Do you have to meditate to be a Buddhist?

Question

I am very interested in Buddhism and eastern thought. I have tried meditation and don't feel it fits into my lifestyle(ie getting up before work/settling down before I go to sleep), at least in the way it was suggested to me.

I tried formal meditation at our local mediation center(Shambala). It was open eyed sitting meditation where your focused approximately 6 feet in front of you. You just let your thoughts go when they came. I have read books by Dalai Lama and other Tibetan Buddhist authors. Also Mindfulness teachings -Thich Nhat Hanh. I actually like the idea of mindfulness more than the sitting meditation.

I did a retreat(full day) at the center and that was it for me, I'm embarassed to say. I just couldn't get into it. I made the plunge into exploring Buddhism after many years of wanting to know more about the practice. My experiences were not bad, but I tend to feel like a lazy person! I don't get up & meditate. Doing it before bed is an uphill battle. Just having peace in the house is hard!

Answer 1

You have got the entire concept wrong.Meditation does not have to be like Home Work or tiring work outs early in the morning.The reason why people tell others to meditate in the morning is because it is the quietest time of the day.Also at that time our mind and body are fully refreshed.But if you can find a quiet place you can meditate whenever and wherever possible.The quietness is only so that you can concentrate, but a true Guru of meditation would be one who would be able to meditate for hours even sitting on a pedestrian in the middle of a city.
To many the word "meditation" conjures up the picture of a bearded man sitting cross-legged in front of an entrance to a cave or high on a mountain top but in actuality it is the art of self-realization,a way to think and look for answers within ourselves.When we meditate we try to come closer to God by understanding ourselves and God and by doing this we find peace just like the peace you find when your questions are answered.To find these answers requires deep,really deep thinking so it needs tremendous concentration.
So the first step towards finding God is meditation and as all religions are the roads to God so meditation is the essence of religion.Buddha attained Nirvana or self-realization after 12 years of contemplation and meditation.In India in ancient times there have been saints who sat for decades meditating and in the end understood all the things which to us today seem to be unanswerable.So meditate whenever, wherever convenient.It is not necessary you do it in a particular pose,but what is important is that you understand yourself.

Answer 2

The Noble Eightfold Path is divided into three aspects:Wisdom,Morality and Concentration.
Most of my Buddhist friends find the Concentration aspect too tough for them.Therefore,they concentrate on the Morality aspect:performing dana,charity work,etc.
There is a saying in Buddhism:There are 84000 ways to practice!You don't need to meditate to be a Buddhist.

Answer 3

i'm not a buddhist..but calming your mind is something that everyone should try and do. It really helps. Basically what you have to do is think of an image of someplace serine and then lose yourself in it. think about how it will feel, what u see, how it smells and other things. basically thats the start of "meditation" if you will..but in reality what you are doing is controling your thoughts. slowly, you will learn to get to a stage where you have no thoughts in your mind, no emotions, no feelings, where u feel like you are floating in outerspace with nothing around u.

Answer 4

There are a number of types of Buddhism. You don't say what sort you tried. Meditation is a basic practice to all sorts. But there are different sorts of meditation practice. You should keep looking for what fulfills you.

Answer 5

You don't *have* to. But it's a pretty intregal part of the religion, and a major tool in leading to enlightenment.

I was taught meditation from a non-Buddhist perspective, and it's worked fine for me. Just look to other ideas. And don't try to blank your mind of thought...just let the thoughts go away when they come up. That's most people's mistake. (It was definitely mine.)

Answer 6

No, but it helps control your mind. If you find the time, only ten minutes a day initially, yyou will find your mind becomes clearer and you can function better. But you don't have to.

Answer 7

You can try wikipedia online. It usually has some awesome information.