Has anyone "tried Buddhism" and given up?

Question

If so, why? If you haven't given it up, what is it that keeps you a part of it?

No answers about how Buddhism isn't something you try, or how a Buddha is me, or how the tree outside is mocking me, or how in Soviet Russia Buddhism tries you...

Straightforward stuff. However, if you have to define Buddhism before you answer the question, go right ahead. This is important.

As I expected, it seems that many people believe Buddhism is something it is not...

Stacy Ferguson: I'm sorry that your school chose to do that. That's absolutely awful and not a good representation of Buddhism at all... or you could say it's a perfect one. Do some research yourself, though. It's not what you think.

confusedx: I suggest you look into it because your views may fit right into it. It doesn't require a belief in God.

Butterkup: Thanks for doing what I told you to not do.

Loathing: I wouldn't worry about that. You don't have to focus on him at all as a Buddhist. It's kind of a cultural thing.

Joe Blow: While I agree with what you say in most cases, the nature of Buddhism is to question your preconceptions... which include everything. Perhaps you don't know enough about Buddhism to be making this statement.

Michelle: Thank you for a helpful and relevant response. Isn't it sad that I'm thanking someone for this?

ssrvj: On the other hand, everything is illusory but the Buddha within... I've wondered about this as well, but I think I have my answer.

skalite: I believe the idea is that drinking can be a "thing" that holds you back. CAN be.

Kate and james b: Might you elaborate?

Answer 1

Well, can you "don't know", or remove an idea of a scissors when I show you one and you seen it?

Truth and facts, is what the Buddha had seen.

It requires practise, and walking what the Buddha says, trying it out, before you can really know what he is talking about.

Well, If someone were to keep silent for the whole day, that is not pratising Buddhism or anything. Merely wrongful rites and rituals. How come? Because it lacks right understanding.
It lies on watching your very own mind every moment. You naturally become quiet, or less indulge in frivolous talk.

Nobody will really practise the Dhamma in depth, if one still holds much attachment. Refer to Ariyapariyesana Sutta:

"And what is the noble search? There is the case where a person, himself being subject to birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, seeks the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. Himself being subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeing the drawbacks of aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeks the aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, undefiled, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. This is the noble search."

When one really sees impermenence and suffering, we are subject to aging, illness and death, you will put in all effort to escape from it. That's what the Buddha did right? LOL...

But, very minor people really understood Dhamma, as they dwell on studies and debates, rather then looking right back into their hearts:

'Enough now with teaching
what
only with difficulty
I reached.
This Dhamma is not easily realized
by those overcome
with aversion & passion.

What is abstruse, subtle,
deep,
hard to see,
going against the flow —
those delighting in passion,
cloaked in the mass of darkness,
won't see.'

From: Ariyapariyesana Sutta, Majjhima Nikaya 26

When one day, you realise, "hey, this is the cause of my own suffering." You will stop doing it, and act according to the "Kamma" which is "Kusala", wholesome, good, which leads to the good of all. You are practising Buddhism, practising Dhamma already.

When one day you see, what the Buddha saw, then you will walk the same path the Buddha did. Saddly, many suffers from suffering and despair, from pain, but they like to delude themself, or do nothing about it even Dhamma is infront of him.

Here the Buddha expounds the truth of Suffering, but,

"When it is thus explained, taught, disclosed, analysed and elucidated by the tathagata, if there is someone who does not know and see, how can I do anything with that foolish common person, blind and sightless, who does not know and does not see?"

-Puppha Sutta, Samyutta Nikaya, iii, 2

Dhamma to be seen by ourselves. SO, it depends on the person who he actually see and what he saw, or did he see anything in-line with the truth or not?

If a person so called "tried" buddhism, he cannot decline. If he decline, he has not "tried" it.

It depends on how "tried" is explained as well. I refer, "tried" as putting it into practise in accordance with the Dhamma. If one merely listen to talks, involve in discussions and debate on Dhamma, he has never tried Dhamma at all.

