This document was dated 30 July 1995 and compiled by J. Kahila (kahila@kyyppari.hkkk.fi)
Subject: 3.01 Charter? What charter?
Creation of a talk.religion.buddhism newsgroup was formally proposed to news.announce.newgroups on 19 Aug 1994 by Than Vo (thanv@van.oz.au). The results of the vote were 386 YES and 31 NO, plus 1 abstention and 3 invalid ballots.
What follows is a lightly edited version of the charter as given in Than's CFV of 21 Sep 1994. (The original can be found at ftp.uu.net /usenet/news.announce.newgroups/talk/talk.religion.buddhism.)
CHARTER
The newsgroup "talk.religion.buddhism" is open to the discussion of all topics relating to Buddhism as a religion as well as a philosophy.
The objectives of this forum are:
o To promote Buddhism as founded in India by Gotama Siddharta more
than 2,500 years ago;
o To promote the understanding of the teachings of Lord Sakyamuni
Buddha, who, out of His great compassion towards all beings,
showed the path to perfect enlightenment;
o To propagate the Tipitaka teachings as found in the Pali Canon;
o To collaborate with all schools and denominations of Buddhism in
promoting the study and practice of Buddha's teachings;
o To promote unity and solidarity of all Buddhists;
o To promote mutual understanding, coordination and cooperation
among Buddhists in all parts of the world;
o To promote Buddhist traditions in developing spiritual values;
o To promote the Buddhist virtues of Compassion, Wisdom and
Courage for self-development;
o To facilitate discussions on all aspects of Buddhism including,
but not limited to, Buddhist schools and denominations, within
and among Buddhist cultures.
o To exchange and communicate understanding of the Buddha's
teachings among the ordained, the laity and non-Buddhists;
o To facilitate studies of Buddhist philosophy among scholars;
o To facilitate dialogue in the form of questions and answers
about Buddhism from non-Buddhist adherents of other religions.
All discussions shall be resolved in the spirit of Buddhism - in harmony.
Buddhism is one of the principal religions, with some 700 millions of Buddhists all over the world. There are also many scholars studying Buddhism in universities. There is a need for a channel of worldwide communication for the Buddhist community -- a serious USENET newsgroup dedicated to Buddhism in general -- so that lay people, ordained Buddhists and non-Buddhists can communicate and exchange freely their experiences and interests. The newsgroup "talk.religion.buddhism" is intended to provide such a needed facility.
------------------------------
Subject: 3.02 What is the current flamewar about?
To keep things in perspective, t.r.b. doesn't usually have flamewars of its own ... apart from those that spill over from other groups, usually as the result of ill-conceived crossposts. Even those tend to be relatively mild; must be our karma. If you want to see a *real* war zone sometime, drop in next door at talk.religion.misc.
The Quanyin invasion has lost what little original interest it may have possessed -- but it has led to an interesting side discussion about starting a moderated group parallel to t.r.b. An RFD on this topic should appear within a couple of weeks. Stay tuned.
------------------------------
Subject: 3.03 Do Buddhists worship the Buddha as a deity?
No. The Buddha achieved perfect victory over the causes of rebirth. His Parinirvana was 2500 years ago. All that remain are relics and monuments.
Of course Buddhists have religious observances of many kinds, including offerings of fruit and incense before Buddha-images. These practices are an expression of our shared faith and practice, and a means of acquiring merit. They are not gestures of deference to a god.
------------------------------
Subject: 3.04 Do Buddhists believe in God?
Theists, agnostics and atheists are all welcome within Buddhism (and in this group). Buddhists make up their own minds about the existence or nonexistence of God -- if they get around to it. See also next item.
------------------------------
Subject: 3.05 Do Buddhists believe in a soul?
Some would say that questions like 3.04 and 3.05 are in the same general category as "Does Nonexistence Exist?" Such questions are unanswerable. But even if one does not take this stand, the semantics of the questions are very difficult.
In both cases, someone who answers with a categorical "yes" needs to reconcile the answer with the characteristics of conditioned phenomena: unsatisfactoriness (dukkha), impermanence (anicca) and the nonexistence of a substantial Self (anatta). Those who answer with a categorical "no" face a different set of problems, e.g. making sure that what they are negating is the same as what is being affirmed by the people to whom they are speaking. Suffice it to say that there are ways to give a coherent sense to either answer, if one is so inclined.
