question

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Anyone know an English translation of the Quran?

and what is the name of books buddists read from?

I would like to read them, but I can only find the ones that are in the native langauges... I would like to learn the language, but Spanish and a number of other languages are making me loopie. Serves me right for trying to learn them alone...  

[rmcdra]

I'm ignorant on which Koran translations would be the best so I can't advise that.

Lord Kilo might know something more on Buddhism but the only thing I know is to avoid books by Blavatsky. Loving Kindness is one of the good guilds on Buddhism here.  

[Lord Alucard Ere Casanova]

First and foremost in Buddhism is the five precepts.
1: I take up the way of not killing..
This is also found in Christianity, "Thou shalt not kill."

2: I take up the way of not stealing.
Also in Christianity, "Thou shalt not steal."

3: I take up the way of not misusing sex.
This refers to sexual addiction. Fun is fine if it isn't an addiction, an act between to loving people is fine, but if you feel like you "need" something from someone else then it is bad for you.

4: I take up the way of not speaking falsely.
No lying, no cheating, etc. This also means to yourself.

5: I take up the way of not using drink or drugs.
Some monks will take this 100%, but others agree to drink only in celebration. Personally, I drink in celebration. Some sects will translate this differently to cover all mind-altering drugs including pain killers. Personally, I try not to take a pain killer unless absolutely necessary. Some monks will stretch this to cover absolutely everything that clouds the mind including even loud television.

Some sects follow slightly different paths. For some paths the five precepts might be slightly different in wording or intent, such as the difference in drinking at all or in celebration. Some abstain from sex altogether, not just misconduct. What I have shared is from Zen teachings. Some will actually follow eight more strict precepts or ten more strict precepts which go so far as to restrict wearing jewelry, perfume, enjoying luxuries such as beds, clothing, chairs, etc. Many will choose not to accept money as well, preferring to live life with the simple and most basic necessities.

So far as I know Buddhism doesn't really have a book written by Buddha nor the oldest teachers. Buddhism has an oral tradition of teaching through verbal lessons and koans. I would suggest looking up Buddhist quotes for reading material, I could list them here upon request, and maybe look up some koans.

Just keep in mind the koan is a sort of riddle test in which the teacher monitors the reaction of the pupil. One simple koan is told as a story. The master held out a flower to his class and the class stared at the flower, probably expecting a lesson to be told, but the master said nothing. One student smiled and understood that the flower was the lesson. The master pointed out that of the entire class only that one student understood that day's lesson and was enlightened.

Many koans have different answers for different students. The most traditional of these is "What is the sound of one hand clapping." There's a story about that one too which I will post here.

The Sound of One Hand Clapping, A Zen Story.
"The master of Kennin temple was Mokurai, Silent Thunder. He had a little protégé named Toyo who was only twelve years old. Toyo saw the older disciples visit the master's room each morning and evening to receive instruction in sanzen or personal guidance in which they were given koans to stop mind-wandering.

Toyo wished to do sanzen also.

"Wait a while," said Mokurai. "You are too young."

But the child insisted, so the teacher finally consented.

In the evening little Toyo went at the proper time to the threshold of Mokurai's sanzen room. He struck the gong to announce his presence, bowed respectfully three times outside the door, and went to sit before the master in respectful silence.

"You can hear the sound of two hands when they clap together," said Mokurai. "Now show me the sound of one hand."

Toyo bowed and went to his room to consider this problem. From his window he could hear the music of the geishas. "Ah, I have it!" he proclaimed.

The next evening, when his teacher asked him to illustrate the sound of one hand, Toyo began to play the music of the geishas.

"No, no," said Mokurai. "That will never do. That is not the sound of one hand. You've not got it at all."

Thinking that such music might interrupt, Toyo moved his abode to a quiet place. He meditated again. "What can the sound of one hand be?" He happened to hear some water dripping. "I have it," imagined Toyo.

When he next appeared before his teacher, he imitated dripping water.

"What is that?" asked Mokurai. "That is the sound of dripping water, but not the sound of one hand. Try again."

In vain Toyo meditated to hear the sound of one hand. He heard the sighing of the wind. But the sound was rejected.

He heard the cry of an owl. This was also refused.

The sound of one hand was not the locusts.

For more than ten times Toyo visited Mokurai with different sounds. All were wrong. For almost a year he pondered what the sound of one hand might be.

At last Toyo entered true meditation and transcended all sounds. "I could collect no more," he explained later, "so I reached the soundless sound."

Toyo had realized the sound of one hand."

Each koan which is answered verbally is expected to be answered in your own words. If you were to quote Toyo at a Buddhist temple a master might realize you did not answer in your own words and so have not been enlightened.

