Over the next year, I searched every opportunity to practice and learn Buddhism. I have read every book our library shelves stock on the subject, and several on related subjects and the geography and history of traditional Buddhist lands as well. One difficulty that I discovered was the lack of specific Buddhist Sangha in Australia. I had discovered a personal connection towards both the Tibetan Vajrayana and Thai Dhutanga pathways whilst reading various books; but neither of these styles of Buddhism seem to be practiced in Wollongong, Australia!
My options were:
* to practice alone, continuing to belong to Buddhist groups online, stay in contact with my friend who understood the practice, take downloadable classes, read everything I could lay my hands upon, and develop on my own through continual study and practice of the theories.
* to connect to the nearby Vietnamese Temple and hope their practices were not too different from my own.
* pay out on bus fare and fees to attend the larger Nan Tien Temple, a few suburbs away.
* pay out on train fare and time, attending a Vajrayana establishment in Sydney.
I am still unsure which method I will end up with, but so far, I have kept to my online participation and private studies, delighting each time a new library book appears on the shelf.
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