Is there "something" that is experienced as a self having continuity in time -- a self with will, and joy, and pain? Of course there is, there would be no need for the Buddha's teaching otherwise. But is there a permanent and substantial self? Buddhist doctrine says no. Unfortunately, it is not possible to deal with this question adequately in a FAQ. Those who are interested can read _The Questions of Milinda_, a classic Buddhist text in which the matter is considered in detail.
------------------------------
Subject: 3.06 Do Buddhists believe in reincarnation?
People who ask this question usually mean transmigration of souls. People who answer it sometimes mean rebirth. This can lead to confusion.
Buddhism does not teach transmigration of souls, nor does it teach against it (see 3.05). As long as the 'soul' is regarded as just a bundle of khandhas (see glossary), subject to arising and passing away, transmigration is not objectionable. Of course, this gives 'reincarnation' a meaning rather different from the one typically intended.
Usually, however, someone who uses the word 'reincarnation' means the "re-instantiation" of a substantial and permanent personal essence of some kind -- an atman, or a soul in the sense of some Western religions. The existence of such a thing is rejected in the suttas (except as a convention), and is categorically denied in the Abhidhamma. Discussion of the transmigration of something that doesn't exist is pointless.
Buddhism *does* teach liberation from rebirth. Rebirth in this context means bondage to the causes of suffering, not renewed physical embodiment of a permanent spiritual substance in the form of an animal or human.
------------------------------
Subject: 3.07 What does Buddhism say about sex?
Monks and nuns may (or may not) be expected to observe strict celibacy, depending on the sect they belong to. The laity of most traditions are expected to observe the Precepts, which call for *nonharmful* sexual behavior.
At a minimum, this means refraining from sexual behavior that is a cause of non-mindfulness and suffering, our own or anyone else's. In some Buddhist countries it may mean other things as well, reflecting the prevailing values of the cultures involved. Such cultural overlays vary from country to country.
If your interest is primarily cultural, you may be able to find a knowledgeable person in a pertinent soc.culture.* group. Please do not crosspost soc.culture.* messages to t.r.b. If you receive information from soc.culture.* that you feel would be of general interest to readers of this newsgroup, please post a separate summary to t.r.b. instead.
------------------------------
Subject: 3.08 What does Buddhism say about homosexuality?
Nothing. Individual Buddhists or Buddhist cultures may have views on the subject, but such views are not germane to this FAQ. As a general rule, Buddhists of most major traditions are perfectly welcoming and do not see sexual orientation as being terribly relevant to practice.
------------------------------
Subject: 3.09 What does Buddhism say about morality in general?
In Buddhism, unwholesome behavior is not a sign of defection to the camp of a sinister being. Nor is it a "sin" that brings upon us the wrath of a vengeful God.
"Immoral" behavior is a product of mistaken view. It is wrong not because it violates some external set of laws handed down from on high, but because it strengthens the bonds of clinging and engenders suffering. In Buddhism, unwholesome impulses are not things to be violently suppressed by a schizoid act of will; they are to be noted, and understood. As we come to recognize how mental defilements give rise to unwholesome attitudes, we will be able to work on developing wholesome attitudes instead.
If our behavior does harm, we can try to avoid the twin pitfalls of self-protection and self-flagellation; they both reinforce the myth of a substantial self. We can acknowledge errors, try to make amends, and try to have compassion for ourselves as well as others.
So much for unwholesome behavior -- what about wholesome behavior? For Buddhists, morality (sila) is behavior that is consistent with the Eightfold Path (see glossary) -- in particular with those parts of the Path that are concerned with body, speech and livelihood.
The moral code of Buddhism is summarized in the Precepts (see glossary). The Precepts are not "commandments" in the sense of some Western religions. They are rules of training, intended to help us move closer to liberation and compassionate action.
------------------------------
Subject: 3.10 Are all Buddhists vegetarians?
Many are, because the First Precept of the Buddhist moral code proscribes killing and many Buddhists would regard consumption of meat as killing by proxy. But vegetarianism is not mandatory, and it is not practiced by all Buddhists.
------------------------------
Subject: 4. Glossary
The following glossary is offered to help with words sometimes seen in posts in t.r.b. This list is not intended to be comprehensive or doctrinally precise -- the definitions given here are only intended as a rough guide, to orient readers who are unfamiliar with the terminology.
If you believe important terms are missing, feel free to email the FAQ maintainer with suggestions.