"Tried" as in, putting what was taught by the Buddha into test, into practise, acting accordingly and see, is it as what the Buddha says, starting from gross to subtle objects. Gross or coarse items is such as, "I am subject to illness, illness is unavoidable." Or "Suffering is caused by what was dear to us" refer to this interesting Piyajātika Sutta(Majhima Nikaya 87) about this ironic fact.

I put away any subtle things such as practises of another Buddha other than Gotama Buddha (Sakyamuni) or emptiness, non-self etc. Start form solid facts.

You can't even ponder the fundamentals, seeing right into yourself, that there is nothing call "Self", form as form, feeling as feeling, Mind as Mind, the works of aggregates, how is it possible to understand emptiness, where it relies on seeing as well. Refer to a famous Mahayana text, the Heart Sutra, first 2 sentences.

Thus, this is likely to be the 2nd cause for people to fall after "tried" buddhism, as they go on things beyond their understanding, dwelling on meta-physical theories which the buddha proclaimed as "undeclared, set aside, discarded by the Blessed One". And failed to practised rightly with right views, they retreated from Buddhism.

As, to my experience, many regardless theravadian or Mahayanist, without right views, they follow wrong buddhist practises and accepting wrong ideas which was untraceable in the pali-canon, or not in-line with what the Buddha meant.
They follow rites and rituals with wrong aspirations, for mundane aspirations, held with wrong views, after having heard more sensible teachings, they got converted.
These are the 3rd kind of people, whom I feel, falls away from the Dhamma.

Whatever you believe in, you have to die, and age, even you don't believe, you still have to die and age. This is the Dhamma saw by the Buddha. He saw whatever regarding to the past and future. Kamma, rebirth, Law of dependent origination. and you, can see it, can realise it, with your own efforts here and now.

So what is there more to deny? When you didn't make the effort to find out and you say it is wrong or does not exist, the the ironic thing is that you can see it, understand it without your own efforts without mentioning " Hey~ such is such. It is subjected to be....etc. It arises and falls. and many other"

Lastly, how is practised Buddhism? Basically, Virtue, Concentration and Wisdom. Besides keeping to the 5 or 8 training rules(precepts), one have to meditate and train the mind. If you haven't attain any levels of Samadhi, haven't seen the fact about "Self". Not enough practise. FInd out more form the Pali canon. Don't rely on sayings from unreliable or unknown sources.

Check out this :

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/authenticity.html

and

http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/dob/dob-13tx.htm

So how can one having honestly "tried" Buddhism fall away from Buddhism? As a personal experience, one putting the Dhamma honestly into practise, one cannot fall away from Dhamma. I was refering to the Pali-Canon as a personal preference.

But I can expect, many will have more doubts within themselves before even thinking about putting Dhamma into practise first to justify what was said here. But relied on their past knowledges and thoughts, which was not deeply ponder and reflected, not beyond delusions. But there will be people who can understand Dhamma, with their current abilities.

May all be well and Happy. = )


Add ons:

To ssrvj: That idea is a confusion between eating and killing. Many mahayanist had that mixed up idea. I'll try to explain, but I respect your final views.

Does the Butcher kills out of compassion to you as you need to eat? or Something else?

Killing takes 5 conditions. The Object (living thing), You know it is living being, Intention (Desire to kill), the effort (to kill), the result (Killed). Thus, if you step the insect by accident, you didn't break the 1st precept of not killing, according to the Buddha. Still, there is Kamma though, but different from the Kamma of kiiling.

3 kinds of meat allowed by the Buddha: Not seen, Not heard, Not known, that it is killed for you. That kind of meat, where the village uncle tells you: "I shall chop up this chicken for our dinner". That you cannot accept, and should stop him from killing it. Meat from supermarket is thus allowable by the Buddha.

But still you might be thinking that, No demand no supply. Here is a dialouge to clarify this confusion:

Reverend: Let say, there is a witch living in the forest.

Man: Alright.

Reverend: And she likes to eat little boys. She'll lock them up and feed them until they are plump and juciy and eats them up.

Man: LOL...ok

Reverend: Then one day, man began to build a park for environment lovers in this forest. Many environment lovers start coming in to the park in their sports wear, and the witch is unable to keep the boys. So she travelled to the city.

