Buddhists:How do I practice Tibetan Buddhism? How do meditate/chant? Websites to learn pls?

This is a very good Website to learn about Tibetan Buddhism:

TrueHeartNews
http://www.enlighten.org.tw/trueheart_en

There are 3 major forms of Buddhism .. follow me here ....
(1) Theravadan Buddhism .. you do not need a teacher
(2) Zen (a form of Mahayana Buddhism) .. you need a teacher (a live, in-person qualified and trained teacher) or you will get nowhere with your efforts
(3) Tibetan/Vajrayana (another form of Mahayana Buddhism) ... you need a teacher, and if you do NOT have a teacher to guide you, you will go crazy. I have heard several Tibetan monks warn their audience, I have heard it said from a Tibetan medical doctor, my sister knows someone who became delusional and unstable practicing without a teacher.

Find a dharma group in your area that has a live teacher (an ordained, experienced monk).
No books. NO websites.
.
Or practice Theravadan instead.
As a matter of fact, "Mindfulness in Plain English" by Bhante Gunaratana is about as fine a book about how to DO Theravadan Buddhism as a live teacher. You can probably buy it on amazon.com.

Get a teacher.

You need to find a master who will teach you.

To practice Tibetan Buddhism, you need a qualified teacher. In Tibetan Buddhism there are two things which as sutra and tantra. At most, you can pretty much study sutra by yourself through books (but then understanding the real meaning is a whole different thing, which is why we still need a teacher for sutra) AND tantra, you can only practice once you receive initiation from the teacher.

For example, I'm from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and my teacher is H.E. the 25th Tsem Rinpoche.

Why do you need a teacher? Because like everything else, we needed a teacher in school, so we also need a teacher for spiritual school.

I would also recommend books or websites that you can learn from. Some books that I like reading are Geshe Sonam Rinchen's books, Geshe Kelsang's books and Alan Wallace. You can find them from Wisdom Publications. Alternatively, you can listen to dharma talks on Youtube. I'm assuming your main language is English, so search for Ajahn Brahm or Tsem Rinpoche, both teachers speak very good english. Ajahn Brahm is Theravadan, but his talks are very nice to listen to as he integrate Dharma into daily life. You can also visit my teacher's blog www.tsemrinpoche.com to read up about Buddhism there.

HOWEVER, for practice, I would highly recommend you find a teacher and dharma center near you. That is the MOST effective way to practice Tibetan Buddhism. While you search, along the way you should also read up the qualities of a spiritual guide and of a student. Some books you can read to widen your knowledge and understanding on this subject (i've read all 3 of them):

Wise teacher, wise student by Alexander berzin
Dangerous friend by Rig'dzin Dorje
Gurus for hire by Tsem Rinpoche

Its important for us to check if the teacher we are going to learn the Dharma from is genuine. It's just like when we are buying a car or a house, we don't just purchase the first car or house we see... we research, make sure it is suitable for us, etc. So just like that, the teacher who will lead you to Enlightenment and will be giving you the most precious thing in life which is the Dharma... you need to check that it comes from an unbroken and pure lineage that goes all the way back to Shakyamuni.

Good Luck!

Good morning.

To practice Vajrayāna it *is* advisable as the others have written to attend in-person teachings. But there are exceptions for those living in Western countries. Unless one lives in a major Western metropolitan area, it is almost impossible to locate a center in reasonable close proximity to where one lives. This is an issue for many—even for us Buddhists who have been practicing for years. You can check here http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/ to see if one is near where you live.

But there are several online credible sources that provide webinars and teachings for those of us not fortunate enough to live near a center. I firmly believe that if the Buddha was alive in these current days, he would avail himself of the current media to spread the Dharma. To think otherwise seems to be contrary to what I have read in the suttas of his teachings. For example, if writing was widespread when he was among mankind it would seem to me that it would have been used to have the teachings recorded instead of the bhikkhus committing them to memory.

Buddhism, especially Tibetan (Vajrayāna) traditions, is generally not easy in Western countries for many of us to attend in-person teaching. His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje—the head of the nine hundred year old Karma Kagyu Lineage and guide to millions of Buddhists—has recognized this. In a recent interview he has made some interesting comments about receiving Dharma teachings and even empowerments for those of us unable to physically attend teaching. He has even written a short Ngöndro (preliminary practice usually done in a retreat) for present-day Western students with our busy schedules (“Ngondro for Our Current Day: A Short Ngondro Practice and its Instructions” ISBN-13: 978-1934608166) .

Interested persons may want to listen to his interview at http://learn.wisdompubs.org/podcast/karmapa-vegetarianism-online-education-nuns-ordination/ . It appears he recognizes that one’s situations either due to health or lack of proximity to a Dharma center should still be able to benefit from empowerments. As with many things, his feeling is that motivation and reason are key elements. If one does webinars simply for convenience (“laziness” in his words), it would be an unskillful reason and would diminish one’s merit.

So, should one attend in-person teachings and retreats? Definitely if one is able. We also need to realize we live in a fortuitous age with webinars, podcasts, e-mail, etc.,. These enable those of us wishing to practice Buddhism especially Vajrayāna but are constrained in our efforts due either to physical limitations or lack of a center within even close proximity to do so.

I hope this helps and I apologize for the length.