Everyone,

I announced I was no longer going to be posting here in an earlier post but I was kindly asked to reconsider and I was glad I did. It did allow me to express some views that I think are important but are often misunderstood by the newest members of the path.

But with this post, I will really will have said all that I think important to say, so this really will be my last post.

Yesterday I posted on a Path with No Fear. This was in response to what I see as the very real dangers of some of the ideas that pass for Buddhism today.

This post will be designed to give you everything else that I have to say on the subject of Buddhism. And I give it to you in hopes that at least one or two of you might find it valuable.

First: the number one thing I think you can do if you wish to follow the Buddhist path is to take the 5 precepts. No lying, no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, and no intoxicants. No single practice will bring you more peace and equanimity.  

Second: renounce as much as you can. Giving up things like drugs and alcohol will first of all save you a ton of money, and financial security can greatly reduce your stress level. Few of us can survive the way the monks did on daily alms rounds, so we need to figure out a way to maintain ourselves with as little stress as possible, and not wasting money is a great way to do that. But the continuing of weening away from our other pleasures in life will help tremendously as well. A number of years ago I went through a divorce and left home. I rented a furnished room and only took a few essentials: clothes, a few books, and I really felt the freedom that comes with giving up the possessions that really hold us down and imprison us.

One way to slowly ween yourself away is to practice similar to the the christian’s church’s Lent. Try giving up that thing that you crave most for 40 days and see how it goes.

The next thing is to make your practice your own. The Buddha talks about learning how to be a basket weaver. The teacher shows you how to make the basket, and after you learn how to make a basket, you need to figure out yourself how to make the best basket. That is where mastery comes in. Does the basket need to be higher? How high? You need to examine it from every side. Once you have finally made the perfect basket, you use that as YOUR guide to making baskets. The same applies to meditation. so much of meditation is a private affair and an individual affair. You will never become a master by slavishly following what has worked for someone else. Once you have the basics, you yourself need to search within yourself for mastery.

And finally how to tell a good path from a bad path. In a good path, every day you should see yourself becoming calmer, more dispassionate, more patient and above all HAPPIER. If your path is making you agitated, depressed, unsure, confused, or defensive, it is the wrong path.

And when evaluating a path, look to see if the students of that path exhibit wisdom, patience, calmness, and above all happiness. If they seem agitated, defensive, obsessive, confused and above all not happy, than that is a path to avoid.

I hope some of this will be of use to some of you. Unfortunately, I won’t be back to answer any questions since I have decided to renounce internet forums completely.

I wish you all find happiness in this life and choose the best path to get your there.

Bill