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What is a Buddhist?
Palzang
Veteran
Once I was seated on a plane in the middle seat of the middle row on a trans-Atlantic flight, and the sympathetic man sitting next to me made an attempt to be friendly. Seeing my shaved head and maroon skirt, he gathered that I was a Buddhist. When the meal was served, the man considerately offered to order a vegetarian meal for me. Having correctly assumed that I was a Buddhist, he also assumed that I don't eat meat. That was the beginning of our chat. The flight was long, so to kill our boredom, we discussed Buddhism.
Over time I have come to realize that people often associate Buddhism and Buddhists with peace, meditation, and nonviolence. In fact many seem to think that saffron or maroon robes and a peaceful smile are all it takes to be a Buddhist. As a fanatical Buddhist myself, I must take pride in this reputation, particularly the nonviolent aspect of it, which is so rare in this age of war and violence, and especially religious violence. Throughout the history of humankind, religion seems to beget brutality. Even today religious-extremist violence dominates the news. Yet I think I can say with confidence that so far we Buddhists have not disgraced ourselves. Violence has never played a part in propagating Buddhism. However, as a trained Buddhist, I also feel a little discontented when Buddhism is associated with nothing beyond vegetarianism, nonviolence, peace, and meditation. Prince Siddhartha, who sacrificed all the comforts and luxuries of palace life, must have been searching for more than passivity and shrubbery when he set out to discover enlightenment.
Although essentially very simple, Buddhism cannot be explained. It is almost inconceivably complex, vast, and deep. Although it is nonreligious and nontheistic, it's difficult to present Buddhism without sounding theoretical and religious. As Buddhism has traveled to different parts of the world, the cultural characteristics it accumulated have made it even more complicated to decipher. Theistic trappings such as incense, bells, and multicolored hats can attract people's attention, but as the same time they can be obstacles. People end up thinking that is all there is to Buddhism and are diverted from its essence.
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, What Makes You Not A Buddhist
Over time I have come to realize that people often associate Buddhism and Buddhists with peace, meditation, and nonviolence. In fact many seem to think that saffron or maroon robes and a peaceful smile are all it takes to be a Buddhist. As a fanatical Buddhist myself, I must take pride in this reputation, particularly the nonviolent aspect of it, which is so rare in this age of war and violence, and especially religious violence. Throughout the history of humankind, religion seems to beget brutality. Even today religious-extremist violence dominates the news. Yet I think I can say with confidence that so far we Buddhists have not disgraced ourselves. Violence has never played a part in propagating Buddhism. However, as a trained Buddhist, I also feel a little discontented when Buddhism is associated with nothing beyond vegetarianism, nonviolence, peace, and meditation. Prince Siddhartha, who sacrificed all the comforts and luxuries of palace life, must have been searching for more than passivity and shrubbery when he set out to discover enlightenment.
Although essentially very simple, Buddhism cannot be explained. It is almost inconceivably complex, vast, and deep. Although it is nonreligious and nontheistic, it's difficult to present Buddhism without sounding theoretical and religious. As Buddhism has traveled to different parts of the world, the cultural characteristics it accumulated have made it even more complicated to decipher. Theistic trappings such as incense, bells, and multicolored hats can attract people's attention, but as the same time they can be obstacles. People end up thinking that is all there is to Buddhism and are diverted from its essence.
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, What Makes You Not A Buddhist
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Comments
Please say more, Palzang!
being a buddhist to me symbolises the need to help ourselves out, to help the poor fragile person within us.
There is no definate answer of course.. you can apply many which are of an infinite whole, an answer would be Buddhism doesn't exist..
Samsara for so many is such a brutal, violent, stressful condition and I think if you asked the average person what they want most in the world, peace would be high on their list. Especially if they've suffered a lot. So if the average person's idea of Buddhism is peace, meditation and non-violence I feel that that is enough of a contrast to the stress of everyday life to be a beacon of hope.
When I hit my rock bottom I remember exactly what was going through my head. I'd been suffering so deeply for so long that I could rightly be described as heart sick, spirit sick. And when I hit that rock bottom I knew there was no way out because I felt suicide would just result in more of the same. Feeling completely trapped I finally got mad and said "I've HAD it!! No more!! I'm not going to suffer another MINUTE, dammit!! There are people all over the world experiencing horror beyond my comprehension and somehow they manage to find peace and joy. Well then, so will I." Organized religion was the last thing on my mind because I thought I'd tried it all but I thought to myself "Who are the happiest, most peaceful looking people you've ever seen?" Then *lightbulb*! Buddhists!! And that's when I vowed to follow Buddhism. I took my refuge before I ever knew that taking refuge was a formal Buddhist practice. And everything changed.