NOTE: Some proper names and sects are included here. Most are not. Inclusion in the glossary does not reflect the FAQ maintainer's opinion (or anybody else's) of the importance of a person or sect. At most, it only reflects the history of discourse in t.r.b. If you want a glossary entry for Vairocana, start a thread and it may happen.
------------------------------
Subject: 4.01 Why don't you folks speak English?
Buddhism has several canonical languages. The chief ones are Pali (the main language of the Theravada canon) and Sanskrit (the main language of the Mahayana canon). Other languages that are sometimes encountered: Sinhalese (Sri Lanka), Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan. (These are not all of the languages of Buddhism -- they are only the languages of the earliest versions of key scriptures and commentaries.)
Terms transliterated from Asian languages have an undeniable in-group appeal -- but there are other (and better) reasons for using them.
One reason is simply that these "foreign" terms have the authority of 2500 years of tradition in many cases, and are understood by members of all Buddhist traditions (even if their first language is something like Finnish or Swahili).
Another reason is that the words that would have to be used to render a Pali or Sanskrit technical term into English (or any other living language) are inevitably freighted with unintended meanings. The advantage of using a "dead" language is that semantic precision becomes less of a moving target.
------------------------------
Subject: 4.02 A note on spelling and usage
In cases where more than one choice for a word is available, the FAQ maintainer has a tendency to favor Pali. Some attempt has been made to indicate equivalent terms in other languages, but this has not been done in all cases. If you find another spelling more natural, send email to the FAQ maintainer so that the alternative spelling can be included.
No attempt has been made to preserve diacritical marks.
------------------------------
Subject: 4.03 A random selection of terms and names
aggregate(s) - See khandha.
Amitabha Buddha (Jap. Amida butsu) - 'Limitless Light.' In Mahayana, the Buddha of the Western Paradise (the Pure Land). Also encountered in the aspect of Amitayuh, 'Limitless Life.' Pure Land Buddhists practice recitation of the name of Amitabha.
anatta (Skt. anatman) - No-self. One of the Three Characteristics (q.v.).
anicca (Skt. anitya) - Impermanence. One of the Three Characteristics.
arahant (Skt. arhat) - One who has attained enlightenment.
Avalokiteshvara (Tib. Chenrezi, Chin. Kwan-Yin or Guanyin, Jap. Kannon) - Mahayana Bodhisattva of Compassion
avijja (Skt. avidya) - Ignorance (lit. 'unconsciousness').
bhikku, bhikkuni (Skt. bhikshu, bhikshuni) - monk, nun
bodhisattva - A future Buddha.
brahmaviharas - Four "sublime abidings" (lit. 'abodes of Brahma') that accompany spiritual development, consisting of compassion, loving kindness, sympathetic joy for others, and equanimity toward the pleasant and the unpleasant.
Buddha - The Enlightened One. The First Refuge of the Triple Gem.
Chogye (alt. Jogye) - largest Zen sect in Korea
conditioned phenomena - Phenomena (dhammas) constituted of the five khandas (Skt. skandhas), objects for paticcasamuppada (Skt. pratityasamutpada), subject to arising and passing away. With a handful of exceptions (notably Enlightenment itself), all phenomena fall into this category.
daimoku - The practice of chanting "Nam (or Namu) Myoho Renge Kyo" in Japanese Lotus Sutra Buddhism. Myoho Renge Kyo is the sutra's name in Japanese.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama - Leader of the Tibetan people in exile. Vajrayana Buddhists regard him as the living embodiment of Avalokiteshvara (q.v.). Most other Buddhists, including Theravadins, revere him as a teacher of very high spiritual attainment who works tirelessly for peace and goodwill.
dana - The practice of giving to accumulate merit.
dependent arising, dependent origination - See paticcasamuppada.
dharma (Pali dhamma) - When spelled this way (not capitalized), means roughly "phenomenon."
Dharma (Pali Dhamma) - When spelled this way (capitalized), refers to the Teachings of the Buddha. The Second Refuge of the Triple Gem.
dukkha - Often rendered as "suffering," but can span the whole range from excruciating pain to not-getting-what-I-want. One of the Three Characteristics (q.v.).
Noble Eightfold Path - The Path of the Fourth Noble Truth: Right Understanding, Right Thinking, Right Speech, Right Attitude, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.
Five Aggregates - See khandha.
