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Hello, so I have been studying buddhism for a month or so now and I have had alot of questions. After all of this, I think I may have finally grasped what buddhism actually is. Please correct me if I am mistaken.
On desires, It is okay to have desires, but to continuously have cravings for these desires is the real problem. It distracts you from being here, now. If someone were to have a desire, they should notice it, without hastily acting upon it. It is okay to go along and take measures to fulfilling your desires, as long as you realize that you do not need them, since you are already a complete being, a complete part of nature. Just dont envision a future ahead.
Now, is this all correct? or am I missing some other main points?
Thank you,
Joey
Dear Joey,
)
Your understanding of the Dhamma is bearing fruit. It is all about being mindful of desire/craving as it arises and then making a choice as to what to do with it.
More often than not, the best approach is to observe the desire for what it is and ideally not act on it at all. As you start observing yourself, you will begin to notice that desire/craving in any form create more suffering. Slowly over time this will bring you to some insight into the true nature of craving and its power of dictatorship will weaken. Meditation is a great foundation for mindfulness - and I call it a foundation because it is a practice to apply in ordinary day to day life in the form of mindfulness of ones actions and mental formations. Please read this on the Buddhism Path (Eightfold Path): http://www.knowbuddhism.info/2009/03/buddhism-path.html
Some schools of Buddhism would claim that you are already enlightened, you just do not know it and that you just have some dust in your eyes which prevent you from seeing clearly. This dust is ignorance of the way things are. By being mindful you will begin to see more clearly again. This is the path of Buddhism.
Yours in Dhamma
Shozen, Metta
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James Chen Ball is the founder of the Buddhism IS Community Forum and Know Buddhism Blog. His primary focus is promoting Meditation practise through his websites and establishing an active Buddhist social community on the Internet. James' approach to Buddhism is intuitive and you will rarely find him referring to Sutras or similar ancient Buddhist texts but rather his words come from experience and a natural grasp of Buddhism. A long-time lay practitioner and student of Buddhism who has lived and studied as a lay monastic in all of the three major traditions of Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana and Tibetan/Vajrayana) practicing alongside Bhikku's and studying under Monks such as Ajahn Sumedho and H.E Lopon Tenzin Jigme Rinpoche III. I am happy to receive any question you have on the vast topic of Buddhism and will endeavor to give you a clear and honest answer where possible.
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