what is buddism? how do become budist?

Question

what is the meaning of budhism how do you take up being a budist.

Answer 1

try this

Answer 2

First, I would study the basics of Buddhism such as the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, Dependent Coorigination, and anatman. Then if you feel that Buddhism is the path for you then you would Take Refuge in the Three Treasures (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha). This is also known as Ti Sarana.

If you are interested in a nonsectarian and nondogmatic approach to Buddhism, then you can also consider doing Ti Sarana (Refuge in the Three Treasures) through the Bright Dawn Institute (aka Kubose Dharma Legacy). They offer Ti Sarana via telephone as well as other Dharma services.

http://www.brightdawn.org/dailydharma/telephonetisarana.htm

Answer 3

"Buddhism" is a religion that is around 600 years older than Christianity. There are many, many different denominations of Buddhism just as there are many different denominations of Christianity. It is said that the Buddha taught 84,000 different paths to the truth. For that reason, many people will give you many different answers based on their own tradition of Buddhism but the answers will vary depending on the denomination that the person belongs to. It's like asking "What is Christianity?"--a Catholic will likely give you a very different answer than, say, a Baptist or a fundamentalist.

If you are serious about investigating Buddhism, try to find some Buddhist temples in your area and go to one. Most all temples welcome visitors who are seriously interested in the religion, and we do not try to proselytize either. You won't be bombarded with people calling you and asking you to convert or join their temple. I am the Resident Priest of two local temples in Hawaii, and we welcome people who are coming in to explore Buddhism. In fact, I even teach a class on basic Buddhist thought at our temple. For my class, I use the book Basic Buddhist Concepts by Kogen Mizuno. Another good book that gives basic information on Buddhism is Buddhism: Plain and Simple, but I cannot remember the author.

We are a Japanese Buddhist tradition, and we do not require that members take public vows, adhere to any precepts, etc.--just that you be sincere about trying to live life in a respectful, compassionate way.

The way that most people become Buddhist is by taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma (the teachings), and Sangha (the group of followers of the Buddha; other temple members). There is not necessarily a public ceremony made to "certify" that you are a member unless you choose to participate in a service with other members in which you will be given a Buddhist name (called a homyo) and publicly take refuge in the Three Treasures.

All Buddhist denominations subscribe to "The Four Marks of Existence", sometimes also "Buddhist seals" or "Buddhist Axioms". These basic ideas are: 1. All beings and things that come into being are impermanent; 2. All living beings experience suffering; 3. That there is no soul or enduring "self" after death; 4. That nirvana (enlightenment) is peace. Beyond this, we also all believe deeply in the interdependence of all beings. Each being is related to others in many, many ways through their work, genetically, and so on. Our practices vary a great deal; some denominations practice seated meditation and other meditative practices; others do not.

Many people mistake many Hindu beliefs, for example, Hindu ideas about reincarnation and karma, for Buddhist thought, but our religions come from the same source (the Vedic tradition) but are not very much alike.

Buddhism, as a religious path, is very, very different from Christianity. We do not believe in a god or gods or a soul; we do believe that what we do here, in this existence, is the most important thing because the Buddha taught that we don't know what happens after we die--so we don't believe in an "afterlife". The Buddha always said that he was only a human being--not a god--so we do not "worship" the Buddha. For that reason, we try to live respectful, compassionate lives. We don't have a story about the creation of the world--the Buddha said that it was idle speculation to talk about such things when the most important thing is to be compassionate and loving in this lifetime.

There are many internet sources available about Buddhism. Some are really good, others are not so good but each can help to give you an idea about the many, many types of Buddhism in the world.

Good luck on your exploration. Please feel free to email me if you are sincere in your search and would like more information.

Gassho (with both palms together),
Rev. Shinetsu

Answer 4

i'm surprised by the negativity towards buddhism in yahoo... but i guess most of the responders in here are Christians.

Generally tho.. Buddhists are well respected. You can message me if you like on yahoo.. or just email me and i'll tell you some about it.

Answer 5

Buddhism is not a religion to be taken up lightly. No religion should be.

The essence of Buddhism is in the Four Noble Truths. In the version below, Dukkha can understood as Suffering:

# The Nature of Dukkha: This is the noble truth of "dukkha": Birth is dukkha, aging is dukkha, sickness is dukkha, death is dukkha; union with what is displeasing is dukkha; separation from what is pleasing is dukkha; not to get what one wants is dukkha; to get what one does not want is dukkha; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are dukkha.
# The Origin of Dukkha (Samudaya): This is the noble truth of the origin of dukkha: It is this craving which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there; that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination.
# The Cessation of Dukkha (Nirodha): This is the noble truth of the cessation of dukkha: It is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, and non-reliance on it.
# The Way Leading to the Cessation of Dukkha (Magga): This is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of dukkha: It is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_noble_truths

A good place to start is with the very brief scripture called the Heart Sutra. My favorite translation was done by Edward Conze:

THE HEART SUTRA
Om Homage to the Perfection of Wisdom the Lovely, the Holy !

Avalokita, the Holy Lord and Bodhisattva, was moving in the deep course of the Wisdom which has gone beyond.

He looked down from on high, He beheld but five heaps, and He saw that in their own-being they were empty.

Here, O Sariputra,

form is emptiness and the very emptiness is form ;

emptiness does not differ from form, form does not differ from emptiness, whatever is emptiness, that is form,

the same is true of feelings, perceptions, impulses, and consciousness.

Here, O Sariputra,

all dharmas are marked with emptiness ;

they are not produced or stopped, not defiled or immaculate, not deficient or complete.

Therefore, O Sariputra,

in emptiness there is no form nor feeling, nor perception, nor impulse, nor consciousness ;

No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind ; No forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touchables or objects of mind ; No sight-organ element, and so forth, until we come to :

No mind-consciousness element ; There is no ignorance, no extinction of ignorance, and so forth, until we come to : There is no decay and death, no extinction of decay and death. There is no suffering, no origination, no stopping, no path.

There is no cognition, no attainment and no non-attainment.

Therefore, O Sariputra,

it is because of his non-attainmentness that a Bodhisattva, through having relied on the Perfection of Wisdom, dwells without thought-coverings. In the absence of thought-coverings he has not been made to tremble,

he has overcome what can upset, and in the end he attains to Nirvana.

All those who appear as Buddhas in the three periods of time fully awake to the utmost, right and perfect Enlightenment because they have relied on the Perfection of Wisdom.

Therefore one should know the prajnaparamita as the great spell, the spell of great knowledge, the utmost spell, the unequalled spell, allayer of all suffering, in truth -- for what could go wrong ? By the prajnaparamita has this spell been delivered. It runs like this :

gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha.

( Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone altogether beyond, O what an awakening, all-hail ! -- )

This completes the Heart of perfect Wisdom.

(Translated by E. Conze)
http://kr.buddhism.org/zen/sutras/conze.htm

Answer 6

like all religions, it is about controlling people. they have a set of principals they choose to not follow, and worship in temples which are made of stone. you can learn about it by either reading about it, or by getting instruction at a buddhist temple.

Answer 7

no such thing as a budist

Answer 8

http://www.buddhanet.net is good. There are some very nice Buddhists on here I hope they answer your question.

Answer 9

it's simple...deny God and deny spirits and believe in the eternal void......now you're a buddhist!
Oh ya....and chant meaninglessly over and over until your mind is void!

Answer 10

you don't want to become one because he is a fake god you will get nothing but pain out of it