Four Noble Truths - Suffering. Suffering has a cause. Suffering has an end. There is a path that leads to the cessation of suffering (see Eightfold Path).
Gautama (alt. Gotama) - Family name of the Buddha.
Heart Sutra - The Prajnaparamita Hridraya Sutra, one of several "perfection of wisdom" sutras in the Mahayana scriptures. Calculatedly paradoxical in its language ("there is no suffering, cause, cessation or path"). Central to most Mahayana schools.
hermeneutics - The science of interpretation or exegesis of Scripture.
Hinayana - Lesser Vehicle. A term coined by Mahayanists to distinguish their inclusive path (a 'greater vehicle' with room for all) from the path of other schools (seen as a 'lesser vehicle' with room for only one at a time). Many Buddhists prefer the term Theravada (q.v.), even though it is not entirely accurate as a synonym.
insight meditation -- See vipassana.
Jodo - Japanese Pure Land Buddhism.
Jodo Shinshu - The largest Jodo sect in modern Japan (in fact, the largest Buddhist sect of any kind in Japan, as far as the FAQ maintainer knows). See Shinran Shonin.
karma (Pali kamma) - Literally, "action." Often translated "cause and effect."
karuna - Compassion. One of the brahmaviharas.
khandha (Skt. skandha) - One of the Five Aggregates of Clinging: matter (rupakhandha), sensations (vedanakhandha), perceptions (sannakhandha), mental formations (sankharakhandha), consciousness (vinnanakhandha). A starting point for Buddhist psychology.
Lotus Sutra - The Saddharmapundarika Sutra, one of the Mahayana scriptures. Lotus Sutra Buddhists sometimes practice recitation of the title of the sutra. See daimoku.
mappo - A prophesied end time of decadent Dharma in Japan. Several Buddhist traditions that arose in 12th century Japan (notably the practices of Nichiren and Shinran) are historically unintelligible unless seen against the backdrop of this prophecy.
Mahayana - Greater Vehicle. The northern branch of Buddhism. More doctrinally liberal than Theravada (recognizes several non-historical sutras as canonical -- it should be noted, however, that even Theravada gives canonical authority to some non-historical works, such as the Jatakas or the Abhidhamma for that matter). Strong focus on alleviation of suffering of all sentient beings.
metta - Loving kindness. One of the brahmaviharas.
mettabhavana - A meditation practice that develops loving kindness toward all sentient beings.
mudita - Sympathetic joy. One of the brahmaviharas.
nembutsu - The practice of chanting "Namu Amida Butsu" in Japanese Pure Land Buddhism. See Amitabha.
Nichiren Daishonin - Twelfth-century founder of a practice that is the basis of a number of Lotus Sutra (q.v.) sects in Japan.
Nichiren Shoshu - A Nichiren sect founded in Japan in the foothills of Mt. Fuji in the 13th century. Its head temple is Taisekiji Temple.
Nichiren Shu - A Nichiren sect founded in Japan at Mt. Minobu in the 13th century. Its head temple is Kuonji Temple.
nirhoda - Cessation. (Specifically, the cessation of suffering in the Third Noble Truth.)
nirvana (Pali nibbana) - Absolute cessation of suffering and its causes.
parinirvana (Pali parinibbana) - The end of the Buddha's physical existence (i.e., his death).
paticcasamuppada (Skt. pratityasamutpada) - Dependent origination. The twelve-stage process that leads from ignorance to rebirth.
Precepts - A basic set of standards for moral conduct: to refrain from killing, stealing, harmful sexual behavior, lying and the use of intoxicants. These are the "normal" precepts for the laity; more extensive sets may apply to persons in special circumstances, e.g. the monastic community.
Pure Land - See Amitabha.
samadhi - Concentration. A state of one-pointedness of mind achievable through certain forms of meditation.
samsara - (lit. 'wandering together') The wheel of suffering and rebirth.
Sangha - A word with several associations. One meaning is the Aryasangha (beings of high spiritual attainment). Another meaning is the patimokkha sangha -- the community of ordained monks and nuns. Western Mahayanists often use the word in yet a third sense, to refer to the mahasangha -- the community of all believers. The Sangha referred to in the Triple Gem is the Aryasangha.
sensei - Teacher. Title of respect in Japan.
Shakyamuni - Sage of the Shakya clan. Common epithet of the Buddha.
Shingon - A Japanese Vajrayana sect.