In the cast of the one hand, the issue is a wandering mind. The goal of Buddhist meditations is to turn the mind inward to observe the true self and leave the rest of the physical world behind. If you think the sound of one hand is the sound of the world around you, your mind is turned outward during meditation and not inward. Once your mind can turn inward you have found the sound of one hand.  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

I would of said, the sound of air...because when something moves, anything moves, it pushes air... but eh. Thank you, none the less Lord Kilo.  

[Lord Alucard Ere Casanova]

Southern Cross Nemesis

I would of said, the sound of air...because when something moves, anything moves, it pushes air... but eh. Thank you, none the less Lord Kilo.

If you want to be technical the sound of air would be correct, but that is not the sound of a silent mind. That is the sound you hear when you try to clap with only one hand. Another valid answer of a physical attempt would be to say the sound of teamwork as you could clap one of your hands against the hand of another. However, both answers are results of thinking outwardly and the goal is to turn your thoughts inward. The question doesn't exist to be answered, but instead to push you into a deeper meditation where the physical world ceases to exist within your perception.  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Lord Kilo Von Mortenson

Southern Cross Nemesis

I would of said, the sound of air...because when something moves, anything moves, it pushes air... but eh. Thank you, none the less Lord Kilo.

If you want to be technical the sound of air would be correct, but that is not the sound of a silent mind. That is the sound you hear when you try to clap with only one hand. Another valid answer of a physical attempt would be to say the sound of teamwork as you could clap one of your hands against the hand of another. However, both answers are results of thinking outwardly and the goal is to turn your thoughts inward. The question doesn't exist to be answered, but instead to push you into a deeper meditation where the physical world ceases to exist within your perception.

Can I ask, how do you meditate? Rob, tried a while back with a form of meditation called Centric Prayer[or something like that]. It was mostly, focusing on one word or one short phrase that one thinks of god. I also looked up books, and youtube videos, and everything seems to be talking abunch of mumbo jumbo[for lack of a better phrase. lol] In all cases, after trying for some time, it feels like I am just sitting/laying there doing nothing.  

[Lord Alucard Ere Casanova]

Southern Cross Nemesis

Lord Kilo Von Mortenson

Southern Cross Nemesis

I would of said, the sound of air...because when something moves, anything moves, it pushes air... but eh. Thank you, none the less Lord Kilo.

If you want to be technical the sound of air would be correct, but that is not the sound of a silent mind. That is the sound you hear when you try to clap with only one hand. Another valid answer of a physical attempt would be to say the sound of teamwork as you could clap one of your hands against the hand of another. However, both answers are results of thinking outwardly and the goal is to turn your thoughts inward. The question doesn't exist to be answered, but instead to push you into a deeper meditation where the physical world ceases to exist within your perception.

Can I ask, how do you meditate? Rob, tried a while back with a form of meditation called Centric Prayer[or something like that]. It was mostly, focusing on one word or one short phrase that one thinks of god. I also looked up books, and youtube videos, and everything seems to be talking abunch of mumbo jumbo[for lack of a better phrase. lol] In all cases, after trying for some time, it feels like I am just sitting/laying there doing nothing.

Meditation is a process that sounds much easier when explained simply than it is to perform. Consider it like painting a picture. Too many people look up those vids and expect to be a Michelangelo or other master artist from the start then get discouraged when instead they have a stick figure with a yellow circle for a Sun and no background otherwise. Meditation is something you need to practice daily and continue working on for a long time. A few people manage a deep meditation after a few months, some after a few years, but most require about ten years of practice at least. It all depends on how well your understanding and dedication is.

A simple meditation to get started is to sit comfortably, close your eyes, and count your breaths. Five second inhales followed by five second exhales. Hold each breath for a second before continuing so it would look like this.

Inhale: 5 seconds.
Hold: 1 second.
Exhale: 5 seconds.
Hold: 1 second.
Repeat.

Once you have the breathing pattern down focus on an image that soothes you. My mom chooses to visualize Heaven and so spends time with God when she meditates. You don't just think of the place, you make it real in your mind. See it, smell it, hear it, taste it (if applicable), and feel it. Be there.

I would say to try continuing this meditation for half an hour or so, but if it is successful you may have no idea how long you meditate. I told my mom when she first started to just try half an hour and instead she spent two hours in meditation. The purpose of this type of meditation is to relax yourself and let go of stressful thoughts.

I can also explain medium and deep meditation methods that follow the explanation of this basic meditation, but since I have to find where those text documents are I think I'll wait until those lessons are requested.  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Lord Kilo Von Mortenson

What if you don't have anything that soothes you?  

[Lord Alucard Ere Casanova]

Southern Cross Nemesis

Lord Kilo Von Mortenson

What if you don't have anything that soothes you?

