To the Buddhists...?

Question

How do you, I don't how to put it...umm, give spiritually to Buddha everyday. I know there is meditation, but what do you say or do when you meditate? I want to convert from Catholicism to Buddhism but I need to know what to do.

To those of different religions who have a problem with Buddhism or any other religions that are not yours: Please don't answer this question. I am trying to find out MY way to spirituality. I don't want you to tell me about how there is only one religion that will lead us because it's simply not true. There are so many different people in the whole who come from different backgrounds than just you. People do not think the same, act the same, look the same, or worship the same. Buddhism is my way to Enlightment and also to some others that believe in Buddhism. I only want them to answer please. With all due respects to your religions. Thank you.

Answer 1

Okay, Buddha is DEAD. We do not worship him at all, though many people hold this misconception. He is not a god. The Dalai Lama once said "My simple religion needs no great temples or creeds. Our heart is our temple, and compassion is our creed". The only thing you have to do is live your life justly, and meditate in order to end your worldy desires. There are two kinds of meditation, walking and sitting. When you do the sitting meditation you sit in either the full or half lotus position and empty your mind of thought, just try as hard as you can to think about nothing. Some people focus on breathing, then block that out, and some people focus on an idea or image. The walking meditation is Zen archery, gardening, swordsmanship, ect. I do swordmanship. The idea is to become so immersed in the task at hand to act out of no-mind, to act without thought. No-mind is perfect, so the archer hits the target everytime, and the swordsman can never lose once this is perfected. Some quotes, read them they are the core of our teachings:

"Overcome the angry by non-anger; overcome the wicked by goodness; overcome the miser by generosity; overcome the liar by truth"

"Dispassion is the best of mental states. . . . "

"The good renounce everything. The pure don't babble about sensual desires. Whether touched by pleasure or pain, the wise show no change of temper"

"In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves"

"Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it"

"Never have anything to do with likes and dislikes. The absence of what one likes is painful, as is the presence of what one dislikes. Therefore don't take a liking to anything. To lose what one likes is hard, but there are no bonds for those who have no likes and dislikes. From preference arises sorrow, from preference arises fear, but he who is freed from preference has no sorrow and certainly no fear"

"When a man has pity on all living creatures then only is he noble"

"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without"

"Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love, this is the eternal rule"

"One act of pure love in saving life is greater than spending the whole of one's time in religious offerings to the gods . . . "

"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared"

"Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others"

"If anything is worth doing, do it with all your heart"

"More than those who hate you, more than all your enemies, an undisciplined mind does greater harm"

"Better than a thousand useless words is one word that gives peace"

Answer 2

Hey, let's not confuse the kid! "Focus on nothing" is a little tough to wrap your mind around at first.

Breathe. Focus on the breath. Feel the air around your nostrils, in your nose. Focus on the exhale rather than the inhale, for some reason this is easier to learn for many...

You will find your mind wandering, thoughts, mental movies playing out, etc. That's ok, don't beat yourself up! Just say "Thinking" to yourself, and let it go. Return to the breath. Don't judge your wandering mind. Watch it. Keep bringing yourself back to the breath when your mind wanders.

And take it slow at first. 10 minutes a day is fine. Then add to that later, on your own pace.

Also, what no one has mentioned yet is your interaction with others. To me this is Buddhism in practice and meditation in action. "What Would Buddha Do?" is a great question to ask yourself throughout the day. Realize that no matter what someone does, no matter how harshly they treat you, that you and they are the same. You both have the seed of the Buddha nature within you, in fact that is your true self! But we treat each unkindly (or even violently) due to our own suffering and lack of connection with that Buddha nature. So when people are judgemental (see above) or cruel, realize that they are suffering greatly themselves and have compassion for them. Kind of like another teacher once said:

"Forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Answer 3

Buddhism isn't about worshipping Buddha. Buddha was a wise man who became Enlightened, but He is no god and probably wouldn't have wanted to be worshipped as one. He is best seen as an example only. Buddhism is not about worshipping and Diety who takes care of the work of your soul for you. Buddhism is a semi-atheistical method by which people can work on perfecting their soul/being/mind-heart on their own. This is a process and takes time. As a process, it never stops. You have your whole life to do it and it takes your whole life. It is much more self-reliant. I'm not a very good Buddhist. I never meditate. I really should.

Answer 4

I would suggest you stay in your tradition and practice the techniques of Buddhist meditation. Life is much easier that way. You are a cultural Christian and the people you interact with will be Christian. Be a good Christian by being aware and helpful to those around you as Christ suggested. You really can't go wrong giving yourself over to the service of others as Christ did. Read St. Francis and St. Teresa of Avila.

