There is lots of material available in books and on the internet on Buddhism. Unfortunately some of this material is misleading as it is limited by the author's bias, orientation and degree of understanding. A person who simply wants guidance for leading a more fulfilling and happy life may not find some of this material helpful at all.
Our learning is focused on integrating some basic practices and being able to use them in our personal lives. As Thich Nhat Hanh says, "If Buddhism is not applied, it is not Buddhism."
While it is true that in order to apply something, one must first understand it, there is more to action, which is what application ultimately boils down to. There is Upaya, for example, which is skillful means. Understanding Buddhism is not enough, one must also deeply understand the situation or the context within which our understanding of Buddhism is to be applied so as to determine the best way to do it. Different strokes for different folks.
There is also compassion which must be part of every conversation, and every step. "There is no wisdom without love" in Thich Nhat Hanh's words. Taking the Five Mindfulness Trainings can be the first step in engagement, as they embody the spirit of compassionate action.
Beyond Buddhism there is life. "We all desire to be happy", as the Dalai Lama is so fond of repeating. Or, "Truth is to be found in life," as Thich Nhat Hanh puts it.
We must keep all this in mind while reading books and internet articles, as it is an integral part of Buddhism, and it is engagement.
During the Fall of 2009, we will be going deeply into two texts. One is a new book by Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart. This is a collection of answers that he gave to questions that were put to him during various retreats. The other is For a Future to be Possible, an older book in a new edition. They are both published by Parallax Press, and are available from the publisher or from Amazon. Please feel free to read a passage of your choice from either of these books during our weekly meetings, either because it was meaningful to you and you want to share it, or because you are interested in exploring its meaning further.
