John’s Reviews > Buddhish: A Guide to the 20 Most Important Buddhist Ideas for the Curious and Skeptical > Status Update

Focused on rituals within Buddhism and it's symbolism. In thai culture much is enveloped in receiving blessing by offering food to goods depending on the blessing that is in request. I some cases magical abilities can be achieved through specific meditative practices.

Focus on the different forms of buddhahood. In one belief we all have a form of buddhahood. Some are awakened through a aha moment, some must meditated to achieve and lastly some must be directed in order to achieve awakened state

We acknowledge the different forms of Buddhism. Theravada seen in southeast Asia. Referring to the most traditional form. Mahayana 2nd most traditional. Reached Japan and Vietnam. More inclusive. Zen and Vajrayana, emerged from China. Zen is focusing more on mediation, Vajrayana focuses more on the tantric side of Hinduism. Lastly Buddhist Modernism which focuses on the lessons and less on cultural roots

The ultimate renouncement; renouncing oneself. What does it mean? Buddhism asks a lot to be given up in order to become awakened. Your memories and past experience is what makes you up. They are but a construct that you have created. To renounce oneself is to renounce their past?

These past pages touch lightly on the many different forms of Buddhism. Mainly focusing on karma. The value of merit and what that does towards one awakening. Does doing a good deed for the sake merit give good karma or is the analysis of your actions to do a good thing warrant good karma

These pages 11-21 focus duhkha and how Buddhism reflects on the ideal of suffering. Not wanting to change but to be in the moment. If we take these thoughts and apply them to daily living, unsatisfactory scenarios may be unchangeable so we must accept that suffering as suffering is apart of living