Instead: What to read instead of this blog

 If you are only reading this blog to get your Buddhism perspectives, then your diet is way too narrow. You should mix in reading some other sources.

• If you are at the exploration stage of Buddhism
• Read Tricycle (online or in print). It is how I got started and explored the different versions of Buddhism. There is also Lion's Roar
• Understand that American Buddhism is generally very white and middle class. This has strengths and limits.
• Tricycle and Lion's Roar does a good mix of many threads.
• Try it out and see what sticks for you. At this phase, you should be looking at getting interested and motivated. Don't focus on "what is true". Ask, "What is helpful to get me started"
• If you identify racially as black (or minority in general), read Ruth King or bell hooks or the Black and Buddhist anthology.
• In particular, you will be able to get a different perspective that might "speak to you" better than a white, middle class tailored Buddhism.
• Listen to 5 audio podcasts (free) at audiodharma.org. Make sure to try different speakers.
• Tips: Try Gil Fronsdal, Andrea Fella, Diane Clark, and Nikkhi Mirghafori as speakers.
• Tips: Use the search to search a topic. Like anger, trauma, frustration, or relationships
• Tip: Some (but not all) of the talks might also be on Youtube.
• Go to your library and pick up 5 Buddhist books. Skim each for 10 minutes.
• Why 5? It gives you 5 different takes. It also helps you see what's common to all approaches to Buddhism, but also (importantly) what's different about different approaches to Buddhism. Even within one tradition (like Theravada), you will find differences.
• Tip: Pema Chodron is very very good.
• Do not just click on "Buddhist" things on facebook or youtube randomly.
• The problem with clicking based on youtube or facebook is that they recommend what is popular.
• Popular buddhism is bound to be very caught up in making people feel better, especially in the short term. 
• Buddhism, fundamentally, is about both the short and long term. And, it will challenge your belief systems in helpful ways.
• Popular buddhism, because it has appeal to the masses, is the subset that doesn't challenge people's belief systems, that are filled with greed, anger, and delusion/wishfulThinking. So, there is a big trap of falling in love with the face/aspect of Buddhism that you like the most, rather than the parts that will be most helpful/useful.

more tips...

JOURNAL

I highly recommend that you keep a Buddhist journal of your explorations. Just jot down what seems to resonate or stick. And also jot down questions. And also jot down things you don't like and why.

The value of the journal is twofold. First, by writing it down, it helps you gather your thoughts at the time of you having the thoughts. This is the "NOW"/contemporaneous benefit. Second, you can (and I think you should) re-read your journal. Probably once a month. This is the "LATER"/reflective benefit. Unlike how Christianity is often taught (Bible is perfect, go deeper and deeper), Buddhism has a more circuitous route. It's common to grab onto an idea on Day 1, only to see that you let go of it on Day 100. Similarly, you might reject an idea on Day 20, but find it's really valuable at Day 250.

My main teacher says not to journal, but I have tried it both ways and partly disagree. I disagree because I think that at the beginning, when you are awash with ideas and terminology, journaling helps you organize and revisit. So I recommend journaling to everyone, but especially beginners. If you don't like the word "journaling", call it "note-taking". I agree with my teacher because at a certain point, the journaling won't help. When you are meditating at a high/deep level, having a journal can get in the way. And, in the very subtle things, the journal won't be helpful, because the words will not be able to capture those very subtle nuances. At least, not for most people. A very talented writer like Joan Didion might be able to capture it. So, I am also careful not to say that the subtle things aren't aided by subtle journaling. If journal helps, do it. But beware that you don't get stuck on journaling as a forever-aid. Lastly, know that the Buddha didn't need to journal (because, no writing system) and many masters in many traditions did not write things down. So, it's not "necessary" and also not "sufficient" in the logical/technical sense.

Beyond Exploration

After you get well into or past the exploration stage, you have a lot more options. Keep exploring. You should also look for a good teachers. Keep in mind that your teachers can include dead people who you know just via their writings. Or alive people you know only through their words or actions. To borrow the popular phrase, repurpose "What would Jesus do?", and use "What would my teacher do?" If you can keep the "eye"/perspective of your teacher in mind, then they are a very helpful/useful teacher for you. Direct contact is not necessary.