Shinran Shonin - Twelfth-century founder of Jodo Shinshu.
skandha - see khandha.
skillful means - Creating good causes for sentient beings to enter onto the Path. This includes practicing the five perfections, explaining the Dharma in language a hearer can understand, etc.
Siddhartha (Pali Siddhatta) - Personal name of the Buddha.
Soka Gakkai International (SGI) - A Buddhist lay organization founded in the 20th century and formerly affilliated with Nichiren Shoshu. Its headquarters is located in Tokyo.
sublime abidings - See brahmaviharas.
sutra (Pali sutta) - In Theravada, a historical discourse of the Buddha as passed down by oral tradition and ultimately committed to writing; the Suttapitaka was not actually compiled in written form until circa 80 B.C. (around the same time as the earliest Mahayana sutras were set down in writing). In Mahayana, the set of canonical discourses is enlarged to include some nonhistorical sermons -- the Heart Sutra, the Lotus Sutra, etc.
Tathagata - The Thus-Gone One. An epithet of the Buddha.
thera, theri - elder monk, elder nun.
Theravada - The Way of the Elders. The southern branch of Buddhism. More doctrinally conservative than Mahayana (narrower conception of what is canonical). Strong focus on correct practice and right conduct.
Thich Nhat Hanh - A contemporary Vietnamese Zen monk and campaigner for peace. Among other things, he has suggested a 'positive' interpretation of the Precepts: Reverence for Life, Generosity, Sexual Responsibility, Deep Listening and Loving Speech, and Mindful Consumption.
Three Characteristics - All conditioned phenomena are unsatisfactory, impermanent and devoid of Self.
Tipitaka (Skt. Tripitaka) - The Three Baskets of Buddhist scripture, comprising the Suttapitaka (the discourses), the Vinayapitaka (rules governing the monastic order) and the Abhidhammapitaka (Buddhist psychology). There are significant differences between the Theravada and Mahayana canons.
Triple Gem - The Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.
upekkha - Equanimity. One of the brahmaviharas.
Vajrayana - Sometimes translated Thunderbolt Vehicle. A development of Mahayana Buddhism that includes several features of Indian philosophy not found elsewhere (e.g., Tantra). Strong emphasis on teacher-student relationship.
vipassana (Skt. vipashyana) - Insight, seeing things as they are. Also used to refer to insight meditation, a technique that develops attention to the arising and passing away of conditioned phenomena (Theravada) or attention to the emptiness of conditioned phenomena (Mahayana).
Zen (Chin. Ch'an) - A Buddhist tradition founded in China as a result of the teaching of Bodhidharma, circa 475 A.D. Found today mostly in Vietnam, Japan and Korea (and of course at various centers in the West).
------------------------------
Archive-name: buddhism-faq/resources
Posting-Frequency: monthly
talk.religion.buddhism FAQ -- Part 3 of 3
Subject: 5. Resources of possible interest to Buddhists
This list is offered mainly as a service to those who do not have (or
have not yet learned how to use) the powerful search capabilities
available through some resources on the Internet. If you have a Web
browser, you are better off generating a list yourself, using a
service such as Lycos
The FAQ maintainer attempts to visit listed Net sites once in a while to be sure that links are still valid, but it is not possible to monitor all listed sites on a regular basis. If you become aware of changes, please send email to the FAQ maintainer so that the FAQ can be updated.
Much of the information in this collection is a condensed version of Hsuan Peng's excellent (and much more comprehensive) list. See 5.01.
------------------------------
Subject: 5.01 Some Internet sites
The Number One nifty site has to be the Coombs Virtual Library, at the Australian National University. It has links to all sorts of stuff, plus a wealth of information of its own related to a vast range of traditions and topics.
Access To Insight/DharmaNet Home Page
Australian BuddhaNet Home Page
Buddhism Study Group at Urbana-Champaign
Buddhist Internet Pointers (Hsuan Peng's resource list)
A bunch of stuff in Chinese, including some sutra texts. Some sources
have nice GIFs. Most of this needs special software (the cognoscenti
tell me it's in BIG-5); for info on Chinese language, see 5.04.
Cornell AsiaLink
The /teaching/AAR_courses/ subdirectory contains courses on Zen and
the Lotus Sutra.
Dharma Electronic Files Archive (DEFA)
Journal of Buddhist Ethics resource list
Sitting meditation sites
Tiger Team Buddhist Information Network
Zen centers (a good worldwide list)
------------------------------
Subject: 5.02 Online scriptures and related material
Dhammapada
Parinirvana Sutra
A variety of miscellaneous items (e.g., several sutta translations in
the BPS Wheel series) are available from DEFA. See section 5.01.
