Decide How You Want to Make Buddhism a Part of Your Life

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Instructions

Decide How You Want to Make Buddhism a Part of Your Life

1. Sometimes Buddhism, especially as it's been adopted in the West, can appear so liberal and watered down that it's difficult to distinguish between an actual Buddhist and a plain old "open-minded seeker of wisdom." There's no sacred law telling you, for example, that you ought to attend service at the temple every Wednesday and donate 10 percent of your income to the Dalai Lama. Lay Buddhism is about as flexible as religion can get. Nonetheless, one of your refuges as a Buddhist is the Sangha (the community of monks and nuns). They spend each and every day trying to become wiser, better people (with varying degrees of success), and some of them are available to you at certain times for guidance and counseling. Your spiritual journey might benefit from their wisdom, as well as from the companionship of fellow Buddhists.
   
   Buddhism can be frustrating for someone seeking spiritual guidance precisely because the Awakened One perceived the highest wisdom as a kind of absence. Every time you find a star in the Buddhist firmament to guide yourself by, it fades into darkness. That's sort of the point. The truth of the Middle Way is supposed to be beyond the reach of those who are chasing it. Mellow out. Enjoy life. Rejoice in the absence of a great burden of rules and doctrines. Discovering Buddhism isn't the beginning of your search for wisdom, and taking refuge in the Buddha won't be the end. Follow the guidance of your priest (if you have one), keep on reading and build a spiritual routine that feels right for you. This might include going to the local temple, performing acts of charity, going on retreat, meditation, contemplating the sacred texts and perhaps even becoming a novice monk.

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Resources

• Convert to Buddhism Online
• Global Resources Guide at the Journal of Business Ethics
• Guide to Meditation

[sansayan]

on 12/12/2009 This is not wise to say that there is no god or goddess on Buddhism, rather if you study Buddhist discourses, you will find numerous examples of god or goddess who are visiting Lord Buddha and his honourable disciples. Among them are the king of gods, satru, brahma and other gods. please study deeply the tipitaka before denying the existence of gods or goddesses.