Advice for a Beginner

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  • Billabong
    • Nov 2024

    Advice for a Beginner

    Hi everyone,
    I am a complete beginner, and would love suggestions from all of you about ways to be effective in my practice. Thank you in advance!
    -Billabong
  • Geika
    Treeleaf Unsui
    • Jan 2010
    • 4984

    #2
    I can't post a link because I am on my Kindle, but there is series of talks for beginners posted on this site. I'm sure someone will post them if you can't find them.
    求道芸化 Kyūdō Geika
    I am just a priest-in-training, please do not take anything I say as a teaching.

    Comment

    • Emmet
      Member
      • Nov 2011
      • 296

      #3
      My best suggestion is to develop a regular daily sitting practice, and stick with it. Zazen is the sine qua non of Zen.
      My second-best suggestion is to turn off the TV and read. I like "Taking the Path of Zen", followed by "Mind of Clover", by Robert Aitken Roshi.

      Perhaps that's too many words...and I should refer you to Ikkyu's advice:
      "Attention"
      "Attention"
      "Attention"
      Emmet

      Comment

      • Kiki
        Member
        • Jan 2013
        • 104

        #4
        Hi Billabong!

        I'm new to the practice as well but the talks and teachings Jundo and Taigu posted in the talks and teachings forum helped me understand a lot more about zazen and the basics of buddhism. I'm on my phone but I'll try post the link.



        Also I went to a Half Priced Books store and found a few books geared toward beginners after I researched reviews. Jundo and Taigu also have a list of books they recommend to read as well but I don't have the link to that forum.

        What's helped me is that I try to sit daily and increase the amount of time over time. I also read a book and watch the teachings of Jundo and Taigu daily.

        Hopefully that helps a little bit!

        Gassho
        Kia

        Comment

        • Dosho
          Member
          • Jun 2008
          • 5784

          #5
          Don't try to be effective in your practice...just practice.

          Gassho,
          Dosho

          Comment

          • Taigu
            Blue Mountain White Clouds Hermitage Priest
            • Aug 2008
            • 2710

            #6
            Don t rush into being experienced, relax and pay attention.

            Gassho


            Taigu

            Comment

            • Jundo
              Treeleaf Founder and Priest
              • Apr 2006
              • 40361

              #7
              Hi,

              Yes, as many said above, here is our "always beginners series" ...



              Also, here is a little pamphlet on basic sitting that I should have sent you when you came (did you receive that mail from me)? ...



              We also have some "in a nutshell" talks on basic Buddhist Teachings ...



              There is a lot more in this forum too. Oh, and as was mentioned, a book list focused on the flavor of Soto Zen that we Practice in this Dojo ...

              Hi, The following is a recommended book list for our Sangha. It covers a variety of works on Zen, life, “Just Sitting” Shikantaza Zazen, Master Dogen and Buddhism in general. Thank you to all who provided input, and the list is still open to new suggestions and additions. Please email or PM me (Jundo) with any


              Originally posted by Piobair
              My second-best suggestion is to turn off the TV and read. I like "Taking the Path of Zen", followed by "Mind of Clover", by Robert Aitken Roshi.
              'Taking the Path of Zen' and other books by Aitken Roshi, though wonderful (and although we turn to 'Mind of Clover' in our Precepts study) are a bit of another flavor of Zen Practice from Shikantaza as we sit here. Zen, like many things in life, comes in several flavors ... all the same but sometimes very different, each different yet at heart the same. It is a bit like many ways to cook chicken soup (anyway, what chicken?). Here our focus is on sitting Shikantaza and Soto Zen Teachings. You can read a bit more about the various flavors of Buddhism and Zen in a couple of book chapters I posted awhile back to help the folks new to Buddhism and to Zen understand all the many "same but often different" ways of cooking. All delicious, although one should be skillful in mixing and matching flavors. These essays do paint with too broad a brush and are a bit stereotyped sometimes, but are generally helpful for those who might think Zen is Zen is Zen (which it is, by the way ... except when not )