For the serious specialist, the entire(!) Tipitaka and Atthakatha
(plus a few miscellaneous items such as the Milindapanha) are
available on CD-ROM in both(!) Thai and Romanized Pali, through Mahidol
University in Thailand and its American representatives. Note: these
materials are *not in English*. Package includes software for display
and cross-referencing. More info:
A collection of various items in Sanskrit etc. can be found at
EiHeiJi Temple plans to issue a commemorative Dogen CD-ROM (in
Japanese, special display software needed). More info:
FAX +81-776-63-3894 .
Claude Huss has made a number of Jodo Shinshu texts available at his
White Path Temple site
------------------------------
Subject: 5.03 Sites mostly devoted to specific practices
Pure Land
Nichiren
Theravada
Vajrayana
Zen
------------------------------
Subject: 5.04 Other sites of possible interest
alt.buddha.short.fat.guy -- we don't know who they are, but we like them
Asian Art
Asian WWW resources
China -- some online resources
Fonts
Human Languages Page
International Institute for Asian Studies
Internet -- some online resources
Japanese Translation
Mac newsreader that supports killfiles (freeware)
Philosophy -- some online resources
Tibet
Tibetan dictionary for DOS
early Tibetan mandalas (scanned images)
------------------------------
Buddha-L - An academic Buddhism discussion group
Buddhist - An academic Buddhism discussion group
buddhist-philosophy - For general discussions of Buddhist philosophy
DailyZen - A daily dose of Zen wisdom
Dharma-talk - Forum for discussions, information, announcements
EABUD - Eastern American/East Asian Buddhism
Indology - An academic discussion group on early Indian language etc.
Insight (IMS) - Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Mass.
Jodo Shinshu
Tibet-L
Universal Zendo
World Tibet News
Zen
ZenBuddhism-L
------------------------------
Subject: 5.06 Electronic journals
Australian National University
CLEAR-MIND - Tibetan Buddhist Newsletter
GASSHO - Electronic Journal of DharmaNet International
International Journal of Tantric Studies
Journal of Buddhist Ethics
Still Point (online newsletter of Dharma Rain Zen Center)
Winds (online newsletter of the Shin Buddhist Resource Center)
------------------------------
If you want to have a newsgroup carried on your local system, talk to
the news adminstrator for the local system. Do not email the FAQ
maintainer; he can't help.
------------------------------
Subject: 5.08 A random selection of books
Buddhist Dictionary: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines, by
Nyanatiloka (3rd revised and enlarged edition). Colombo: Frewin
(1972). An edition is also published by AMS Press (1983).
Entering the Stream: An Introduction to the Buddha and his Teachings,
ed. by Samuel Bercholz and Sherab Chodzin Kohn. London : Rider
(1994). This is the companion volume to the film "Little Buddha." It
is a superb anthology of short writings from a number of different
viewpoints. Very accessible to those who have only a casual interest
in Buddhism, while also containing much of value for serious students
of the teaching.
The Middle Length Discourses of The Buddha (Majjhima Nikaya), trans.
by Bkikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi. Boston: Wisdom Publications
(1995). ISBN-0-86171-072-X. Those living in Asia can get the Asian
Edition from the Buddhist Publication Society in Sri Lanka.
Mindfulness in Plain English, by Henepola Gunaratana. Boston: Wisdom
(1993).
The Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga), by Bhadantacariya
Buddhaghosa, trans. by Nyanamoli (3rd edition). Kandy, Sri Lanka:
Buddhist Publication Society (1975). An edition is also published by
Shambhala. This is still probably the best meditation text ever
written for someone who wants a comprehensive overview of orthodox
Buddhist meditation techniques. (Warning: this book is not a casual
read.) The FAQ maintainer suggests starting with Vol. 2, unless you
want to be an expert on kasina disks.
A Survey of Buddhism: Its Doctrines and Methods through the Ages, by
Sangharakshita (6th edition). London: Tharpa (1987). A rich and
wide-ranging study written by someone intimately familiar with all of
the major schools (as well as the Western intellectual tradition).
Thus I Have Heard: The Long Discourses of The Buddha (Digha Nikaya),
trans. by Maurice Walshe. Boston: Wisdom Publications (1987).