By the way, a famous Buddhist monk Tich Nhat Hanh suggests the same thing.

PS. so you chose a path and now you want to find out about it?

Are you seeking truth or rejecting Catholicism? The answer to that question is very important. I found that I cannot maintain a commitment on fear or anger, but I can on love and truth.

Answer 5

Meditation is about focusing your thought on one particular thing and closing out all others. Meditation is kind of like sleep in that your body begins to go about the same functions it would as if you were asleep. Meditation during the middle of the day can be a great way to restore your energy. You can meditate on a problem or question, a mantra, nothing (actually thinking about nothing), or let your mind run wild.

Answer 6

buddha is not a god. he is a teacher.
Buddhism depends more on understanding than faith.

Simply speaking, this is to avoid harming others and to help them as much as possible. Another way of expressing this is, Abandon negative action; create perfect virtue; subdue your own mind. This is the teaching of the Buddha. By abandoning negative actions (killing, etc.) and destructive motivations (anger, attachment, close-mindedness, etc.), we stop harming ourselves and others. By creating perfect virtue, we develop beneficial attitudes, like impartial love and compassion, and do actions motivated by these thoughts. By subduing our mind, we cut away all false projections, thus making ourselves calm and peaceful by understanding reality.
The essence of Buddha’s teachings is also contained in the three principles of the path: definite emergence, the dedicated heart and wisdom realizing emptiness. Initially, we seek definitely to emerge from the confusion of our problems and their causes. Then, we see that other people also have problems, and with love and compassion, we dedicate our heart to becoming a Buddha so that we are capable of helping others extensively. In order to do this, we develop the wisdom understanding the real nature of ourselves and other phenomena.

before you go for meditation, i'll suggest you find a reliable buddhist master to guide you through so that you can understand some buddhist terms.
there are many types of buddhism meditation. your buddhist master can make suggestions to help you understand better.

Answer 7

I actually were a operating in route of Buddhist for decades and that i need to assert that i recognize the quantity of attempt that you position into this, besides because the useful solutions you've positioned the following. commonly even as my faith is criticized, that's with the help of uneducated those who basically favor to attack for the objective of attacking so I savour your mind-set. as well to that, i'll assert that I trust various your factors - besides the undeniable fact that, this does no longer rattle my faith in any respect. i might want to write for hours on how I trust your factors and upload my own faith into that yet i'll objective to shop it straightforward for the objective of this posting. besides the very undeniable reality that, i might want to honestly no longer disagree to a destiny communique about this once you've an interest. Buddha suggested: "trust no longer something, even if you hear it from Me or every person else except you know it to be authentic." My concept of this statement is what keeps my faith regardless of all the failings and human mistakes which have encircled the religion. i know that various issues contradict one yet another and the reason being obtrusive - in case you're taking a faith and spread it round to diverse cultures it truly is going to develop into something that heavily resembles the subculture that has taken it. Even i'm accountable of this yet i trust that that's significant for my straightforward expertise. you may't change what we are and what we are is human. Human's look to have an innate want for a "god" make certain and besides the very undeniable reality that that's hostile to the Buddha's beliefs, he has develop right into a "god" in a experience. nevertheless, I refute this concept as an suggested human being does the proper they can to do what's ideal and that is the mandatory critical of religion as a rule. If we chop up straws on what people have executed, the sturdy in Buddha's words may in no way encourage people. proposal is the foremost yet nevertheless human mistakes has warped various issues. it is authentic in each faith, Judaism, Taoism, Hindu, Christianity and Islam. i imagine the great Messiah's, income, and "gods" are more desirable drawn to making our hearts organic and being sturdy yet I understand the failings of blind faith and ideas of Nihilism. So, i'll end my debate with a quote from the Dali Lama, he suggested that the religion is sturdy besides the undeniable fact that it truly is not for each body. you need to be authentic to you and if meaning being except Buddhism, please do this because the point is to discover your happiness.

Answer 8

To my knowledge, you're supposed to focus on your breathing during meditation. Clear your mind completely and focus. You can focus on other issues (meditate on something) by focusing all your thought on it. But really, it's just controlling breathing and controlling thought.

But I may be wrong.

Answer 9

http://www.religioustolerance.org/buddhism.htm

Answer 10

Buddha is a dead man whom you should not worship.

Return to the living God, who will reveal himself to you.