              SPECIAL READING - ONCE BORN TWICE BORN ZEN (Part 1)
              Hi All, I thought to post some special reading topics. The theme is "readings that will help in understanding Zen readings". 8) For years and years, after first starting Zen practice, I would read many "Zen Books" but not quite understand why so many seemed to be saying rather different things (or the same


              SPECIAL READING - (MORE) ONCE BORN TWICE BORN ZEN
              Howdy, I'd like to continue this special series of "readings that will help in understanding Zen readings" with a bit more of ... Once-Born, Twice-Born Zen by Conrad Hyers I agree with those folks who think the "Once-Born Twice-Born" categories are a bit black/white and broad brush. I do think the book


              SPECIAL READING - EIGHT TYPES OF ENLIGHTENMENT
              Hi Ho, Continuing this special series of "readings that will help in understanding Zen readings" ... This is something that I introduced here once before, but is well worth re-reading and understanding by all of us. The topic is a very clear list of "Eight Types of Enlightenment" as typically found in


              That should keep ya busy for awhile. And as Taigu said above ...

              Don t rush into being experienced, relax and pay attention.

              Gassho, Jundo
              Last edited by Jundo; 01-07-2013, 01:54 AM.
              ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

              Comment

              • Myoku
                Member
                • Jul 2010
                • 1491

                #8
                I would like to add my 2c, Billabong,
                the key - to me - is being steady, having a regular practice, and when falling out of my rhythm, coming back to regular practice,
                _()_
                Myoku

                Comment

                • RichardH
                  Member
                  • Nov 2011
                  • 2800

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Myoku
                  I would like to add my 2c, Billabong,
                  the key - to me - is being steady, having a regular practice, and when falling out of my rhythm, coming back to regular practice,
                  _()_
                  Myoku
                  x2

                  Gassho

                  Comment

                  • Mp

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Myoku
                    I would like to add my 2c, Billabong,
                    the key - to me - is being steady, having a regular practice, and when falling out of my rhythm, coming back to regular practice,
                    _()_
                    Myoku
                    Yes, x3.

                    Gassho
                    Michael

                    Comment

                    • Juki
                      Member
                      • Dec 2012
                      • 771

                      #11
                      It is also helpful if you have something in your house to remind you to practice. I have a formal altar in my sitting area, but I also have a small shrine in the hallway near the front door. It's the first thing I see when I come home, and the last thing I see when I leave. It's not really formal at all: a small Buddha, a small statue of Kannon, a tiny candle and a few pictures of friends. But, it centers me and reminds me to take my practice out into the world.

                      Gassho
                      William
                      "First you have to give up." Tyler Durden

                      Comment

                      • Billabong

                        #12
                        Thanks Amelia!

                        Comment

                        • Billabong

                          #13
                          Thanks Piobair!
                          Seeing as the New Year has begun, I think I can definitely develop a habit of daily sitting. And I love to read, so I definitely will be looking into getting those books.

                          Comment

                          • Billabong

                            #14
                            Hi all,
                            I apologize that it has taken me multiple posts to figure out where my responses are showing up. Thank you all so much for the help and support! I am so happy to have found this site. I will definitely be taking all of your advice into account, and look forward to the journey ahead of me.
                            Gassho,
                            Billabong

                            Comment

                            • YuimaSLC
                              Member
                              • Aug 2012
                              • 93

                              #15
                              Hello Billabong,

                              Please give your time on the cushion the priority. If it's a choice between only a sitting session or a reading session, I would recommend you make it a sitting session. It's so easy for many of us to dive into the book-learnin'.
                              Remember that Ananda, Shakyamuni Buddha's loyal scholarly disciple, was not the direct Dharma successor. Mahakasyapa was.

                              Welcome and kindest regards

                              Richard

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