how do I know if I am progressing in Buddhism?

[ShineeSeoul]

I am trying to practice Buddhsim, but I have feeling like what I am doing is useless?

Progress can be measured in several ways. One direct method is to see if you have more peace, compassion, and mindfulness in your daily life. There are also the 37 qualities conducive to awakening
that you should look out for in cultivating. On the bodhisattva path there are also the six paramitas as both practices and qualities to cultivate, and there are the 52 stages of enlightenment as a description of the path (on that you can find more in English in the introduction of Buswell's Tracing Back the Radiance), but using the Tibetan format is also fine and there are more translations available in English.

I am trying to Chant Buddhas name everyday, and bow 3 time.....what else I am supposed to do? is this enough?

What is your goal? There are various extensive meditation manuals out there that you can use even on your own, like mindfulness of breathing.

Thanks for links...I learned more

[ShineeSeoul]

I am trying to practice Buddhsim, but I have feeling like what I am doing is useless?

I am trying to Chant Buddhas name everyday, and bow 3 time.....what else I am supposed to do? is this enough?

I can't imagine how difficult it is for you to try and follow your preferred religion in secret whilst making your friends and family believe you are still Muslim. You have my sympathies.

Progress takes a lot of time and effort. You have made a good start but now is the time for more. If you can reach a centre, any centre, where they can teach you meditation, please go there. Also begin to chant some sutras, like the Heart Sutra. As you prefer Tendai, here is what we chant;

KAIKYOGE 開經偈 (OPENING SUTRA GATHA)
MU JŌ JIN JIN MI MYŌ HŌ
HYAKU SEN MAN GŌ NAN SŌ GU
GA KON KEN MON TOKU JU JI
GAN GE NYO RAI SHIN JITSU GI. [ x1]

HANNYA SHIN GYŌ 般若心経 (HEART SUTRA)
MAKA HANNYA HARAMITTA SHIN GYŌ
KAN JI ZAI BO SATSU GYŌ JIN HAN NYA HA RA MI TTA JI
SHŌ KEN GO UN KAI KŪ DO I SSAI KU YAKU SHA RI SHI
SHIKI FU I KŪ KŪ FU I SHIKI SHIKI SOKU ZE KŪ KŪ SOKU ZE SHIKI JU SŌ GYŌ SHIKI
YAKU BU NYO ZE SHA RI SHI ZE SHO HŌ KŪ SŌ FU SHŌ FU METSU FU KU
FU JŌ FU ZŌ FU GEN ZE KO KŪ CHŪ MU SHIKI MU JU SŌ GYŌ SHIKI
MU GEN NI BI ZE SSHIN NI MU SHIKI SHŌ KŌ MI SOKU HŌ MU GEN KAI
NAI SHI MU I SHIKI KAI MU MU MYŌ YAKU MU
MU MYŌ JIN NAI SHI MU RŌ SHI
YAKU MU RŌ SHI JIN MU KU SHŪ METSU DŌ MU CHI YAKU MU TOKU I MU SHO TOK KO BO DAI SA TTA
E HAN NYA HA RA MI TTA KO
SHIN MU KE GE MU KE GE KO MU U KUFU ON RI I SSAI TEN DŌ
MU SŌ KU GYŌ NE HAN SAN ZE SHO BUTSU E HAN NYA HA RA MI TTA KO TOKU
A NOKU TA RA SAN MYAKU SAN BO DAI
KO CHI HAN NYA HA RA MI TTA
ZE DAI JIN SHU ZE DAI MYŌ SHU ZE MU JŌ SHU
ZE MU TŌ DŌ SHU
NO JO I SSAI KU SHIN JITSU FU KO KO SETSU
HAN NYA HA RA MI TTA SHU SOKU SESSHU WATSU
GYA TEI GYA TEI HARA GYA TEI HARA SŌ GYA TEI
BOJI SOWA KA
HAN NYA SHIN GYŌ. [x1]

Thanks for understanding, I am trying to build stronger relations with Bodhisattva, so they could help me more to overcome this

how about saying the short form of Heart Sutra? I say usually the short form

[ShineeSeoul]

A secondary benefit of my suggestion above, is that my teacher's school is a kung fu school, not a Buddhist school, therefore less danger for you. After all, you're just practicing kung fu, not some heathen religion.

I was thinking about joining Ninja Class, but I was so busy recently....I don't think its different from Kung Fu?

