Expert: Justin Choo - 9/4/2004

Question
I am new at being a buddhist and everything I read says I need a teacher, I feel personally I would be doing alot better  if I did. Where and how do I find help? I live south NJ and all the temple are private, I am not allow attend, I called and tryed.               Dana

Answer
Hi Dana,
Thank you for responding to this site.  You will always be very special in my heart because I am honoured to have you as my very first questioner since I registered as a Volunteer "Expert" in this site!

Everything that we do for the first time is always difficult because we lack a sufficient amount of knowledge and skill to do it effeciently.  That is why we need a teacher.  In Buddhism as in any other things we need that certain amount of working knowledge in order to practise correctly with a certain degree of confidence.  "Teacher", need not mean that you must have a physical person in attendance in order to teach you the Buddha's teachings.  Of course, if you can find one it will certainly help a lot.  But again there is also a certain degree of uncertainty whether that teacher is a really good and genuine teacher.  Also there is a tendency of the students "hero worshipping" that charismatic teacher.  There will be problems if the teacher turned out to be something different from what had been expected.  This sometimes happened in the Buddhist communities.
So, don't despair that you cannot find a "physical" teacher.  I am here to share whatever knowledge I have with anyone, and you are that special one.  Please feel free to ask whatever question that you have and I promise that I shall share with you the answers that you seek.  I am now your friendly "teacher" if I may upgrade myself to such a high status.
Please log on to www.dharmanet.org and you should be able to find some suitable temples around your area.  I am sorry I am not from the U.S. Does NJ means New Jersey?
I am very surprised to note that temples can be private.  If they are really private you can take it from me that you are not losing anything by not going there.  The Buddha's teachings are free, actually priceless.  That is why there cannot be a price on it.  It is for everyone, there is no such thing as a monopoly.

<<Dana>> wrote "Where and how do I find help?"
Dear Dana, you have found the correct place for help.  As to how, please start asking questions and I shall do my best to answer all your questions with pleasure.


Smile from justinchoo :-))