Expert: Joe McSorley - 11/1/2005

Question
Dear Joe, the little reading I have done on Buddhism leads me to say that there seems to be an awful lot of work( meditation,mindfulness,reading,analysing,gaining knowledge etc.) in order to reach enlightenment. I am very attracted to Buddhist thought but I must confess, being a simple kind of person I am finding the whole idea of studying so much as off putting. I realise you must work at anything you want to excell in but is there too much effort going on here. I am sorry Joe if this doesn't make sense.   Pat.

Answer
Hello Pat,
 It makes sense and you already know the answer to your questions.  It's not about studying, it's about doing. If meditation is your way, fine. Mindfulness, fine, it doesn't matter, you just do what works.  There is no need to study Buddhism as a thing, ritual or system to reach awakening.  You need not know every pebble in the path to know where the path leads.  Just like you don't need to know every technique there is to play an instrument or do kung fu.  But you do have to strive vigorously to acheive the highest point.  You can be an average athlete or an olympian, a bar musician or Carnegie Hall, it's what the individual aspires to.  So be an average Buddhist or an awakened one.
take care,
       Joe