Buddhism Guide Line

1. Open your heart to magic.
2. Discover the force behind karma that always acts contrary to your attachments.
3. Pick up the concept of Spiritual Materialism.
4. Stalk your ego and work on your karma/attachments for at least 5 years.
5. Study Buddhist theory. Realize the virtual (conventional) nature of all objects.
6. Practice formal meditation for several years.
7. Realize God / Tao / non-duality.
8. Master the mechanism of Intent (aka faith -- deliberately choosing and maintaining your perspective).
9. Realize Prajna-paramita and Emptiness.
10. Awaken to your True Nature.
11. Cultivate your True Nature.

I recommend the following, and in the following order. You won't blow a gasket if you do things out of order, but I've placed them as I have for a reason:

1. Read "10% Happier" by Dan Harris and put into practice some basic daily meditation
2. (Optional and only if you're philosophically minded) read "Waking Up" by Sam Harris (no relation to Dan)
3. Either watch Yuttadhammo's basic teaching videos on Youtube (start here) or, if you don't mind some controversy**, read "Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha" by Daniel Ingram (better still, watch the videos and read the book)
4. Expand your study. As you do, gradually increase the amount of time you spend actually doing the practice rather than merely reading about it. Here are some good sources to get you further off the starting blocks:
   • Anything by Yuttadhammo, There's a ton on YouTube
   • Bikkhu Bodhi's stuff at http://www.accesstoinsight.org
   • Anything by Shinzen Young -- again see YouTube. See especially his Google Talks (here's one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XCWP4pODbs). They're long but very worth the effort
5. Using your new-found but by-now growing knowledge and practice, find a teacher, tradition, and community. Also, broaden your daily personal practice into more intensive retreat-style practice from time to time
6. Lather, rinse, repeat

One other comment. My own experience says that there is no silver bullet to the problem of unguided newcomer finding their way. You just have to feel your way carefully, listen, cross-check, keep your brain and common sense switched on (that's crucial in these internet days when there is so much nonsense spouted), and try to see the process of learning itself as part of your spiritual practice. To begin with it can feel like you're scrambling around in a room with no windows and no lights. But eventually your eyes will grow accustomed, you'll even find the dimmer switch for the lights, and then as you learn how to turn up the light you'll realize you're not in a room but in a vast cave, full of the most incredible treasure. Good luck!

** Note that although MCTB is controversial, in my opinion it is seen that way for no good reason that should bother a beginner. Ingram is heavily influenced by the teachings and lineage of Mahasi Sayadaw (as is Yuttadhammo), and when he talks about Buddhism he is doing so from a position of quite considerable knowledge and experience. That's not to say he's right, but to your beginner's eyes he's not saying anything important that's wrong.

I would start with keeping the five precepts and then doing meditation.

For a beginner one of the most important lessons to learn is practicing restraint and overcoming our resistances (I feel too lazy to meditate, I want to gossip/trash talk about this person who I dislike, ect). We call this "balancing the faculties".

When you feel lazy you push yourself to do what you is correct and wholesome, even if difficult. When you feel restless and agitated you stop feeding the negativity and cultivate the opposite.

When possible you should find a teacher who would be willing to give you advice on meditation. A monk or nun is best, but if you have none nearby, you can trust a experienced layman, or laywoman who can give you a meditation object and help guide your practice.

Buddhism is often symbolized by a wheel; the Wheel of Dhamma or Dharma. The circular nature of the symbol is also representative of how people progress along the path of Buddhism; it's a circular progression. With each time around, your understanding grows so you may find if you re-read books, you get even more out of them in subsequent readings.

Begin with whatever interests you and don't be concerned that you don't seem to have many resources nearby. Through the internet we have access to more knowledge than humanity has ever had before. It takes a while to sort through it of course; but as Andrei mentioned, this is a process that takes years.

In the 2,600 years of Buddhism, many schools and traditions have evolved. Keep an open mind and try to learn a bit from each as you decide which tradition really speaks to you. Even if it seems that there are no Buddhist groups, monasteries, or temples in your area; don't give up on seeking out a group if that interests you. I was convinced there were no groups on my area, but in time I actually found several. Not all groups, teachers, temples advertise their existence. It can take a while to find something local or to determine a place you wish to travel to, to learn more. Have patience. :)

With whatever else you do, developing a meditation practice will help turn all this from an intellectual exercise to an experiential one.

Best wishes.