How do you know when your truly a buddhist?

kmhulley79

I have recently been meditating and researching all of Buddhism and am very interested in this practice. I find it calming and of course i have only been officially doing this for about a week now. So still learning but how do u know when u have progressed to that state of mind?

Mountains

There's a secret handshake you have to learn

Seriously, I think this question could be answered differently by every Buddhist. And ultimately I don't see it as very important. It's just a label. What's important is living your life according to the dharma. What you call yourself is really irrelevant.

tamm

LOL Mountains! Coming from a religion with secret handshakes I find this very hilarious!
On topic though, I think that lots of people get caught up in officially taking refuge. But to me the most important aspects to "being Buddhist" are mostly to make sure I'm doing meditation, being observant and compassionate.

kmhulley79

thanks

kmhulley79

so helpful

Linc

When you decide you are.

kmhulley79

thanks lincoln

compassionate_warrior

I agree with Mountains and tamm. I don't think it's about "taking refuge". It's about practicing mindfulness both in meditation and when going about daily life, it's about compassion applied wisely, about setting up positive mental habits, and observing the discipline of the 5 basic precepts. (No killing, km. No bug squishing. )

NOTaGangsta

After taking an official "triple gem refuge" ceremony you become a Buddhist.

federica

Not so.
I know plenty of people who call themselves Buddhist, who have not taken Refuge.
Taking Refuge in the Triple Gem makes you no more a Buddhist than sitting in a garage makes you a car.

It's all in the actions. Which as we all know, speak louder than words.....;)

thickpaper

The Buddha wasn't a Buddhist. This is a point I often fall back on when dazzled.....

caz

The Buddha wasn't a Buddhist. This is a point I often fall back on when dazzled.....

Actually he was He was the first Buddhist for this age.
One becomes a Buddhist by name when they take refuge, One becomes a Buddhist by heart when they implement Buddha's Dharma so that it fundementally changes non virtue into virtue and ignorance into wisdom.

Mountains

The Buddha wasn't a Buddhist. This is a point I often fall back on when dazzled.....

No more than Jesus of Nazareth was a Christian. But both he and the Buddha lived what they taught, so you can say in some sense they were what they taught.

genkaku

There is something to be said for the consolation new-comers may find in names and forms. In the beginning -- if anyone's experience is similar to my own -- there were distinct feelings of inadequacy and wanting to fit in because that's how life had been lived in the past ... fitting in, getting brownie points, accumulating Boy Scout badges, finding approval from others ... and trying to convince myself that I hadn't joined a group of lunatics who were simply inviting me to their lunatic adventures. I wanted to be reassured and included and it was perfectly normal, human stuff.

So, I can see wanting to be a "Buddhist" or know when, at last, that status might be achieved. @mountains mentioned the secret handshake but neglected to mention the fateful night on which all newcomers must swallow a goldfish if they want to become "Buddhists."

What informs and releases the notion that Buddhists come from the same cookie-cutter ("Buddhists") is a determined and constant practice. I favor meditation. Meditation builds experience and experience can never be hemmed in by anything so limiting and limited as "Buddhist" or "Buddhism." In our practice, we are all among friends, all part of sangha, but to say that we are 'just like' anything whatsoever is an overstatement. Practice teaches what needs to be known ... today a Buddhist, tomorrow a Yankees fan.

bravehawk

You're a Buddhist when you make a commitment to the precepts and trust yourself to be on the right path.

Mountains

Perhaps the more pertinent question might be "How do you know when you're truly *not* a Buddhist?".

santhisouk

When you practice and stand for its cause.

zenmyste

You know when you are a buddhist when you are not seeking to become a buddhist. your just *being*...

''Do not tell them....SHOW THEM''

''There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path...''
(my 2 fav quotes)

One who labels himself a buddhist probably isnt...Some people just need to feel connected to something or a community, they need to label themselves as practising something in order to achieve things or in order to carry on their practice, its pretty sad....Even Some Monks dont call themselves buddhists..

And it is said that even Buddha always said ''I am NOT a buddhist'' because he just *was*...he didnt need to label himsself as anything. Just be...x

goshiki

perhaps when you ready to accept you are same and equal with all livings and non-living and all living or non-living is same and equal as you . Perhaps when you could learn Buddhism from all living and non-living and all is your master . Perhaps when you "stop" teaching and continue learning . Perhaps when you "know' your pollutants against "purity"- the Buddha . Perhaps you know you "owned" nothing or connected to "nothing" . perhaps you free of all .