Expert: John Willemsens aka Advayavadananda - 2/22/2009

Question
I have read many books on Buddhism.  After reading about your experience I feel you can help me with two questions.  The reason I am so drawn to Buddhism is after searching for truth for more than 40 years I came on my own to understand several truths taught in Buddhism that I had never read in any books.  Basically, what I came to understand very clearly was the first two truths of the Four Nobel Truths.  It was only after sharing what I had come to understand about the human condition that a friend told me what I was talking about was taught in Buddhism.  Since I had never studied Buddhism I immediately started reading all the books I could find.  My two questions are as follows:  Since Buddhist believe there is or was no beginning to Samsara, my question is why does Samsara exist in the first place?  It is hard for me to understand how creation could exist without a creator or a purpose behind creation.  My second question is in order to become enlightened I believe a beginning mediator needs a teacher to work with them.  I am very serious about learning Buddhism and meditation but the nearest Buddhist centers to my home are more than one hour away and after visiting them I still do not feel I can relate to the leaders there enough to feel like there is someone there I could feel like they could be my teacher.  Is it possible to find a qualified teacher who could work with you by phone each week? I have the skype service where I can talk to someone long distance and also using a cam corder so we can see each other as we talk.  So if there are any teachers who work with students like this please let me know.

Answer
Hello Walt,

You say that it is hard for you to understand how creation could exist without a creator or a purpose behind creation.

I cannot help you with that, particularly when you say that you have already read many books on Buddhism.

As for contact, you might consider joining the Advayavada Network at Yahoo.

Kind regards,
Advayavadananda.