Hi all,

Ok, for some time now I have been trying to learn / understand Buddhism and what it is to be a Buddhist ( lay person not a monk)

Locally or nationally there is not a lot of Buddhist places of learning in Ireland. We do have FWBO who offer “courses” in Yoga, Meditation and Buddhism.

The books I am reading suggest the next step is to “Take Refuge” . I am comfortable with the “label” Buddhist and do reflect on many things throughout the day from this perspective. I certainly feel I am more Buddhist than Christian in my outlook in life.

My question… where to from here? If I had a local Buddhist community I could join in and go with the flow but that’s not an option. (the only Buddhist I know locally is in the local Chinese take away)

I am thinking about “Taking Refuge” when I visit Thailand next month.

I would like to hear your views positive or negative.

If positive, your suggestions on where to do it and how to prepare would be appreciated.

Have a Happy….

DeDanan.

Ps. I appreciate this post may seem naive to some of you, I only ask that you understand the spirit in which it is written. One of wanting to understand and develop my “whole” view life death and being.

DeDanan, how long will you be in Thailand?

If I were in your shoes, and looking for a place to get a short but meaningful introduction to Theravada Buddhism here, I might start with a few days (or a week, depending on how much time you have) stay at Wat Mahathat in Bangkok.

At Wat Mahathat they'll offer the Three Refuges along with basic instruction in satipatthana vipassana (mindfulness meditation), all in English. There are no fees, you're covered for room and board for as long as you stay there. You can leave a donation of your own choosing when you leave.

Here are contact/address details:

International Buddhist Mediation Centre (IBMC)

Wat Mahathat Dhamma Vicaya Hall

Tha Prachan, Bangkok

Tel: +66 (0) 2623 6326, 2626 6328

Section Five – Wat Mahathat

Tha Prachan, Bangkok

Tel: +66 (0) 2222 6011

See a more thorough descript of Wat Mahathat in this ThaiVisa/Buddhism post:

Buddhist study in Thailand

There are lots of other opportunitites for delving into Buddhism here, but some of them involve longer time commitments, and some of them start at a more advanced level.

Sawat dii khrap khun Sabaijai,

Thank you for the information on Wat Mahathat. I will attend a course there in September.

This is a link to the I.B.M.C. web site

I.B.M.C. web site

Have a Happy…

DeDanan

Nice Thai, DeDanan. I hope the course goes well for you. Despite Bangkok being one of the most intensely urban environments in the world, it's still one of the best choices for someone who wants to learn about Theravada Buddhism.