Man: ok..

Reverend: She heard people buying Beef and chickens at the butcher shops, thus she go forward and asks for 5 little boys. What do you think the butch will do?

Man: The butcher will not sell any boys to the witch.

Reverend: Why?

Man: Because it is immoral to eat little boys.

Reverend: SO you mean killing chickne and beef is not immoral?

Man: No, but killing little boys are more immoral

Reverend: Anyway, the butcher rejected her request right?

Man: yes... = )

Reverend: So, what you say before, contradicts with what you says now! You said the butcher kills before we have demands, but now the butcher rejects the witch's requests for 5 boys!

Man: But that's different...

Reverend: Different? ok, let's carry on. Now the witch says, "I'll pay you $2,000 for 1 fat boy". What will be the butcher's reply?

Man: The butcher might agree.

Reverend: Why? out of compassion to the witch?

Man: No, Out of money.

Reverend: why?

Man: Greed.

Reverend: Whose choice?

Man: The butcher.

Reverend: Do you think the butcher enjoys killing, staying in the bloody and stinky butcher shop?

Man: No

Reverend: It's hard to imagine. Is it fun to go out to the sea to catch fishes? For the whole day, everyday?

Man: No, it is scary.

Reverend: Then why the fishermen do it?

Man: Out of money

Reverend: And for this reason, they kill. Nobody tell the butcher to kill. If the butcher and fisherman decides not to kill, nobody can tell them: "You must kill. Without fish and meat we can't live on!"

Man: But if everyone stops eating meat, Nobody will kill.

Reverend: Will everyone stop eating meat?

Man: It is possible, if we teach them that killing is bad.

Reverend: Will they ever listen? What about Eskimos?

Which are the countries with the greats consumption rate on meat? Are they the countries which will listen to your teachings?

What about beings killed by farmers? For the sake of development? What about animals in the labs, which were tortured?

The Buddhist doctrine is not about creating a perfect world. If it is, the Buddha already did. But he has not done, because that is not impossible: Nirvana is not in the Society, and it cannot be attained by creatign a perfect world. Look at those who intended to create a utopia: War and persecution.

Histroical records tells everything about this: Using military forces and terrors to built their empires. Great rulers today invents missiles, bombs and other hellish weapons to create a perfect world. Is this effective?

No. Why? Because everyone holds a different idea about a perfect world and everyone wants to be an emperor.

There is a small emperor in everyones heart, waiting for the opportunity to create our small utopia, using all kinds of fearful methods, just like a dog.

Buddhism is nothing about creating a perfect world, it is about creating the only perfect thing, the Arahant, a perfect man.

Thus Buddhism is about how to live in this world skillfully, trying to perfect ourselves, and not others. Thus the 8 foldpath includes not to kill beings purposely, not supporting others to kill, not buying animals for killing, not buying and selling drugs and weapons, under right livlihood.

Man: But the butcher and fisherman needs to earn a living.

Reverend: Indeed, everyone needs to earn a living. Have you thought of being a butcher for living?

Man: No! of course not.

Reverend: Why?

Man: Because it is scary.

Reverend: who's choice?

Man: Mine.

Reverend: We often forget something called: Choice. That's why modern economics, physcology and sociology are so complicated. So, Out of living, so women must be prostitutes?

Man: LOL... No of course.

Reverend: why? The pay is much higher as compared

Man: They choose to do so.

Reverend: What about scientists who tortures the animals in the Labs?

Man: They might be doing research to solve some kind of illness for us. Isn't that compassion?

Reverend: I see. taking those healthy animals into the Lab, and the compassionate scientist cut them up and put the virus into their bodies. If they did not die, they will be in great pain, and the scientist will kill it and cut it up.

But if you ask them to do it for only half of their salary, will they do it? For the sake of compassion?

Man: (Smiles) Not possible...

Reverend: We always like to make excuses for our misdeeds.

Can someone, having done a misdeed for the sake of his parents welfare. Being caught, can he expects to be release from prision by saying "I do it for the sake of my parents. please do not brign me to the prision" and he got released?

