buddhist meditation, dharma centers in new york city and north east us

I found a nice, relatively non-denominational description of Buddhism.

buddhist meditation, dharma centers in new york city and north east us: "The basic tenets of Buddhist teaching are straightforward and practical: nothing is fixed or permanent; actions have consequences; change is possible. Thus Buddhism addresses itself to all people irrespective of race, nationality, or gender. It teaches practical methods (such as meditation) which enable people to realize and utilize its teachings in order to transform their experience, to be fully responsible for their lives and to develop the qualities of Wisdom and Compassion. "

OTHER BUDDHIST GROUPS' LINKS

OTHER BUDDHIST GROUPS' LINKS: "BUDDHIST PRACTICE GROUP OF FARMINGTON

This group meets once a month on Friday nights from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Unionville, Connecticut. Hosted by Linda Clark. Call for directions, and more information and schedule at (860) 675-4733."

OTHER BUDDHIST GROUPS' LINKS

OTHER BUDDHIST GROUPS' LINKS: "This Temple is located in the woods of New Hartford, Connecticut. Gatherings are held every Saturday morning from 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. with yoga, zazen and talk. A free Korean style lunch is offered afterwards. The meditation hall is beautitful. It's a must to see! Services leaded by Ban Ya Sumin. call (203) 559-3641"

Lotus Sutra - Shin, Zen, and Nichiren

Lotus Sutra: "Furthermore, there is a strong egalitarian tendency that levels spiritual hierarchies that is also pro-laity, pro-family and pro-woman. In addition, the Lotus Sutra had influenced great religious reform movements in the past such as the formation of Shin, Zen and Nichiren Buddhism. These reform traditions emphasize the single practice approach that is uniquely suited for anybody regardless of capacity. The single practice approach of Shin Buddhism centers on the voicing of the Nembutsu-namu-Amida-Butsu, In Zen, the practice focuses on sitting meditation practice and in Nichiren, the practice is the chanting the daimoku."

BuddhistFaith web site at Tripod compares three Pure Land traditions that came from Tendai (Ten Tai) origins. The common theme is that Buddha nature resides within all and is available to all with daily practice without a required intervention from a monastic. Mentors are teachers who have "gone before" (sensei).

urvashiverma: Why our prayers not answered sometimes????

urvashiverma: Why our prayers not answered sometimes????: "Buddhism is about the inner life. It is about awakening wisdom about the true nature of yourself. That wisdom is a thousand times more valuable than all the little benefits you can accumulate. Getting caught up in the pursuit of material possessions, some of us may think that 'this will make wonderful actual proof.' I don't think so. How many times have you seen a millionaire and said, 'Gee, I wonder what religion this person practices? Maybe I'll convert.' (Laughter) There is nothing wrong with the pursuit of material possessions, but this is not the purpose of life. People are seeking means to change themselves."

The quote above is from Greg Martin, Seattle, 1995. It is a small blurb from a large lecture given at the Seattle Cultural Center. It seems to me he does a good job of relating Buddhist concepts to the current day world. The people I know with Buddhist tendancies are not trying to get rich quick. They are not looking for a free pass to grandeur. They want a better way to help themselves, to help each other. Maybe it even seems altruistic. There si some good reading there.

Kate

Discerning Buddhist sects

Awaken your sleeping cat!
I read this afternoon about two essential differences between the original Theravada and the newer Mahayana Buddhists:

Theravada and Mahayana Buddhists differ in their perspective on the ultimate purpose of life and the way in which it can be attained. As discussed on the last page, Theravada Buddhists strive to become arhats, or perfected saints who have attained enlightenment and nirvana. This is considered to only be possible for monks and nuns, who devote their entire lives to the task. The best outcome the laity can hope for is to be reborn in the monastic life.

Mahayana Buddhists, on the other hand, hope to become not arhats but boddhisatvas, saints who have become enlightened but who unselfishly delay nirvana to help others attain it as well, as the Buddha did. Perhaps more significantly for one who would choose between the paths, Mahayana Buddhists teach that enlightenment can be attained in a single lifetime, and this can be accomplished even by a layperson. The various subdivisions within the Mahayana tradition, such as Zen, Nichiren, and Pure Land, promote different ways of attaining this goal, but all are agreed that it can be attained in a single lifetime by anyone who puts his or her mind (and sometimes body) to it.

However, there is a religious tendancy in Mahayanan in general:

The Mahayana form of Buddhism tends to be more religious in nature than its Theravadan counterpart. It often includes veneration of celestial beings, Buddhas and boddhisatvas, ceremonies, religious rituals, magical rites, and the use of icons, images, and other sacred objects. The role of such religious elements varies, however: it is central to Tibetan/Tantric Buddhism, but is highly discouraged by Zen practitioners, who have been known to burn statues of the Buddha to demonstrate their unimportance.