ISBN-0-86171-030-4.
What the Buddha Taught, by Walpola Rahula. A beautifully clear
introduction to Buddhist doctrine, written by a Sri Lankan scholar.
Very intelligible, even to non-Buddhists.
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, by Shunryu Suzuki. New York: Weatherhill
(1970), reprinted in 1980. Anthologized in _Entering the Stream_.
------------------------------
Subject: 5.09 Bookstores, etc.
Buddhist Book Service
The Buddhist Bookstore (good source for Jodo Shinshu)
Buddhist Publication Society (mainly Theravada)
Pali Text Society
Snow Lion Publications
South Asia Books
Tricycle: The Buddhist Review
Vihara Book Service (good source for Theravada)
Wisdom Publications
------------------------------
Bodhi-Line phone service
For more information about Bodhi-Line, contact
Michael Wick at Buddhist Information Service of New York, 331 E 5th
Street, New York, NY 10003. Tel: (212) 777-3745. Fax & voice mail: (212)
677-9354.
The Bodhi Tree
Body Dharma Online
Mount Kailas
Tiger Team Buddhist Information Network
------------------------------
Cambridge Insight Meditation Center
Northwest Vipassana Center
Southwest Vipassana Meditation Center
Vipassana Support Institute
Vipassana Meditation Center
Washington Buddhist Vihara
Zen Center of Los Angeles
------------------------------
International Buddhist Meditation Center in Los Angeles
sponsors various services. Email nunk123@aol.com for info.
Maitri Dorje is an association of Gay & Lesbian Buddhists and
practitioners of other meditation traditions in NYC. Email
Bill
Women:
There are conferences on Women and Buddhism, on both BodhiNet
and DharmaNet. For info on BodhiNet (and Tiger Team Network),
send email to gary.ray@tigerteam.org. For info on DharmaNet,
send email to dharma@netcom.com (Barry Kapke).
Buddhists in 12-step programs:
If you are on AOL, see the folder AA and Buddhism.
Otherwise email BODHI123@aol.com for more information.
If anyone knows of other resources appropriate for listing here,
please send email to the FAQ maintainer.
Design & Graphics© 1997-1999 Catherine B. Hicks, Starweaver Creations/Cyberpanic Web Design. All rights for the work remain with the authors as stated. All rights reserved. Copying this page without permission is a violation of United States copyright laws.
Heart Sutra
Mahamangala sutta
(Should be all on one line. Sorry for splitting it, but wrapping seemed even worse.)
(White Path Temple -- Jodo Shinshu)
Karma@cybernetics.com (email for alt.religion.buddhism.nichiren FAQ)
kempon@aol.com (email for info on Kempon Hokke of America)
(NCF Buddhism Home Page in Ottawa)
tbm@usa.net (email for info on Theravada Buddhist Ministries)
(International Research Institute for Zen at Hanazono U., Kyoto)
El Dupree's Tex-Mex Cantina and Sports Bar home page
In particular, the asian-computing/ subdirectory contains WPSKRIT2.EXE,
a self-extracting ZIP file with bit-mapped HP Laserjet-compatible
Times Roman fonts w/diacritics for Sanskrit and Japanese, and drivers
for Word Perfect 5.0, 5.1 and 6.0 (warmest thanks to Jamie Hubbard for
making this resource freely available on the Net).
Be patient; this FTP site (in St. Petersburg!) allows only 5 anonymous
users at a time. Disclaimer: I don't read Tibetan, have never used
the Valby 'T' dictionary, and don't have a clue about what an .arj
suffix might be. This FAQ entry is still under construction; I hope
to have better info next month.
Big JPEG files, slow loading. Be patient.
Subject: 5.05 Mailing lists
Bodhi News - Buddhism Study Group at Urbana-Champaign
To subscribe, send a short message to bodhi@uiuc.edu.
To subscribe, send the command: sub buddha-l your_firstname your_lastname
to listserv@ulkyvm.louisville.edu.
To subscribe, send the command: sub buddhist your_firstname your_lastname
to listserv@jpntuvm0.bitnet.
To subscribe, send the command: sub buddhist-philosophy your_firstname
your_lastname to listserv@think.net.
To subscribe, send a message with your full name to mAmund@iac.net.
Include the word "DailyZen" in your subject line.
To subscribe, send the command: sub dharma-talk your_email_address
to majordomo@saigon.com.
