How to Interview a Buddhist

Buddhism can bring an interesting perspective to Western society.

While Christianity is not considered as universal in the western world as it once was, it has been prevalent enough in Western society that most Americans view other religions through a Judeo-Christian lens. Buddhism is quite different from Christianity and Judaism, yet many who would wish to interview a Buddhist may end up doing so from the point of view of a traditional Christian background. With that in mind, here are some tips that you may want to keep in mind, if you plan to interview a Buddhist.

Instructions

1. Discuss the traditional tenets of Buddhism. Like most world religions that have survived for thousands of years, Buddhism is a very complex system of beliefs. There is far too much to cover here, but some of the tenets include the Four Noble Truths -- the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to that end -- the concept of karma, and the cycle of death and rebirth. These concepts can be endlessly fascinating to one with an open mind, and since Buddhists believe in them as strongly as others believe in their religions, they should be treated with the utmost respect.

2. Ask what drew your subject to Buddhism. People follow different religions for different reasons, and almost no two people have the same reasons for following the same religion. Maybe he was born into a family of Buddhists and he became a believer in the faith at a young age. Perhaps he learned about it later in life and decided that it made the most sense to him. Whatever his reason for becoming a Buddhist, it is bound to be a deeply personal story that can make for a fascinating discussion.

3. Discuss the similarities and differences between Buddhism and your own religion. This always makes for a great discussion. Many people believe that their religion is the "correct" one and that all others are false, and that belief has obviously has led to contention between different peoples that has existed for thousands of years. A discussion between a Buddhist and a Christian -- as just one example -- may be about the differences between the two belief systems, but it could also reveal a few similarities that may encourage greater tolerance and understanding.

References

• Religious Tolerance; Comparison of Buddhism & Christianity
• PBS.org; Basics of Buddhism