Study, teaching and practice of buddhism

I have decided to openly pursue the study, teaching, and practice of buddhism.

It is of a little secret that I have been attracted to buddhism for at least the last ten years, but there were many things I had to get right in my mind, and in my life, to come to this stage of affairs.

Let me point out few major stepping stones without which it is meaningless to even talk about a daily practice. Those stepping stones will lead one to what can be called a home temple where one can fully understand the buddhist way to enlightement. Anyone is welcome, but all must make the effort.

1) The Way of Life.
Buddhism was originally meant to be, and shall be, a philosophy of life, a way to the enlightement, not a religion.

2) The Faith vs. The Understanding.
There shall not be any friction between practicing of buddhism and believing in any other religion as to the its faith. The buddhism is not about believing, but about understanding, or perceiving. That understanding comes on the logical, and the intuitive (a non-dualistic), levels. The choice of the religion to follow is one's personal and should be dictated by the conciousness. There are, however, harmful faiths that conceal behind traditions and religions. One should study much and develop a broad perspective.

3) Worldly Attachments.
It is contrary to the understanding of the buddhism to maintain celibacy, to renounce the World, or any such extremes. It is essential to embrace the World as it is and as the naturalists say it "to thread lightly". It is essential to understand one's own attachments and their effects. However, it is appropriate to question and abandon the attachments that are perceived as ill-natured. Buddhism is a middle path.

4) Karma.
The core of the buddhism is a full awarness of the law of causation. One smallest event causes ten thousand things to happen. Any affects all. One shall be always aware of that karmic law. At the same time one shall not fall into traps of logical dualism.

5) Good and bad.
There are neither good nor bad actions in buddhism, there is only suchness of those actions. Any action can cause positive and negative, or both, consequent effects, yet conciously bad actions leave their karmic mark and intuitively shall be avoided. It will be a sign of a good practice when good-natured actions will intuitively replace any ill ones.

6) Rules.
There shall be no commandmants, precepts, nor rules in buddhism. All teachings shall be taken as suggestions for one to meditate on and come to their full understanding. The follower of the buddhism shall not ignore the ancient teachings and study them in-depth, however one shall not follow mindlessly, nor literally, any of such teachings.

7) Compassion.
One shall develop a compassionate approach to the World as one cannot exist without the World. Onyone with this understanding of buddhism should propagate it thru the World in a bodhisattva fashion, such compassion shall be an agent and a messenger of the buddhism.

8) Daily practice.
The practice of the buddhism shall be one's daily life, not a mere visit to the temple, few minutes of a chant, yoga practice, sitting meditation, nor retreat in the nature. Those various practices may be integrated into daily buddhism, but if practiced in mindless vacum can be also harmful. One shall choose daily tasks to reflect their buddhist mind.

9) Training.
Mind does not exist without body and they are both same on one level. One shall train their minds as much as their bodies to achieve a radiant and healthy results. One shall follow the study, the works, the exercise and the appropriate diet.

10) Masters.
One shall take time to learn from old masters that came before, improve upon, respect their efforts and support their causes.

11) Worship.
No buddhist shall be considered a saint, nor be worshipped as such. The creations of the mind and symbols shall be taken as just such. Traditions and art shall be respected, developed, and protected for the future generations.

12) Home Temple.
All past teachings should be preserved and attempt shall be made to propagate many of them for all to come. It is a natural step for one to eventually retire from the daily life and dedicate one's time to the study, the practice, and the teaching at the home temple. Because the home temple provides a peacefull environment, more suitable for the study and the colaboration, it is recommended to support one, and eventually spend time in the home temple passing on the knowledge to the next generations.