Then with the method I mentioned you have a problem. For that I recommend Tai-Chi, a form of meditation in which you focus on your own movements. It is also a martial art form which can be used for pacifistic self defense (blocking and dodging as opposed to bone breaking).

Meditation is as unique per practitioner as is the practitioner's mind and personality. Even if only small details differ, the point is if you want to meditate you need to find the method that works for you. There are several other methods you may try too.

Box Method. Some people will do exactly what I said before, but instead focus on a box and visualize putting the things that distract them into the box. Once it is in the box it cannot get out and so it cannot distract them. This method works for some people, but has never worked for me.

Cluttered Room Method. This is pretty much exactly like the box method, but the objects in the room represent the distracting thoughts. As you remove the objects from the room, remove the thoughts from your mind. Once the room is empty you remove the room and enter a state of meditation.

There are a number of different methods which I can't remember enough to explain. The problem with most of these is they try to go directly into the medium or deep level of meditation. So these are not the best beginner practices. The point of a beginner practice is to keep your mind from wandering, such as by focusing on one specific thought, and maintain the proper form; breathing pattern, comfortable position, etc. undisturbed.

Edit; My sister uses Tai-Chi to meditate, but can not keep a clear mind without music. She has a natural ability to multi-task her thoughts and so focuses on more than one thing at a time with no trouble at all. So to meditate properly she focuses on her movements and on her music. Without her music she can focus on her movements and still have a wandering mind. Without her movement she can focus on her music and still have a wandering mind.  

[Gjornia X]

Southern Cross Nemesis

Anyone know an English translation of the Quran?

and what is the name of books buddists read from?

I would like to read them, but I can only find the ones that are in the native langauges... I would like to learn the language, but Spanish and a number of other languages are making me loopie. Serves me right for trying to learn them alone...

I know nothing about Buddhist scriptures, however I did take a college course on Islam (very informative). The sahih international version is standard (much like the niv for bibles). I also like the shakir. It's a bit old english (not as bad as kjv), but i think it picks up the idiosyncrasies of arabic better. you can go to quran.com for a bunch of different translations (and hear it in the original arabic). are u trying to learn arabic????  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Gjornia X

Southern Cross Nemesis

Anyone know an English translation of the Quran?

and what is the name of books buddists read from?

I would like to read them, but I can only find the ones that are in the native langauges... I would like to learn the language, but Spanish and a number of other languages are making me loopie. Serves me right for trying to learn them alone...

I know nothing about Buddhist scriptures, however I did take a college course on Islam (very informative). The sahih international version is standard (much like the niv for bibles). I also like the shakir. It's a bit old english (not as bad as kjv), but i think it picks up the idiosyncrasies of arabic better. you can go to quran.com for a bunch of different translations (and hear it in the original arabic). are u trying to learn arabic????

It is one of many languages, I want to learn. yes...  

[Lord Alucard Ere Casanova]

I have a few links here to texts you might enjoy since you seem to be exploring Eastern practices. One is the Tao Te Ching, practiced by Taoists in China. The second is The Book of Five Rings, a martial text written by a samurai most well known for being legendary at wielding two swords. Most samurai would only use one sword, the second smaller blade being a personal heirloom used only for ritual sacrifice. This samurai used it instead as a weapon. The third link is to the Way of Confucius, "The Way of the Gentleman."

Tao Te Ching, by Lao Tzu. "Practice not-doing, and everything will fall into place."

The Book of Five Rings, by Miyamoto Musashi. "There are various Ways. There is the Way of salvation by the law of Buddha, the Way of Confucius governing the Way of learning, the Way of healing as a doctor, as a poet teaching the Way of Waka, tea, archery, and many arts and skills. Each man practices as he feels inclined."

Confucianism, The Way of the Gentleman. "Fan Ch'ih asked about virtue. The Master said, "It is to love all men." He asked about knowledge. The Master said, "It is to know all men.""

A quote from each to think about or discard according to your desire. I found these interesting years ago when I began studying Eastern philosophies. I took a piece of each with me and integrated the ideas into my life. The result in the end was that I found an online Jedi Temple and discovered that it was the only place I seemed to truly fit. These Eastern religions and philosophies + Christianity + a strong desire to improve in every way (physically, emotionally, and mentally) = Jedi.  

[Limonchiki]

I don't know if you've already found one, as this thread is from a while ago, but regarding Qur'an translations:

I have a small collection if you want a list. I often use the translation by Yusuf Ali. It's generally approved of by Muslims and scholars alike. There are a few criticisms, but only minor ones. This is often the version one finds sold in masajid or Islamic bookstores.

Also, someone recently turned me onto a translation by A. J. Arberry, who not only translates the meaning, but also tries to make it sound as beautiful in English as it does in Arabic. It's more enjoyable to read and more appreciative of the language.