To subscribe, send the command: sub eabud your_firstname your_lastname
to listserv@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu.
To subscribe, send the command: sub indology your_firstname
your_lastname to listserv@liverpool.ac.uk.
To subscribe, send the command: sub insight your_email_address
to majordomo@pioneer.ci.net.
--> NOTE!! This list will be moving to another site at the end of July.
To subscribe, send the command: sub a-shinshu-forum your_firstname
your_lastname to listserv@netcom.com.
To subscribe, send the command: sub tibet-l your_firstname
your_lastname to listserv@iubvm.ucs.indiana.edu.
To subscribe, send an email request to Craig Presson
To subscribe, send the command: sub wtn your_firstname your_lastname
to listserv@vm1.mcgill.ca.
To subscribe, send the command: sub zen your_firstname your_lastname
to listserv@think.net.
To subscribe, send the command: sub zenbuddhism-l your_email_address
to majordomo@coombs.anu.edu.au.
This is a general Buddhist journal -- not dedicated to a specific practice
To subscribe to the Journal Abstract, send e-mail to jbe-ed@psu.edu
specifying "JBE Subscription" in the Subject Line (NOT Mail Body!).
Subject: 5.07 Newsgroups
There are many USENET newsgroups that deal with political, religious,
interfaith, philosophical and other topics that a reader of t.r.b.
could conceivably be interested in. Here is just a small selection:
alt.magick.tyagi
soc.culture.china
soc.culture.taiwan
alt.meditation
soc.culture.japan
soc.culture.thai
alt.philosophy.taoism
soc.culture.korean
soc.culture.vietnamese
alt.religion.buddhism.tibetan
soc.culture.laos
soc.religion.eastern
alt.zen
soc.culture.nepal
talk.politics.tibet
alt.religion.buddhism.nichiren
alt.religion.nichiren.shoshu.news
If you can't find a group on your local system, you may still be able
to read it via
P.O. Box 9677
Washington, DC 20016
Phone 01-946-7560, or 202-832-9393
1710 Octavia Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone 415-776-7877
P.O. Box 61
54, Sangharaja Mawatha
Kandy, Sri Lanka
73 Lime Walk
Headington
Oxford OX3 7AD
England
Phone +44-1865-742125 Fax +44-1865-750079
"The" source for both critical texts and translations of many works in
the Theravada canon
P.O. Box 502
Columbia MO 65205
Phone 314-474-0116 Fax 314-474-8124
tricycle@echonyc.com
5017-16th St. NW
Washington DC 20011
Phone 202-723-0773
Ajit Wettasinghe has created a text file version of the VBS book list.
If you would like a copy, send an email message to ajitw@aol.com.
361 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02115
Phone 800-274-4050, 617-536-2305, FAX 617-536-1897
Good source for Vajrayana - also US distributors for Pali Text Society
Subject: 5.10 Bulletin Boards, etc.
Access To Insight
Pepperell, MA
1-508-433-5847
John.Bullitt@metta.ci.net
A telephone information service providing information about Buddhist
centers in New York area, including centers' locations, schedules of
classes and meditation sessions, and a list of books, tapes and other
materials. All services offered by the Bodhi- Line are free of charge.
Just dial (212) 677-9354.
Boise, ID
1-208-327-9916
Berkeley, CA
1-510-836-4717 (warning: this number may no longer be accurate)
Barry Kapke, sysop
dharma@netcom.com
Cambridge, MA
1-508-921-0482
1920 Francisco, Suite 112
Berkeley, CA 94709
gary.ray@tigerteam.org
Subject: 5.11 Meditation Centers
California Vipassana Center
P.O.Box 1167, North Fork, CA 93643
Telephone (209) 877-4386 Fax (209) 877-4387
331 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone (24hr info): (617) 491-5070
c/o Scott Corley
17045 - 33rd Avenue NE
Seattle, WA 98155
Telephone (206) 367-9336
c/o Cathryn Lacey
P.O.Box 190248, Dallas, TX 75219
Telephone (214) 521-5258
4070 Albright
Los Angles CA 90066
310 915-1943
P.O.Box 24, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
Telephone (413) 625-2160 Fax (413) 625-2170
Ven. Dhammasiri
5017-16th St. NW
Washington DC 20011
Phone 202-723-0773
923 S. Normandie Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90006-1301
Subject: 5.12 Overlapping interests
Gay/Lesbian:
