how do you become a buddhist? (ritual, tradition, Buddhism, choices)

[RobW]

hello. i would like to become a buddhist but know very little about it. how do you become one?, do you have to follow one of the sub-divisions - eg-zen?. ive been ill recently and feel a need for religion and the buddhist religion i feel more aligned to, and just feel this is so right.

thank you,
rob

[Engyo]

Rob -

The first thing to do would be to read up on the different traditions within Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana) and then the schools within the traditions. This can help you decide which of the various ones may be the best fit for you. There are some thumbnail overviews here, and there are LOTS more information available by doing internet searches on what you find there.

Bottom line: read first, get some rough ideas about the general *shape* of Buddhism, and then see if there is something nearby where you live that you could visit. Depending on where you are, you may have one or two choices, or several, or lots. Also please don't hesitate to ask questions.

[Doc]

Welcome to the forums, Rob! You will find some great people here who can explain more, but I will help as best I can! Becoming Buddhist and in which manner to achieve that, is your decision. You do not really need to follow any particular subdivision as far as I am aware. (Unless the Buddha made a law against such heinous deeds ) I believe all subgroups of Buddhism were founded after his death. Most of Buddhism focuses on the Four Noble Truths and the 8-Fold Path ( a sort of recommended style of living not to be confused with commandments)

Like I said, other members can give better advice. I am still studying it myself. I would check Buddhism Overview in this part of the forums.


I hope you feel better soon. Read up on meditation if you can. That can be very helpful for healing exterior wounds or wounds deaper within. And feel free to ask more questions!

[Peacefulnrss]

Hi Rob, Buddhism is a very rich and fulfilling religion. I hope you gain much happiness from your studies. Let me tell you what I found to be one of the hardest things with studying Buddhism; trying to relate the teachings to my life. The ideas in Buddhism were sooo great but I couldn't integrate them into my experience. I think it had to do with the fact that I was so attracted to the ritual aspect of it. I thought that it was so "far out." What helped me get over this was bringing down the barriers between the traditions and going right to the source; the 4 noble truths. I really spent a lot of time trying to contemplate the 4 noble truths. Not just to see if they sounded good. But to see if they were actually true! sometimes I think it is really easy to read something new and be so taken away that you never stop to ask if it were true or not. Something else I found; the more I understood the Buddha's teachings, the less I used the Sanskrit words. I found myself using my own English interpretations. It made it more personal. Anyway, this is what I found. I hope it makes sense, I typed it pretty fast.

Mark

[RobW]

Hi, thanks for the above information. i went out and bought a stack load of books today about buddhism. can i ask, and this may sound like a stupid question, but do buddhist read a holy book (they dont right) or attend a holy place like a temple or something. im sorry about the lack of knowledge and may have come to the conclusion that i am thick, which im not i just know little about religion,sadly.

[michel]

Originally Posted by Engyo

Rob -

The first thing to do would be to read up on the different traditions within Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana) and then the schools within the traditions. This can help you decide which of the various ones may be the best fit for you. There are some thumbnail overviews here, and there are LOTS more information available by doing internet searches on what you find there.

Bottom line: read first, get some rough ideas about the general *shape* of Buddhism, and then see if there is something nearby where you live that you could visit. Depending on where you are, you may have one or two choices, or several, or lots. Also please don't hesitate to ask questions.

Engyo, have you ever heard of these people?
SOKA GAKKAI INTERNATIONAL (SGI) http://www.sgi-uk.org/index.php/sgi-uk

[Engyo]

Originally Posted by michel

Engyo, have you ever heard of these people?
SOKA GAKKAI INTERNATIONAL (SGI) http://www.sgi-uk.org/index.php/sgi-uk

I was a member of SGI-USA from before they took that name (originally NSA) until approximately 2000.

RobW -

Originally Posted by RobW

can i ask, and this may sound like a stupid question, but do buddhist read a holy book (they dont right) or attend a holy place like a temple or something.

It isn't a stupid question.....the stupid question is the one you don't ask. Different traditions and schools of Buddhism focus on different Sutras, or teachings. Some have temples and some don't. Some focus on individual practice and some are more group oriented.......... There are a vast variety of styles to choose from; it all depends on what speaks to you. The legend goes that Buddha taught 84,000 different Dharma gates, because we are all different.

[Peacefulnrss]

Originally Posted by RobW

im sorry about the lack of knowledge and may have come to the conclusion that i am thick, which im not i just know little about religion,sadly.

please don't ever think you have a dumb question. I have heard some dumb statements in my life but never a dumb question.... - Mark

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by RobW

Hi, thanks for the above information. i went out and bought a stack load of books today about buddhism. can i ask, and this may sound like a stupid question, but do buddhist read a holy book (they dont right) or attend a holy place like a temple or something. im sorry about the lack of knowledge and may have come to the conclusion that i am thick, which im not i just know little about religion,sadly.

There is no "buddhist bible," altho there are a couple of books out - collections of scriptures - by that name. There are Buddhist canons of scripture, but as someone has already said they are different for the different schools of Buddhism. And they are much bigger than the Christian bible. If you wish to read the original scripture upon which Buddhism is based, as opposed to books about Buddhism, I would suggest The Middle-length Discourses of the Buddha. It's an excellent translation and gives a good feel for what the Buddha was like and his teachings. However, I would start by reading some books about Buddhism first because delving into the scriptures without guidance can be daunting and confusing. A good introduction is What the Buddha Taught.

Yes, there are Buddhist temples, and depending on the school of Buddhism they can figure quite heavily into one's faith. But it is not necessary to attend a temple to be Buddhist.

Hope this helps.

[anami]

Originally Posted by RobW

hello. i would like to become a buddhist but know very little about it. how do you become one?, do you have to follow one of the sub-divisions - eg-zen?. ive been ill recently and feel a need for religion and the buddhist religion i feel more aligned to, and just feel this is so right.

thank you,
rob

i have some advice for you...
Figure out what you believe and go with that.
Don't decide some overview of what you believe some exotic religion is and grab a stack of books and ask questions about how to become a religion 9which is by definition impossible as your faith decides your religion not your religion deciding what you believe.

If i were one to get offended your approach to "religion" would greatly offend me as it includes no soul searching. i mean what do you think? what do you believe?
find out about religions and beliefs then decide if you are a Buddist.
How do i know, maybe you are a Buddist, but my point is how do you know maybe you aren't a Buddist? What if you can't follow the eight fold path?
Do you even know what that means? Read now, decide later.