How has practicing buddhism changed your life?

Gui

...changed my life?
It showed me the way to the beginning. Way before I started reading all those books about Buddhism and what not.

Bunks

lamaramadingdong said:

I just stripped away my beliefs to the core and Buddhism is what was left.

How wonderfully profound!!!!!

:thumbsup:

ysmael

big time it did. i can now manage my temper well, my being impatient, ego-tripper, and most of the time being unkind to people in action and in words

David

genkaku said:

I was once walking down a street in Boston, when a radio reporter shoved a microphone in my face. Was I an only child or did I have brothers and sisters when growing up, she asked. I said I was an only child. And did I think I would have been better off or happier if I had grown up with siblings, she asked.

The question hung in the air like something that made no sense: How could I know if I would have been better off since I had no experience to judge by?

I likewise wonder if things might have turned out differently -- better, worse, richer, poorer, smarter, dumber, more spiritually attuned or less, kinder or meaner ... if I had not taken up Zen practice. If I had not involved myself with Buddhism, would I be a garbage collector or a stock broker or a bank robber or a Playboy bunny or a saint ...?

Since I have no experience to judge by, the question hangs in the air, waiting for the waitress to bring another pitcher of beer so that, with luck, I will get a little drunk and imagine I could answer the question of how Buddhism affected my life. Of course it did, but I cannot -- literally can not -- say how ... except when I'm a little bit drunk.

That was what I was trying to say but you put it much better. The only exception is that I prefer to unwind with a bit of weed rather than beer.

Jeffrey

Metta practice isn't on its own liberating, but it does protect us from fear. Buddha gave the meditation teachings due to the reaction of his students to contemplating the body as a corpse etc. Some monks committed suicide they were so depressed by contemplating the body as a pus sack etc.. Then Buddha gave the metta teacher to help with their depression and fear.

Theswingisyellow

To the OP: This is from "Teachings of the Buddha" by J. Kornfield p.38
"Three Characteristics":
"All formations are transient, all formations are subject to suffering; all things are without self."
"Therefore, whatever there be of form, or consciousness, perception, mental formations, or consciousness, whether past, present or future, one's own or external, gross or subtle, lofty or low, far or near, one should understand according to reality and true wisdom:
"This does not belong to me; this I am not; this is not my Self."

I restate this here for this to me is the truth, it's applicable to every moment of my life, and it's has had a profound effect on me and my life; to know my grasping is suffering, knowing my letting go is for my betterment and the truth of the matter: none of this ever changing thing called life was ever mine to begin with.

Vastmind

georgiamichele said:

I am writing an article and would love to speak to people about why they joined, how it has improved their life and outlook and what they have taken from it the most.

Just curious......what/who is the article for?

santhisouk

I am less selfish now, and able to catch myself when negative thoughts arises. It's an on-going practice, but had I not learned to pay more attention to my thoughts, who knows what bad karma would have come out of me.

I remember a post a while back where someone had mentioned that they did not think that metta is important in Buddhism practice. Well I don't think any form of personal happiness can last long against life's onslaught of suffering. We should try to share our happiness whenever we can so that it has more strength to endure. And I thank Buddhism for these kinds of thoughts.

cvalue

How my life has changed!

I become vegan and said good bye to my favorite chicken, eggs and shrimp dishes and replace them with detestable broccoli and other tasteless veggies! that sucks!

I stopped hanging out with my regular group of friends because we don't have anything in common any more. Where are all the cheering and laughing now? All gone!

I don't feel like travelling any more and stop dreaming about luxury cruises because I see no pleasure it them. What's the point? I can no longer drink or eat! What a pity!

I stop watching movies, I stop listening to music, I go to bed early so I can get up early to do meditation before going to work. I spend a lot of time studying Buddhism instead of reading hot novels. What a bored life!

Outsiders look in to my case and feel so sorry for me. They have no idea how happy and peaceful I feel. I no longer get angry, I don't crave for things any more, no more envies, I share the wealth instead of accumulating it, I no longer feel stressful and worried. I feel so sure of myself now, I know where I am going, I no longer feel lost and confused. Thanks to the healthier diet, I am more energetic now. I have more compassion for humans and animals. I had some tears in my eyes the other night, during meditation, I remember how I killed a rat once when I was very young. I feel its pain, I feel remorse, so I donated money to 3 charity organizations to rescue animals. I talked to the poor rat that I killed that his death was not in vain, because I will help saved all animals from cruelty from now on.

federica

The OP has visited once, and the first post was her only contribution.
I have emailed her, but until such a time as she demonstrates she wasn't wasting our time, I'm closing the thread.

many, many thanks for all the excellent contributions. By not having returned to the site, she's missed a lot of valuable comments.