However, we have our own blind spots. We can make big errors based on what we think our teacher would do. So it is helpful to find a teacher that we can actual observe and interact with. We will have what we expect they will do or say. And we will have what they actually say.

Teachers and approaches

Different sects/denominations of Buddhism have different approaches to teachers. 

In Theravada and the Thai Forest tradition (or the version that I follow), the teachers are very important, but ultimately they are a temporary crutch. Much more important is that you develop your own ability to see and act skillfully.

In Tibetan buddhism and Vajrayana, there is an almost complete devotion to the teacher. There is a sense (at least in my reading) that students are encouraged to put aside their own judgment and take the teacher's advice completely, without question. This can be very powerful and useful. See Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche who is very ethical and wise and guides Pema Chodron. See also the Dalai Lama. But this power can be abused. There are scandalous stories of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and also the scandals of his son, Sakhan Mipham Rinpoche. Reginald Ray has had a recent controversy. So, just be careful. A tip: find two or three people outside of the tradition who you really trust. And have them watch out for if you have the "abusive" teacher dynamic vs the "powerful and wise" teacher dynamic.

Tara Brach, an accomplished Buddhist teacher, tells a story of her early break with her toxic tradition which was Sikh-based. Her break had to do with being a woman and the unique challenges that women face.

Zen is interesting. Teachers are somewhat important, but the emphasis is much more on the practice, or zazen. There can be abuse in zen (see the 1980s and 1990s at SF Zen Center).

In general, there is a suggestion that you should follow one main teacher. The Dalai Lama said this about people in other religions. If I recall correctly, he said that Christians can still stay Christians and get all the benefits from that moral code. He had a famous friendship with Desmond Tutu. And neither of them tried to convert one another. Some of my teachers have suggested that you stay in one tradition. In particular, don't mix Tibetan with Zen with Theravada. I think Chogyam Trungpa cautioned against this as Spiritual Materialism. The analogy is that you shop for religion like you shop for clothes at the department store. You mix and match the parts you like. This may work for an outfit, but mixing and matching in Buddhism can lead you to having something that clashes; but you may not know it until you see it. Or, you may never see it, since you're so in love with the mixing and matching. My advice here is one main tradition/teacher at a time. You can switch, but do so sparingly, maybe always sticking to one system for at least 6-12 months. You can read in other traditions. (I do! And my teachers do, too.) But relate back what you read in other systems to your own system. This is not to limit you, but to protect you from using "shopping" to reinforce your ingrained bad habits. With all that said, one of my favorite teachers is Gil Fronsdal, who has three/four strong lineages: 1) Zen, under Mel Weitsman; 2) Theravada under a Burmese teacher; 3) a western Vipassana tradition, that he teaches in; 4) A PhD in Buddhist studies from Stanford. 

There is a temptation to want to think that there is "one right way" and that there is "one right teacher". Resist this trap. It's possible that all teachers are talented and all teachers are limited. Finding a good fit is the key. Go in with "two eyes", seeing the pros and cons. Reassess often. It's okay to mix and change. Changing minds is normal. Hence, the advice of one main tradition/teacher at a time. This emphasizes that you can have secondary things, but keep one as main. And, it also emphasizes that it's okay to switch teachers.

It's important, though, that you switch teachers when you find a teacher that is genuinely more helpful/useful. I am trying to emphasize two things. First, don't switch teachers based solely on who is more pleasant, pleasurable, or cool. Second, you have to be able to have a good reason to believe they are genuinely more helpful/useful. Your brain can trick you. So gather good evidence. In particular, look at how they act. Any sexual misconduct, lying, or overt greed would be a red flag. This doesn't disqualify everything they've said. I like that Pema Chodron jokes that, "Chogyam Trungpa did not live a life I would want to emulate, but I nevertheless was able to learn a lot from him. And our (dyadic) relationship had no issues." (paraphrased from her audiobook Getting Unstuck)

And, reminder: you can have "dead" teachers. After all, the Buddha is a key teacher, and he is long dead and not on earth, unable to be observed now. But we can learn from what he did, where he pointed. And we can ask, "What would Buddha do?"

CONCLUSION

These are some things you should read instead of this blog. And some advice of what to do depending on if you are at the exploratory phase or going beyond just exploring.

Good luck. May your sails be full and the winds be forever at your back. And I wish you more than luck, too.

UUDR