Buddists....?

Question

After speaking to a few Buddists I've found that they all believe different things & a few do not fully understand what it is they actually believe.
So my question is how do you know that this is the Religion for you if you don't understand it?

...Whoa, hold on Buddy. I am not criticizing. I just want to understand.

Thanks you two...You've expained your thoughts Beautifully!

Answer 1

Peace be upon u.

I think u spoke to Buddhist of different schools. There are basicly 3 schools of Buddhism: Theravada(The school of the elder), Mahayana(the Greater Vehicle) and Vajrayana(the Tibetan Buddhism)

Although they practice differently, the core teachings is the same : The 4 noble truth and the 8 fold noble path. These are the foundation of Buddhism.

Those you have talked to obviously doesn't know deeply about Buddhism. If u want to know, y dun u find it out urself? The Buddha have said that NEVER belief things which you are told, or read about or whatever without investigation. Investigate wisely before believing. If u dun belief me u can google for Kalama Sutta, a discourse of the Buddha on this matter. If you still dun believe the Buddha's teaching it doesn't matter either, bcuz the Buddha told everyone that His teaching is to be to be tested first before being followed by anyone who wanted to follow it.

Therefore, there are many ignorant people who will tell u the Buddha said this and that. Dun believe what they(including what I) said. Refer the Tipitaka which is the book of sayings of the Buddha. All written there is said by the Buddha and anything which is not, is not said by the Buddha.

I understood Buddhism as a religion to do good,avoid evil,purify the mind. Whatever rituals,talismans etc are just to strengthen faith and it is ok if u dun participate in it.

Peace be unto u again! May u and ur family be well,blessed and happy: )

With Metta

Answer 2

Sometimes knowledge is not as important as the quest for it.

Just because you claim to have truth, do you understand what Truth is? Have you thought on what the infinite really means? Do you know God, infinite and undefinable, as you claim? Can any limited mind comprehend what is limitless? These are questions Buddhists ask themselves, and do not criticize them because there are no easy answers.

Edit:

Is the implication that someone is in the wrong religion not a criticism? As much as you may wish to know this (your question I mean), it is comming from a critical place, concious or unconcious. And there are so many different thoughts about the teachings of the Buddha and how to attain enlightenment, it is no wonder that there are disagreements. Saying "Buddhists believe X" is like saying "Christians believe Y." Well, WHICH Christians believe Y? Do not Catholics hold things differently than Lutherans, and Mormons than Methodists? Even amongst the individual denominations, aren't there disagreements between parishinors?

I'm sorry if I sounded strident, that was not my intent, but the question was either improperly phrased, which I myself do often, or comming from a critical place.

Peace be upon you.

Answer 3

In Buddhism there are many different Dharma, or ways, to facilitate and guide people to enlightenment. Such many ways have evolved because different people are under different conditions, way of thinking, and level of intelligence, and there is no single way that can lead everyone to enlightenment. We can attain enlightenment and obtain peace by using different approaches and focuses that suit us. So if you ask one same question to different Buddhists, they will give you different answers according to the different teachings they received and the different levels they have attained. The Buddha said, the method is not important. The raft is not important. The shore is. The buddhists you met are perhaps on different rafts heading to the same direction.

Answer 4

Well... I understand what I believe, but it's natural that there are many who do not. Also, there are various schools of thought within Buddhism so this might be why you perceive we "believe different things", but the core of the Buddha's teachings are the same in all REAL Buddhist discourses. It just depends on what school of thought appeals to you and your path.

_()_

Answer 5

Buddhist teachings can be understood and tested by anyone. Buddhism teaches that the solutions to our problems are within ourselves not outside. The Buddha asked all his followers not to take his word as true, but rather to test the teachings for themselves. ln this way, each person decides for themselves and takes responsibility for their own actions and understanding. This makes Buddhism less of a fixed package of beliefs which is to be accepted in its entirety, and more of a teaching which each person learns and uses in their own way.

http://www.buddhanet.net/

Answer 6

those issues do not immediately make one any form of religion. in case you had to pursue a nominally non-theistic order, you ought to alter into Zen the place the subject remember of God isn't under pressure. I even have an uncle who a Zen lay clergyman. the subject remember of reincarnation is likewise not pronounced. neither is the subject remember of same intercourse involvement and intensely some different issues that heavily theistic religions debate. Buddhism has many orders. lots of them do have theistic factors such through fact the various Tibetan types with which i'm extra huge-unfold, i.e. Nyingma, Kagyu, Geluk... My suggestion is to benefit the project in extra advantageous element and you could discover that Buddhism appeals to you. yet do not assume that it will through fact of what you're saying now. Any course has its twists.