I was once in your position. I was a brand new little 14 year old Buddhist (not that you're necessarily 14 years old), and Theravada agrees most with my beliefs. But I think that you'll find that there really is no wrong place to learn. Especially in the west, the denomination differences are not that strongly present.
I especially like "How to Practice" by his Holiness, the Dalai Lama.
Also a good read is "The teachings of Zen". I know that you're not really looking for Zen necessarily, but I'm mostly threading and found a lot of these quotes to be very helpful.
A lot of the concepts are pretty simple, and simply need to be explained in the right way. It's not quite like the Bible or the Quran where it is necessary to memorize massive volumes of texts. That said, if you feel like going OG, you could consul the Pali Canon.
There's one thing that it took me a very long time to learn, and I wish someone had told me earlier.
All your progress in Buddhism will hinge on your ability to be mindful. That is, your ability to be aware of what you're doing, and why you're doing it as much of the time as you can. We all go through some days, kind of like zombies, just reacting. Doing things without really thinking about it. You see something you want, and you take it, it brings you momentary joy, you move onto something else. If you can be mindful, as aware of your surroundings as possible, you will learn so much about yourself. You will eliminate so much suffering right away just through this practice.
Other things to get straight now, that you might already know: Karma is not a cosmic scoreboard, it is merely an elaborate way of thinking about cause and effect and your mental habits in the same context. So the "My name is Earl" type Karma is not the same as Buddhist Karma.
Reincarnation does not mean your soul gets replanted into another body when you die. It is your Karma continuing to have effect after you have passed on. It is essentially whether your entire existence creates suffering in this world, or happiness. Try to stay away from the metaphysics. They tend to cloud things.
The scariest thing about Buddhism is trying to prepare yourself to let go of your ego. I by ego, I don't simply mean "oh, I'm so great, everybody look at me," I mean the ego that generates your preferences and habits. We tend to identify ourselves by our ego. Think about how you describe your friends to each other, "what shows does he like? what food does he like?" We're so attached to our cravings (desire) that that's all we know how to describe a person.
Just remember that you are not your ego. At our very core, beneath all the greed and ignorance and pain and suffering, we are all, every one of us, the Buddha. We are all born with happiness, love, and compassion inside of us. That is who we are.
Yes, you can read the suggested free on-line books from the below link.
There are some suggestions before you practice Dharma (Bhavana).
I. Study the Buddhist principle before practice
A Learn what the Buddha teaches:
1. Three Marks of Existence (Three Characteristics of Nature, Ti-Khan)Ana 2. Five Aggregates (5 Khandhas)
3. Four Noble Truths (Ariya-Sacca)
4. Satipatthana
5. Threefold Training
B Learn which practice produces what:
Satipatthana produces Sati
Samatha kammatthana produces Samadhi
Vipassana kammatthana produces Wisdom
C. Reasons for the lack of Progress
1 Don?t follow the Buddha?s Principle
2 Using a wrong foundation for one?s temperament (Jarit, behavior, character)
One of lustful temperament (Tanha Jarit) should use Kaya and Vedana foundations
One who always think (Dhitti Jarit) should use Mind (Citta) foundation
D. Essential Qualities of Buddhists
1. Strong, self reliance and disciplined person
2. Willing to face the truth
3. Have Sila (5 Precepts) to protect body and speech
4. Don?t belief in non-sense, except Dharma and Karma
5. Must walk alone ( do it yourself)
6. Start practice with endurance and patience for
-teacher?s instruction
-studying
-physical pain and fatigue
-Kilesa (Defilements, Asava, Cankers, Poison)
II. Aim of Bhavana
First Aim- the Stream-enterer (Sotapanna).
Final Aim- the Enlightenment- the Worthy One (Arahant).
If one aims for happiness, tranquility, or wholesomeness, one will be exhausted and disappointed because of the Ti-lakkhana nature of the mind.
III. Practice (Threefold Training)
1. Training in Morality: Giving, Five or Eight Precepts, sense-restraint (Indriyasamvarasila) including sensual abstinence.
2. Training in Mentality: Breathing Meditation (Anapanasati) and Walking meditation.
3. Training in Wisdom: Vipassana Bhavana (Insight Meditation, Contemplate body and mind)
Note:-after study must immediately practice (Listen only could not fight with Kilesa)
-No laziness, practice continuously and practice in daily life
-Endurance
I V. Signs of improvement
1 reduction of Kilesa (cankers, asava), 2 reduce Tanha, 3-life-seclusion (less socialize), 4- content what you have, 5- satisfy in tranquility, 6- Improving Sila, 7- concentrating mind, 8- See the truth of body and mind, 9- reduce suffering
V. Summary of Dharma Practice
We practice Dharma not for wanting something, nor for being above the norm. We do not lose anything because there is no self to lose. But we gain the wisdom which is the truth of body and mind that they are suffering, impermanent, uncontrollable, and no self. We examine Khanda (the 5 aggregates) until they are separate and see that they are not animal, human, or self. Once we understand this real truth (Saccadharma), we no longer condition our body, speech, and mind, nor being duped to control them.
We are neutral to both good and bad because we know that they will appear and then disappear (Nibbida).
We no longer attach to body, mind, happiness, or grief (Viraga, detachment). We finally let go our body and mind (Vimutti). The enlightenment is immediately attained. There is no more conditioning, desire, suffering, or death and birth.
What are some good theravada Buddhism books?
