e-Sangha discussion

Hi i am Chami from Sri Lanka. a Theravada Buddhist.

Jenn in Houston, TX. I'm into Zen Buddhism.

I'm Travis, from Corvallis, OR. My introduction to Buddhism was Tibetan, but I'm more interested in Theravada.

Halloo! I'm JT & I live in Tucson, AZ. I've studied Zen Buddhism, but am more interested in Theravada currently.

My name is Crystal, I live in Alberta Canada. I've been learning about Buddhism for just under a year now and have been studying with mahayana leanings.

I'm Allison from VA. I've been researching/learning about Buddhism for a couple years now.

Hi, my name is Matt, I live in Nebraska. I am into reading about Buddhism with no particular teaching edging out another. I have read books on Zen mostly but do have others on different paths. Some are just general books on Buddhism, like "The Pilgrimage Of Buddhism" and some autobiographies by the Dalai Lama.

Hell, my name is Gaynel; I live in New Mexico, USA. I've flirted with Buddhism for many years (off & on) but this time my interest feels different. In the past I participated in Nicheren Buddhism, Zen, but now I feel myself gravitating toward Tibetan Buddhism. Mostly I'm doing a lot of reading: Thich Nhat Hanh, Pema Chodron, and now Thubten Chodron.

I'm happy to be here and I hope to learn a lot from all of you.

Thank you!

hi

Seva wrote: "hi"
Hi Seva! Where are you from and to which Buddhism are you into or interested about?

My name's Jewelia, I'm from Newfoundland, Canada.. and I'm still in the exploration stage. ;)

I'm David from Vancouver, BC. My practice follows mainly in the Theravada lineages of Ajahn Chah, Mahasi Sayadaw, and Sayadaw U Pandita. I also find many writers in the Zen and Tibetan traditions to be useful and interesting. :)

Deanna wrote: "Hello everyone! Glad to see this thread took off well.

My name is Deanna and I live in Rhode Island, USA. I've been researching Buddhism for just under a year now with no particular sect in mind a..."

Hi Deanna welcome back to e-sangha! nice to hear from you again :)

Deanna wrote: "Chami wrote: "Hi Deanna welcome back to e-sangha! nice to hear from you again :)"


Hehe thank you very much Chami. Turns out I can access most of this site at school, which is awesome. Hopefully I..."
that's cool Deanna :D. thumbs up 4 u :).

Hi there! This is Ailsa from Vermont. I am a practicing Vajrayana Buddhist in the Drikung Kagyu tradition. Always looking for support and to help support others in practice.

Hi Ailsa ;)

Hello ;) I'm Judyta from Warsaw, Poland,Zen Buddhist.

Hi, Joe here. I'm still new to studies and such... I'm leaning more towards Shingon Buddhism. I was introduced to Reiki because my friend recognized my ability. my abilities have grown stronger since I've been reading this wonderful book. please drop a line, I am truly inspired and would like to grow more. question of how, when, and where I may have gained this ability, used it ... without the proper knowledge of procedure and yet not hurt myself or the other individual.

Joseph wrote: "Hi, Joe here. I'm still new to studies and such... I'm leaning more towards Shingon Buddhism. I was introduced to Reiki because my friend recognized my ability. my abilities have grown stronger si..."

Judyta wrote: "Hi Ailsa ;)

Hello ;) I'm Judyta from Warsaw, Poland,Zen Buddhist."

Ailsa wrote: "Hi there! This is Ailsa from Vermont. I am a practicing Vajrayana Buddhist in the Drikung Kagyu tradition. Always looking for support and to help support others in practice."

Hi guys!!!!

My name Is kenneth, and I have an Interest In buddhIsm. I want to learn more about buddha's phIlosop

Hello. My name is Daniel. I live in Kansas city. I teach a Buddhist Sunday school program for kids and I am in training to become a Zen monk.

Daniel wrote: "Hello. My name is Daniel. I live in Kansas city. I teach a Buddhist Sunday school program for kids and I am in training to become a Zen monk."

Kenneththemenace wrote: "My name Is kenneth, and I have an Interest In buddhIsm. I want to learn more about buddha's phIlosop"
Welcome guys :)

Hi, my name is Mark. I'm from Sydney. I started off with Theravada practice and now practice in the Zen tradition. I would like to learn more about Tibetan Buddhism.

Hi, my name is Gerardo. I'm from Mexico, but living in USA since 2006. I don't have any previous experience in Buddhism, but I have a lot of interest in learning about meditation.

Hi, my name is Dominic. I live and work in New York City. I have been practicing Buddhism (Kadapma tradition) for a little less than a year. It and meditation have changed my life!

Dominic wrote: "Hi, my name is Dominic. I live and work in New York City. I have been practicing Buddhism (Kadapma tradition) for a little less than a year. It and meditation have changed my life!"

Gerardo wrote: "Hi, my name is Gerardo. I'm from Mexico, but living in USA since 2006. I don't have any previous experience in Buddhism, but I have a lot of interest in learning about meditation."

Welcome :)

Hi everyone, it's so wonderful to see so many people from around the world. I am JD, short for Jonathan David, and I write. Everything I write is from my own heart and soul, about my own 12 year journey of pain and suffering, and discovering my way, the essence of life and living, and the universal laws that dictate our reality. Everyone tells me I am a Buddhist in spirit and soul. In my mind we are all energy, which is a photon, which is light--> a light being incarnate in the World of Form. So I am spiritual, and although I believe every religion is spiritual, spirituality is not a religion. So I don't say I am a Buddhist but by all outward appearances that would be a fitting description. In light, here and now and for all eternity. Blessings, choose wisely

Welcome JD and Taur - good to meet you! Great to see so many people internationally following a common journey.

