only been practicing a little over a year, but listening to dharma talks on my iPod that were related to the suttas I was reading really made a huge difference in my ability to absorb and understand. I strongly advocate a "multi-media approach". You'll find dharma talks on most every topic and when you hear experienced people discuss the teachings, the vocal inflections, etc just bring life to the whole endeavor. There are a variety of teachers available and you'll quickly discover that Gil Fronsdal is excellent. But I hasten to add that Andrea Fella is excellent as well.

Regards: AdvaitaJ
The birds have vanished down the sky. Now the last cloud drains away.
We sit together, the mountain and me, until only the mountain remains.
Li Bai
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