Struggling with “The Heart of Buddha’s Teaching”

Hi all. I’ve wanted to learn about Buddhism for a long time. I’ve picked up books along the way without success. Came here and saw many recommendations for Thich Nhat Hanh’s The Heart of Buddha’s Teaching. Got it from the library and have struggled for a few weeks with it.

My first observation is Buddhism is extremely complicated. So much terminology and an incredible amount of lists of things. I have trouble digesting many sentences let alone paragraphs.

Reading didn’t make me feel bad, I just get the feeling of walking through a gallery of portraits. They are lovely but after my fiftieth portrait I really don’t have anything more I can absorb. I’ve put down the book. Read short chunks and then longer. In the end I don’t remember much of the specifics.

I get very confused about things and don’t know whether I should believe things exist or they don’t, they are connected or they aren’t, or I have a self or I don’t. And the lists. Lists within lists and sub lists. I forced myself to finish half the book then skimmed the rest.

Question is, are there more basic but still authentic Buddhism? I’m motivated to learn but really struggling to comprehend or absorb anything. How do people approach study of Buddhism without getting overwhelmed by information?

submitted by /u/eagle_flower
[link] [comments]

from Buddhism https://ift.tt/2qGVXfM