- NEW!
by Khamaileon on February 22nd, 2008
Just say you're Buddist
by Heather on February 22nd, 2008
Just start living Buddist principles. There is not offical conversion ceremony.
by L. Taylor on November 6th, 2009
If you would like to make Buddhism your religion, there are some things to consider. First one should be familiar with the basic tenants of Buddhism such as karma, rebirth, Four Noble Truths, The Eight Fold Path and the Five Precepts. It is not necessary to accept all of these concepts at the start, but one should be willing consider them. The Buddha never asked his disciples to believe something because he said it. He said that one needed to prove it true for yourself.
Simply practicing Chan meditation and adopting some of Buddha's philosophy does not make a person a Buddhist. Of course these practices may be used to further or enhance any religious practice from Christianity and Judaism to Hinduism.
To formally make Buddhism your religion involves three steps. The first is to take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma (the doctrines and truths taught by the Buddha) and Sangha (the community of Buddhist including both lay and ordained members). The second is to receive the Five Precepts:
1. Not to take any life or harm others.
2. Not to take that which is not given.
3. Do not engage in improper sexual conduct. Harms families and disturbs the order of society.
4. Do not make false statements as these can injure others.
5. Do not use intoxicants. These can lead to braking of the Precepts.
In receiving the Precepts we are making a commitment to do our very best to keep them. It does not mean that we will never break them. The essence or building blocks of Buddhist practice are morality, meditation & wisdom. These three are mutually interdependent. As our practice deepens braking of the Precepts will become less frequent.
The administering of the Precepts and taking refuge (lay ordination) is normally done in a ceremony conducted by a monk or priest. In the third step the ordainee is given a Buddhist name, a ordination certificate and meditation beads.
Finally Buddhism is a religion of practice so it is important to make an effort daily to practice, be it meditation or reciting the Buddha's name. In Buddhism liberation does not come from the other but from the self.
by Rickster is victorious on March 1st, 2008
Hi mesagi-
My name is Rick & I'm a member of the Soka Gakkai Buddhist organization. I'm a licensed psychotherapist working in a Medicaid manged care company (i.e. insurance for the poor). I've been chanting for 8 and one-half years (nb: and meditated for 7 years before that time). To become a member an S.G.I. Buddhist member you would attend a local S.G.I. Discussion meeting and start chanting with a member who can teach you about the practice. Should you find the chanting, meetings, study etc. of value, you would receive the Gohonzon (Sacred Scroll) that you chant to daily. We are in 190 countries, so you can practice with others wherever you go. Most members are ordinary people like you and me (nb: although I will say there are some really well known SGI members who have turned their lives around practicing our form of Buddhism, like Tina Tuner - see the film "Whats Love Got to Do With It", Richard Gere, Herbie Hancock & Suzanne Vega - the latter of which won Grammy Awards this year, including album of the year!).
Our practice is based on actual proof, so we look to see whether our practice of Buddhism (i.e. faith, daily chanting and study) creates value for our selves and others. If so, we continue chanting and taking faith. We are a lay organization with no priests, etc., so there is no one between us and our own Buddhahood (nb: as the Buddha exists within). Our mentor is poet laureate SGI President Daisaku Ikeda, and the 13th century Buddhist reformist Nichiren Daishonin. We are also a Non-Governmental Organization of the United Nations, given our stance against nuclear weapon proliferation. President Ikeda has held meetings with and has received praise from world leaders and noteworthy people such as Rosa Parks, Michael Gorbachev, Nelson Mandela, Zhou Enlai and others. We are an organization that promotes peace, culture and education and we respect all faiths that promote peace and understanding in the world.
Check out sgi-usa.org for more information. Feel free to e-mail me, if you want somone to contact you regarding meetings in your area.
I hope this helpful to you! :)
by Anon y mouse on February 23rd, 2008
Forget SGI, chanting won't do it for you and there is no God in Buddhism. The link to soyouwanna is okay and the advice on meditation is also good. The yard stick here is that Buddhism is about waking up to reality. It's not about joss sticks, sounding silly in a strange language and paying lots of money to some organization, believing in reincarnation or becoming a really annoying vegetarian.
If you have no choice but to find out for yourself what is real and what is true and have come across the practice of Buddhism (and no it's not chanting for a new job or a bigger house), then you have already begun the process. Find a good teacher, meditate, be committed, even in the half assed way that most beginners are, to waking up and above all, don't lose sight of your bullshit meter. There are a lot of problematic groups and teachers using the term Buddhism and most of them are clueless. This site may also be of use:
http://homepage.mac.com/doubtboy/
by I am Omar on November 6th, 2009
Why would you want to?
by Sharona Life is a Tale Told by an Idiot on November 6th, 2009
Read Siddharta by Herman Hesse for starters.
by MOON_LIGHT_88 on November 6th, 2009
Just move to Nepal and live with them :)
by birch117 on February 22nd, 2008
Check this out http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/buddhism/buddhism.html
by jin jang on February 22nd, 2008
Start reading about it and learn to meditate.There are no hard and fast rules or doctrines to follow.
by Mimi..smiling...there is no Option Two.. on February 22nd, 2008
try this - non-profit, doesn't hassle you, do it in your own time, own space... and there's a couple of us here! :)
http://www.sgi-usa.org/
by Shawn_G7531 on October 2nd, 2010
can the inner eye hurt you
by Mimi..smiling...there is no Option Two.. on February 23rd, 2008
sure, I'm sorry! I meant to do this before!
.
you don't say where you are but this is the UK website:
.
http://www.sgi-uk.org/index.php/sgi-uk
.
or you can just type in
sgi-usa.org
if you're in the States. They have organisations worldwide and will have the relevant addresses on either of these sites of you're another country.
by dharma_talks on April 30th, 2010
Your daily practice is a great way to start. An easy way to start is by following the five precepts. By being mindful as often as possible of these five practices, you will notice the subtle changes Buddhism can bring to your life.
Five Precepts:
1. I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking life.
2. I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking what is not given.
3. I undertake the training rule to abstain from sexual misconduct.
4. I undertake the training rule to abstain from false speech.
5. I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented drink that causes heedlessness (alcohol).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts
by LoyalTubist-CountryClub Life in Mindanao on February 23rd, 2008
I met a man who became a Buddhist at the job I had before I moved here to Vietnam. He said becoming a Buddhist was the easy part. However, to maintain the Buddhist lifestyle took a lot of devotion and patience.
Mind you, this was a job in which we worked an 80 hour shift with military personnel in the desert. I often fell asleep to listening to him chant.
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Comments
no my friend... bit more to it than that!
by Mimi..smiling...there is no Option Two.. on February 22nd, 2008