No. Even is he cries loudly, he will still be thrown into the prision.

So this sutta excerpt, is different from the modern world?

Can a elected president, by saying, "I commanded, to shoot thousands of missiles, is out of the welfare of the country! It's for the welfare of mankind! It's for democracy!" be free from hell?

Can a monk by saying "I broke the precepts to protect Buddhism! The elder's say I can do that! I should do that! It is for the sake of all beings!" be free from hell?

Man: It's the same! No excuses.

Reverend: and sariputta continues: Which is better? by using unwholesome methods for the sake of parents? or wholesome methods?

What do you think?

Man: Wholesome.

Reverend: That's what Dananjani said too. Sariputta continues, there are many other way of working, which is wholesome and are able support your parents without commiting evil.

Is this saying outdated?

Man: No. It's the same. Still applicable.

Reverend: Do we need a perfected arahant to understand this?

Man: No. I don't think so.

Answer 2

Quite simply put, when I analytically examine and work over the Buddha's teachings in my own mind, they all make perfectly logical sense.

Skalite... it's not about denial, it's about moderation and everything, you don't have to remove all the fun and be a poop, you simply cultivate a calmer mind as you're able. The only ones who MUST refrain from alcohol are those who are nuns and monks per the Vinaya. The rest learn, by default, that alcohol can fiddle with the mind's ability to be mindful, or in the present so we CHOOSE not to piddle with it, but if it's still someone's "thing" then all things in moderation are okay.

_()_

Answer 3

How you define ANY specific religion is arbitrary. In Christianity, for example, you find everything from fundamentalism to Uniterian to the Snake Handlers to Unity to Catholic. Obviously, the beliefs are vastly different.

Buddhism, like most religions, has the same situation. I consider myself an eclectic believer, and lean toward Taoism. In the final analysis, it's better to focus on what YOU believe and WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU than on labels that could be defined and categorized all day.

Answer 4

I looked into Buddhism and I'm extremely interested in Buddha's teachings, but would definitely not consider myself Buddhist. He has many wise things to learn, and living by his quotes and teachings definitely can't hurt. Most of it is just learning to control your mind completely, which is very important.

Answer 5

Aside from doing research and agreeing with some parts of Buddhism, no, I haven't tried it or became a member it.

Answer 6

I lead my life by Buddhist principles for several years. They definitely helped me become a happier, freer, and more compassionate and especially conscious human being.

However, I gave it up because signals from God became simply overwhelming. As a Christian, I have found that several Buddhist teachings resemble Jesus Christ's teachings (or viceversa you could say)

http://www.danza-arabe.8m.com/bible.htm

After all, they are just two different ways towards one common goal: light.

Answer 7

ok - simply put, I have tried it, and am still in it. What keeps me going is that not only does what I practice make sense to my mind, but it works for me. After many years, I like who I am better and I am achieving what I set out to accomplish.
I go in and out of my practices, but I don't put them aside. My own progress is the encouragement that keeps me going, and now it is so much a part of me it is totally integrated into my life. There is no one way to practice, and I also really appriciate that.

Answer 8

ya i looked into it.. i was SOO close to accepting it.. the ONLY thing that stopped me was that there has never been a female Dali lama.. and several people (who are Buddhists) have told me that they dont go "looking for one"..

i just cant give all my faith to something that i dont agree with a 100%

Answer 9

I tried to pursue Buddhism and then I got really sick and couldn't anymore. By the time I recovered, I had lost interest in religion and when I did go back, it was to Wicca. However, I want to go back and research it more this summer.

Answer 10

tried it and kept going to christianity. still can appreciate buddhism and buddhists, no problem with them at all.

Answer 11

It is difficult to be a Practising Bhuddhist.--because you can not "cheat" yourself by saying "Thy shall not Kill" and EAT daily Zillions of tons of beef,mutton,fish,chicken,shrimps and the preachers(Preists) themselves maintaining a farm to daily supply them tons of meat and washing it down their esophagus with gallons of IMPORTED "spirit"-it is difficult only .