Expert: Joe McSorley - 3/1/2004

Question
Hello once again, this time I won't be asking questions for a project, instead for my own personal practice. I have been very interested in Buddhism for about three years now, and have spent a great deal of time reading and meditating. I am only seventeen years old now, but really would like to get deeper into my practice, but there I cannot find anywhere to do so. Should I continue to practice on my own with the resources I have? Or do you have any suggestions on where I may be able to meet a master who could help me in my study? Lastly, any suggestions in general?

Answer
 You are by no means too young for investigating Buddhism and many of the great sages of the past came to this path at a very young age.  In youth you have a certain energy that helps you to delve into these things in a profound matter.  It's hard to help you with practice when I don't know what it is that you want to practice.  There are so many types of Buddhism and I don't know exactly why you are interested in it.  If you want to follow something than you would not want to look at Zen.  It you think Buddhism is an extension of a spirituality you have then you can find similar forms of Buddhism to your thought, however, Zen is not interested in any self-perception or interest but rather to realize awakening as the Buddha did.  There are tons of books on this subject and unfortunately the better ones are very difficult reading.  If you have not read D.T.Suzuki I would recommend that you try him.  I often recommend Krishna Murti to people interested in this, though he's not teaching Buddhism, because his description of the mind is very similar to it.  He has a good grasp on the problems of the self and how we create a false world.
 It is very difficult to find a legitimate master.  There are many shams out there who parade as masters and love the power of the position.  You need to sharpen your mind so that you have some insight and can see beyond these people.  Anyone who has something to teach you or something beyond you,in fact, just has nothing.  When you are hungry the nourishment has to come from what you ingest and not from what someone else has already ingested.
  Please tell me further what you want to learn and perhaps I can help you.  Take care
 Joe