[Nyedrag Yeshe]

Can you find a Dharma center, lama, or other practitioners near you? Also there are now many wonderful teachings on line, video teachings of great lamas and audio recordings. Have you taken refuge as a Buddhist yet? I wish you all joy and happiness on your path. Know that you are progressing simply by asking this question. OM AH HUNG - Kunga Dekyi.

Thanks for encouraging

I don't believe in Vajrayana though, but any way I can't find a teacher

Refuge is non-sectarian, you can take refuge with a teacher of any tradition and just become a buddhist, in no way affialiated with that tradition and teacher. That's why I recommed you to take refuge with garchen rinpoche. But that's your choice anyway. And look for Rev. Jundo with help in your zen meditation.

[ShineeSeoul]

While a teacher is generally recommended, Buddha Name recitation is a fairly hands-off method that doesn't require a whole bunch of guidance. There's no need to abandon Pure Land practice in favor of these other schools being mentioned. In order to help with Pure Land practice you may want to read the Pure Land sutras, which can be found at any of the following sites:
http://sutrasmantras.info/sutra0.html
http://www.bdk.or.jp/english/english_tr ... nload.html
http://cttbusa.org/sutratexts.asp
http://cttbusa.org/sutraswithcommentaries.asp

If you want any more Pure Land resources, feel free to message me in private.

yeah I also have in my mind Pureland, everyday I chanted Amitaba Buddha name, but I thought meditation shouldn't be ignored because Buddha himself have done it

Thanks for the links

[Seishin]

You can, of course, just chant the mantra, however you said you felt you weren't progressing. So, if you'd like to progress, I'd recommend doing a little more. There are many videos on Youtube with the Heart Sutra so you can chant along with it. It really doesn't take long to chant and is great practice.

[Nyedrag Yeshe]

While a teacher is generally recommended, Buddha Name recitation is a fairly hands-off method that doesn't require a whole bunch of guidance. There's no need to abandon Pure Land practice in favor of these other schools being mentioned. In order to help with Pure Land practice you may want to read the Pure Land sutras, which can be found at any of the following sites:
http://sutrasmantras.info/sutra0.html
http://www.bdk.or.jp/english/english_tr ... nload.html
http://cttbusa.org/sutratexts.asp
http://cttbusa.org/sutraswithcommentaries.asp

If you want any more Pure Land resources, feel free to message me in private.

yeah I also have in my mind Pureland, everyday I chanted Amitaba Buddha name, but I thought meditation shouldn't be ignored because Buddha himself have done it

Thanks for the links

Chanting Buddha's name is meditation. It can be used to practice both shamatha and vipashyana. And, Buddha taught it in the sutras.

A single recitation of the Buddha’s name encompasses all the teachings of the
Tripitaka. It includes all methods in full without omitting a single method.
Patriarch Yin Kuang

Zen is Buddha Recitation

Meditation based on a koan (18) is called koan meditation. Meditation in which the practitioner sits and stops the thought process is referred to as sitting meditation. Koan and sitting meditation are both Zen. Zen and Buddha are both Mind. Zen is the Zen of Buddha. Buddha is the Buddha in Zen. Buddha Recitation does not conflict with koan or sitting meditation. Moreover, the meditator can use the words "Amitabha Buddha" as a koan, reciting forward, reciting backward, reciting in one direction, reciting in another, upside down, turning around, without leaving his current thought. Even if it is not called Zen, Zen is still part of it.

The Zen practitioner, to succeed in his cultivation, must practice to the stage of "one thought in resonance with the Mind" (samadhi), and enter suddenly into the realm of Emptiness.

To recite the Buddha's name to the level of one-pointedness of mind - if this is not resonance (samadhi) what else can it be? To recite to the point where the mind is empty, is it not perpetual samadhi?

In alert, focused Buddha recitation there is samatha, vipassana, samadhi, wisdom - each recitation is perfect. Where else can Zen be found if not here?

Commentary. Zen is Pure Land because both Zen and Pure Land aim at reaching one-pointedness of mind. Although two expedients are involved, the result is the same. However, Zen is ten times as difficult!

The well-known commentary Returning Directly to the Source contains the following similes: "those who practice methods other than Pure Land are no different from ants climbing a high mountain or worms crawling up to the tip of a bamboo stalk. The Pure Land method of Buddha Recitation is a shortcut relying on the Buddha's power. It is like a boat sailing downstream with the wind in its sails or a worm digging its way out sideways [horizontal escape (19)] .There is no faster way."

http://www.ymba.org/books/taming-monkey ... d-practice