I'm New: Where do I Start?

Question: How do I choose a school in Buddhism? What criteria should I use?

 

Response: All the 84,000 (a number symbolizing uncountable) methods taught by the Buddha are equally good. We just need to find the one that is most suitable for our capabilities and the way we live. 

Initially, most people listen to different teachers, read various books, and check out Buddhist web sites to see what resonates with them. If you live where there is a Buddhist center, you can visit it to get a better feeling for the practice and teachings. If you are not near a center, you could attend a weekend retreat to see if the practice and teachings feel right for you.

Deciding on the right method is largely intuitive. When you find what is right for you everything feels right: the practice, the teachings, the people—everything. A comment I have heard from so many people, and the feeling that I experienced myself, is that "it felt like I was coming home."