American Buddhist Coming To Thailand For The First Time

[tc101]

I am 56, recently retired, and thinking about maybe moving to Thailand, or maybe living there several months a year. I visited there breifly 30 years ago, but that doesn't really count, so think of me as someone who is totally new.

I have been practicing meditaiton for most of my life. I have been connected with varios Sangha's here in America. I have spent time with Zen, Tibetian and Vipassana groups. I think of myself as a Buddhist is a very liberal sense. If you have read "Buddhism without Beliefs" that fits me.

I don't want to do any long retreats, but I would just like to find a community of people who are practicing togeter for a few hours a day. I would like to find something that is a mix of Westerners and Thai's. Can you make any recomendations?

Some of the other forums on this message board talk a lot about a lifestyle that is centered around bars, and I am not interested in that. On the other hand, I am not coming there for full time practice. I have done a number of long retreats in my life and that is not what I am looking for now.

[alexth]

Mybe I am out of the line here, I would just like to know, where in Pattaya I could find out more about Budhism, I am christian (for the moment) I would just like to know more about Budhism...any ideeas, please PM me

[jdinasia]

I know of a Gay Buddhist group in BKK. Finding a group where you can practice is going to depend on where you are!

Alexth ... you could start with books and visiting temples.

[tc101]

I know of a Gay Buddhist group in BKK. Finding a group where you can practice is going to depend on where you are!

I am not gay, but about 20-30% of most of the groups I practice with are. If it is an english speaking group it will be fine.

[chownah]

I know of a Gay Buddhist group in BKK. Finding a group where you can practice is going to depend on where you are!

I am not gay, but about 20-30% of most of the groups I practice with are. If it is an english speaking group it will be fine.

I think that if you look way up at the top of the Buddhism forum there will be a topic about wats where you can do stuff.

[sabaijai]

Here's the link to the list chownah mentioned.

Meditation centres in Thailand

It sounds like what you're looking for is a 'sitting group' similar to what you commonly find throughout the US, especially in California. I don't know of any close equivalents in Thailand, even in Bangkok. Perhaps you could start one.

Probably the closest thing is the World Fellowship of Buddhists, which hosts weekly dhamma talks and meditation and their HQ in Bangkok.

There is also a very good dhamma discussion group in Thonburi, led by Ajahn Sujin Boriharnwanaket. Here are some web links for that group:

Dhamma Study Group

Dhamma Home

I believe the group meets every Wednesday in Thonburi, and is attended by foreigners as well as Thais. Around since the 1970s, it's probably the oldest dhamma discussion group in Bangkok. For more info write to [email protected]. They don't practice formal meditation but the talks - which are more like dialogs - can be very interesting.

The Dhamma Study &

Support Foundation

174/1 Soi Charoen Nakhon 78

Bukkalo, Bangkok 10600

Tel: 0 2468 0239