Instructions

1

Familiarize yourself with the history of the Buddha. Develop an initial understanding of the tenets of "doctrine and discipline," the Dhamma. Study a bit of the early history of the Buddhist monks and nuns, the bhikkhus and the bhikkhunis.
2

Study the early splintering of Buddhism into various sects--perhaps at one time as many as 18. Familiarize yourself with the evolution of the Mahayana, the reform movement. See how Theravada Buddhism represents the oldest of the non-Mayahana sects.
3

Study the Tipikata, the Buddha's teachings. Learn at least a few words of the Pali language. Familiarize yourself with The Four Noble Truths: Dukkha--suffering, discontent; the cause of Dukkha--tanha; the cessation of Dukkha; the Noble Eightfold path.
4

Develop an appreciation for samsara--the cycle of birth, painful existence and rebirth. Appreciate how samsara is the fate of someone who spends existence in a state of avijja--ignorance of the Four Noble Truths.
5

Commit to a path of true happiness by making an internal commitment to Buddhism, an internal commitment to the Triple Gem: the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha--the historical Buddha and one's own awakening, the Buddha's teachings, and the unbroken monastic lineage.
6

Find a kalyanamitta, an enlightened friend, to help you on your path. Study the Five Precepts--an ethical code for behavior. Try to pattern your life in line with its tenets, thus seeking sila or virtue. Begin the discipline of samadhi--concentration. As you become proficient in meditation, Buddhist concentration, work towards a state of jhanna--mental and physical tranquility.