Intro to Buddhism

Depending on what kind of Buddhism you want to know. The Vietnamese practices mostly the Mahayana form of Buddhism, popular in China and Japan.

Theravada form which is practiced in Thailand and Burma is not so popular here, but a few people do practice it. It focuses much more on meditation which is popular in the West.

The Tibetan form of Buddhism, which the Dalai Lama is the head, is not popular here.

Don't know any center where you can talk to English speaking teachers about the Mahayana form.

There is a series of intensive 10-day retreats led by qualified Burmese monks starting this week until August. It would give you good introduction of Buddhist practice, but you need to have 10 days free.

What is it you want to learn more about? If it is just introductory stuff, you'd better just buy a book and read about it first.

Welcome to Buddhism, i'm a buddhist and ready to help you.

Thanks for the info. Sounds cool but I unfortunately don't have 10 days free! I was just hoping there was a center or something that I could go to and start listening to lectures/conversations on the teachings. (There were a lot of those in NYC). Otherwise, a book for now sounds good. Any recommendations?

I did here that Mahayana was practiced here. Doesn't it have a yoga element to it? I've got some reading to do.. thanks!

Hello Remawe,

Great to know that you wish to learn Buddhism.

Please check on this website with all the info., lessons for you to learn in Eng.

buddhismtoday.com
daophatngaynay.com

If you wish to learn more and meet with some Monks, Nuns or go to visit how they live and practise.

Thanks,
Hoang Trac

remawe wrote:

I was just hoping there was a center or something that I could go to and start listening to lectures/conversations on the teachings. (There were a lot of those in NYC). Otherwise, a book for now sounds good. Any recommendations?

For a new beginner, wikipedia is always a good starting point.
http://www.buddhanet.net/ is another good source of audio files and e books.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ is a good source of Theravada Buddhism.

Let me know if you still need more guidance. Otherwise, I will look out to see if there is any English Buddhism center around.

remawe wrote:

Doesn't it have a yoga element to it?

Not in the form of physical yoga as one knows from the West. However, yoga, per definition, also means meditation (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga). In that sense, yes, Mahayana does have some meditation practice, but it is practiced in Japan (Zen meditation) and in China (not often). Mahayana as it is practiced here heavily focuses on chanting the Mahayana scripts (as a form of meditation).

It's about the same thing that the tollboothgods do on a Sat nite.

Budman1 wrote:

It's about the same thing that the tollboothgods do on a Sat nite.

Awesome. Did not know that the tollboothgods can do meditation when drinking at the massage parlors.

Dusty Bottom (Budman1) and Lucky Day (Anatta),

You 2 are classics!!! 

It's very different here. When I arrived I too expected to learn more. It's like this, in the west we learn what the monks learn. Here in Vietnam the people are purely the congregation and don't really understand the role of the monk. Also much of Buddhism in Vietnam is ancestor worship which is very different to the stuff back home. Thailand is really the place to learn.
Hope that was useful

BretttaylorHolmes wrote:

It's very different here. When I arrived I too expected to learn more. It's like this, in the west we learn what the monks learn. Here in Vietnam the people are purely the congregation and don't really understand the role of the monk. Also much of Buddhism in Vietnam is ancestor worship which is very different to the stuff back home. Thailand is really the place to learn.
Hope that was useful

As mentioned, Buddhism practiced here is Mahayana, while Buddhism practiced in the West is more Tibetan or Theravada form.

Also, Buddhism in the West is more intellect-based than ceremonial. The role of the monks are also different. Even in Thailand, the monks also have different roles. Roughly,  monks in Thailand can be divided into 3 groups: theologians who specialize in learning the doctrines, meditators who focus on practicing and lastly the monks who perform ceremonial duties. The last group is more prevalent in Vietnam.

Thai people also perform of worshiping, but Buddhism in Thailand focuses also on meditation which appeals to the West.

Another important factor is that Buddhism in Vietnam has been oppressed under the Communist regime (just like in China). Poor economic situation (at least until recently) has not helped.