Hello, joined the group today. My name is Lissa. I have been lightly interested in Buddhism in general for many years. I have been using mindfulness to deal with depression for the last 4 years after a therapist introduced mindfulness based cognitive therapy to me. The practice of mindfulness is endlessly useful and difficult to explain but it has been such a help that in the last several months I have been learning more and more about the beleif system it springs from. Glad to have found this group.

Lissalye wrote: "Hello, joined the group today. My name is Lissa. I have been lightly interested in Buddhism in general for many years. I have been using mindfulness to deal with depression for the last 4 years aft..."

Welcome Lissalye! :)

My name is Vicky from Holyhead in Wales, I started to follow the Buddhist teachings following from reading different works by His Holiness The Dalai Lama. I can't say I follow a particular lineage but follow the basic teachings of Buddha - does that make sense to anyone? xx

Victoria wrote: "My name is Vicky from Holyhead in Wales, I started to follow the Buddhist teachings following from reading different works by His Holiness The Dalai Lama. I can't say I follow a particular lineage ..."

Yes it does make sense :).

I'm Mark from Upstate NY. I first learned meditation at my local Shambhala Center and have taken dharma classes in a number of lineages. Probably the most influential dharma experience I have had was at Blue Cliff Monastery where I did a mindfulness day retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh. As far as my practice is concerned I follow the basic moral precepts, a daily meditation practice and the Tiep Hien Buddhist precepts, though I have not had a formal refuge ceremony. Just as it says in the first Tiep Hien precept, I believe that all sources of dharma are valid as far as being 'guiding means and not absolute truths.' Therefore, I do not exclude any teaching without closely scrutinizing it. That being said, the majority of Dharma I study is from written sources, the Pali Suttas and Mahayana Sutras and commentaries on those sources by teachers like Thich Nhat Hanh, The Dalai Lama, Bikkhu Bodhi, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein, Pema Chodron, Kelsang Gyatso, Suzuki Roshi, Thomas Cleary, Robert Thurman, Lama Ole Nydahl and others.

Hi my mane is Juan Pablo, I'm from Costa Rica,learned about Buddhism with a meditation group and now I love it, now I'm reading some of the books of His Holiness Dalai Lama and want to join the group =)

Hello , my name is Jason Langley , from New Orleans . I practice Nichiren Buddhism .

Hello, My Name Is Alex Lemus, from New York. I practice Tibetan Buddhism, Kagyu Sect. My Dharma Name is Karma Sherab Ozer. Have a wonderful day my friends

Hello, all you lovely people! I'm so happy to see all of your comments here from all over!
I'm Mia, currently residing in Nashville, TN.
I became interested in Buddhism 12+ years ago. I lean towards "secular Buddhism" although open to learning as much as I can.. and am very inspired by the teachings and lifework of people such as Zen Master Bankei Yotaku, His Holiness The Dalai Lama XIV, Pema Chodron, Joseph Goldstein, Thich Nhat Hanh, Aung San Suu Kyi, etc..
The Dharma and the sanghas across the world mean the world to me. Your paths draw and inspire me.
Really... you all mean a lot to me. Namaste!!!

Welcome!

Thank you, Chami! :)

Mia wrote: "Thank you, Chami! :)"

No problem :).

Hello, I read a lot on all types of Buddhism. But I like Theravada Buddhism. I am a big fan of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

Nice OM Wil.

Mark wrote: "Nice OM Wil."

thanks Nameste

Wil wrote: "Hello, I read a lot on all types of Buddhism. But I like Theravada Buddhism. I am a big fan of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh."
Welcome wil!

Hi, my name is Edward. I have studied Buddhism and Philosophy for on and off for many years. I just saw the Dalai Lama again. He restores my faith in humanity.

Nice to meet you!

Edward wrote: "Hi, my name is Edward. I have studied Buddhism and Philosophy for on and off for many years. I just saw the Dalai Lama again. He restores my faith in humanity.

Nice to meet you!"

Welcome Edward and nice to meet you too :).

Hi - I'm Anthony. I've been learning about Buddhism for the past two years. I come from a evangelical fundamentalist background that I feel I *escaped*. I tend to follow a more secular path, I suppose - a la Stephen Batchelor.

I probably identify most closely with Zen Buddhism, but read a variety of authors. On the rare chance I get to meditate with a community, I go to a Zendo in Santa Cruz, but that is a ways away.

The authors who speak to me most clearly are Thich Nhat Hanh and Pema Chodron. So I suppose I sort of take the Western Buffet approach :)

I'll be going to see Thay give a talk in October, which I'm excited about.

Cheers :)

Anthony wrote: "Hi - I'm Anthony. I've been learning about Buddhism for the past two years. I come from a evangelical fundamentalist background that I feel I *escaped*. I tend to follow a more secular path, I s..."

Levi wrote: "Hello everyone, my name is Levi. This philosophy has change my life in so many ways. I don't know where to begin to explain how grateful I am for this enlightenment. I wish peace and happiness to y..."

Hello Anthony and Levi :).
welcome both of you to the group :). Please feel free to start any topic if you wish to.

hi Iám joe I go to drolma Buddhist center in fort Lauderdale,FL Iám reading Transform your Life by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso who lives in England.I feel a great deal of peace and it makes more sense than anything else I've studied.

Hello all.