What's Buddhism about? Surely good manners and niceness is a necessity?
2007-06-04 01:11:32 · 27 answers · asked by Hello 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
She's been nothing but trouble. She treats and speaks to me appallingly. She comments on my dress sense (even though I wear the same as everyone else who's young like me) and loads of other stuff.
2007-06-04 01:19:22 · update #1
Unfortunately there are a few bad apples in every social group, making the others look bad by association. It's nothing to do with her religion, she's just not a nice person.
2007-06-04 02:50:10 · answer #1 · answered by Red Rose 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is nothing special about Buddhism. It teaches virtues that are already inherent in every being, but due to attachment and ignorance to delusions, such virtues need to be awakened... thats what being a Buddhist is about reawakening that which is slumbering in our inner hearts.
And you ARE definitely correct... Good Manners, Kindness and Hospitaility to all are definitely part of what being a Buddhist is.
Buddhism in itself is not meant for perfectly good people though... coz a Tibetan Buddhist Master once said, " If you are already Perfectly Kind, Perfectly Loving and Perfectly Compassionate... Why do you need to be a Buddhist anyway?" An Imperfect or even a "Bad" person but with a sincere heart that wants to transform or be a better person.... THAT kind of person is what Buddhism is made for... not really for the perfected... Perfected ones don't need any religion.
By the way, how do you know that the lady is a Buddhist... Did she like scream " HEY I AM A BUDDHIST!" then *spits*??? If she did I would sooo have laughed my behind off hehe :)
2007-06-04 08:31:01 · answer #2 · answered by Tiara 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Buddhism is special in a couple of ways, the most interesting being they do not have gods as such. They revere the Buddha, but he's not a god, but a man who became enlightened.
But you are right that good manners and compassion are necessary for everyone, and compassion specifically is a major theme in Buddhism.
But you know not everyone who professes a religion -- any religion -- is a nice person. There are crabby, cranky, even nasty people all over the place. All we can do is try to be patient and compassionate, but keep a polite distance to the extent possible.
2007-06-04 08:23:03 · answer #3 · answered by auntb93 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maybe you tried to tell her she was wrong; maybe you lost an argument with her; maybe you weren't nice.
Buddhism is more a philosophy rather than a religion.
At the base of Buddhism philosophically is that all suffering is caused by ignorance (meaning a desire for different circumstances) and there are no gods to worship.
Oh, and harm none - they're big on vegetarianism.
2007-06-04 08:30:57 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sorry you had a bad experience.
Maybe she has personal problems of her own.
Maybe there's more to her than meets the eye, though.
One can't always judge a book by its cover.
Isn't it important to make more than a superficial investigation, with most things.
Maybe some of the things she says would be the type most people of her age think, including maybe your (and my) parents?
Maybe her fault is that she's too honest / open?
I don't know; haven't met her, but aren't these possibilities?
2007-06-04 08:34:27 · answer #5 · answered by goodfella 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Merely to call oneself a Buddhist is of little value
The essence of Buddhism is kindness, compassion. This is the essence of every religion.
- Dalai Lama
2007-06-04 08:21:37 · answer #6 · answered by Roma 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
From what I know about buddism to follow the teachings it is basically about living within loving kindness to yourself and others and your perception on the world is everything.
Perhaps she calls herself a buddist and does not practice what she has learned from her religion. To subscribe to a religion doesnt mean you live by its teachings it takes a lot more effort than just calling yourself a part of a religion to actually live the way of life of that religion.
Love, light and laughter
Rachie
x
2007-06-04 08:37:31 · answer #7 · answered by faerie_rachie 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Is she a practising buddhist because I know a few and they only say they are buddhist because it's trendy at the mo.
Look in your local supermarket, there's loads of budda ornaments and pictures around so I think it's a popular religion not a life changing one.
2007-06-04 08:26:02 · answer #8 · answered by tah75 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
One person does not represent a culture, religion, race, or any other kind of group, big or small.
Little bit of ignorance on your part.
A little bit about Buddhism can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism
Check it out.
2007-06-04 08:23:41 · answer #9 · answered by Stev 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can't judge a whole global religion & all its followers on one person at a bus stop!!! Adolf Hitler was a white Caucasian. Does that make all similar people Fascists ?
2007-06-04 08:16:22 · answer #10 · answered by mafille.mavie 5 · 7⤊ 0⤋