by V. Hughes

Created on: December 05, 2007

"The teacher is there when the student is ready"

It took many years but I recently found my sangha, my teacher, and my direction.

I have pursued the teachings of Siddhartha through a variety of means. Often one comes to Buddhism because they recognize that their personal belief systems is very similar to Buddhist teachings, or they face a difficult time in their existence and discover the peace and focus that Buddhism has to offer. For me, I followed both paths simultaneously.

Over a fifteen year period I read a wide selection of books on Buddhism. I explored the depth of Tibetan Buddhism through such writings as The Tibetan Book of the Dead, biographies of the Dalai Lama, and Tibetan Buddhism by Robert Thurman. The richness of the culture combined with the deep beliefs of the Tibetan people helped me understand the power of Siddhartha's teachings.

Through the writings of Zen Masters like Thich Nhat Hanh's, The Heart of Buddha's Teachings and Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki I learned about the power of meditation. Zen is directed toward using meditation to encounter the true self and understand it.

I have circumambulated the Great Stupa of the Dharmakaya in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado and meditated in the Shamballa Center in Boulder. I have sat in Zazen centers and even joined a virtual sangha in Second Life.

Through all of that I was constantly questioning how the teachings of Siddhartha could be made more accessible to the Western mind and Western society. It sounds trite but I would wonder "What Would Buddha Do" to make his teachings clear to a modern society.

"The teacher is there when the student is ready." This is paraphrased from many sources, most recently the Monastic Director of the American Chan Buddhist Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Now the truth in that is evident to me.

The Buddha was there, the Dharma had been embraced, and I have found the sangha.

ACBC presents an "American" tradition of developing Buddhist principles that meld with the values and culture of America. There is the appreciation and understanding of Buddhism placed in a social dimension so the teachings can be applied to everyday life. Their website at americanchan.org gives a much better explanation.

Their pragmatic approach to the teachings of Siddhartha makes them applicable to Western society.

In this new tradition of American Chan Buddhism I have found a mode of teaching and a group of people that I know will help me in my efforts to better understand Siddhartha's teachings and develop a more positive life.

When you are ready, the teacher will be there.

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