How to Go About Converting to Buddhism

As you join an estimated 500 million other Buddhists around the world in the quest for spiritual enlightenment, you'll be answering a number of deep spiritual and philosophical questions. Buddhists are a light-hearted, peace-loving group who are committed to living a highly spiritual lifestyle. Buddhism doesn't have a fixed, unquestionable ideology like major religions of faith, but there are definite elements of mysticism and spirituality.

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Instructions

Know What Makes Buddhism Different From Other Religions

1. In Buddhism, there is no God, nor any gods or goddesses, seraphim, cherubim, archangels, demons, mythological beasts, familiars, pan-dimensional cyborgs or talkative shrubbery. That's one thing that distinguishes it from other major religions, and that's also what makes it so appealing to the ultra-rational, scientifically trained Western mind. The only steadfast rule about Buddhism is that you accept the teachings of the Buddha. There's a story told in Buddhist lore about a follower of another religion who went to the Buddha to try to convert him. The man was so impressed by the words of the Buddha that he decided to become a follower of the Buddha. Buddha said to him, "Make a proper investigation first." Notice that the Buddha did not proselytize aggressively, but he suggested that people should take it or leave it according to their own personal assessment without relying on hearsay or mere tradition. So study as broadly as you need to, and make up your own mind. Keep this story in mind as you read about Buddhism; it strongly exemplifies its core values of achieving your own internal happiness instead of blindly following the words of others. Common practices and teachings are taken from two main branches: The School of Elders (Theravada) and The Greater Vehicle (Mahayana), one subdivision of which is the well-known Zen Buddhism.

Next: Understand the Synonyms for the Buddha

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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.