As a side note, like many people here I feel like I've always been a Buddhist. But somehow I forgot as I grew up. When I was suffering I always felt like I was forgetting something, that if I could just figure out what it was I'd find my way again. As if I used to know how to deal with heartbreak, for example, but somehow forgot. There were some bright moments when the innate Buddhism shone through, which my parents called "Brigid being philosophical". lol! But it wasn't until I'd actually taken refuge that I realized "THIS is what I've been forgetting! I used to know all this." So now when my parents say that I'm being healthy and philosophical about something I tell them that I'm not being philosophical, I'm being realistic. lol!
And how true about the distorted view that people have of other paths: just look at the nonsense spoken and written about Christianity or Islam - and the wickedness done in their name. When someone like me tries to say "This is not Christianity. Jesus' message is about peace, justice and compassion for the whole universe", we make ourselves targets for scorn and insults.
Some people would rather hang onto their prejudices (and the attendant suffering that they cause themselves and others) than recognise their error and move on.
Palzang
It is devious and misguided to imagine...simplifying Buddhism into defined, calculated practices like meditating three times a day, adhering to certain dress codes, and holding certain ideological beliefs, such as that the whole world must be converted to Buddhism. If we could promise that such practices would provide immediate, tangible results, I think there would be more Buddhists in the world. But when I recover from these fantasies (which I rarely do), my sober mind warns me that a world of people calling themselves Buddhists would not necessarily be a better world.
Many people mistakenly think that Buddha is the "God" of Buddhism; even some people in commonly recognized Buddhist countries such as Korea, Japan, and Bhutan have this theistic approach to Buddha and Buddhism. ... Buddha was just a man and this man became Buddha.
It is understandable that some people might think that Buddhists are followers of this external man named Buddha. However, Buddha himself pointed out that we should not venerate a person but rather the wisdom that person teaches. Similarly, it is taken for granted that reincarnation and karma are the most essential beliefs of Buddhism. There are numerous other gross misconceptions. For example, Tibetan Buddhism is sometimes referred to as "lamaism," and Zen is not even considered Buddhism in some cases. Those people who are slightly more informed, yet still misguided, may use words such as emptiness and nirvana without understanding their meaning.
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, What Makes You Not A Buddhist
Do you have more? I will try and find his book.
Thanks for sharing Palzang.
Shambhala Sun | March 2000
Buddhism In a Nutshell: The Four Seals of Dharma
Palzang
When a conversation arises like the one with my seatmate on the plane, a non-Buddhist may casually ask, "What makes someone a Buddhist?" That is the hardest question to answer. If the person has a genuine interest, the complete answer does not make for light dinner conversations, and generalizations can lead to misunderstanding. Suppose that you give them the true answer, the answer that points to the very foundation of this 2,500-year-old tradition.
One is a Buddhist if he or she accepts the following four truths:
All compounded things are impermanent.
All emotions are pain.
All emotions have no inherent existence
Nirvana is beyond concepts.
These four statements, spoken by the Buddha himself, are known as "the four seals." Traditionally, seal means something like a hallmark that confirms authenticity. For the sake of simplicity and flow we will refer to these statements herein as both seals and "truths," not to be confused with Buddhism's four noble truths, which pertain solely to aspects of suffering. Even though the four seals are believed to encompass all of Buddhism, people don't seen to want to hear about them. Without further explanation they serve only to dampen spirits and fail to inspire further interest in many cases. The topic of conversation changes and that's the end of it.
The message of the four seals is meant to be understood literally, not metaphorically or mystically -- and meant to be taken seriously. But the seals are not edicts or commandments. With a little contemplation one sees that there is nothing moralistic or ritualistic about them. There is no mention of good or bad behavior. They are secular truths based on wisdom, and wisdom is the primary concern of a Buddhist. Morals and ethics are secondary. A few puffs from a cigarette and a little fooling around don't prevent someone from becoming a Buddhist. That is not say that we have license to be wicked or immoral.
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, What Makes You Not A Buddhist
Palzang
Broadly speaking, wisdom comes from a mind that has what the Buddhists call "right view." But one doesn't even have to consider oneself a Buddhist to have right view. Ultimately it is this view that determines our motivation and action. It is the view that guides us on the path of Buddhism. If we can adopt wholesome behaviors in addition to the fours seals, it makes us even better Buddhists. But what makes you not a Buddhist?
If you cannot accept that all compounded or fabricated things are impermanent, if you believe that there is some essential substance or concept that is permanent, then you are not a Buddhist.
If you cannot accept that all emotions are pain, if you believe that actually some emotions are pleasurable, then you are not a Buddhist.
If you cannot accept that all phenomena are illusory and empty, if you believe that certain things do exist inherently, then you are not a Buddhist.
And if you think that enlightenment exists within the spheres of time, space, and power, then you are not a Buddhist.
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, What Makes You Not A Buddhist
Palzang
I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for more from this man because he explains things like no one I've ever read or heard before. So utterly amazing. I love it.
Hmmmm....
It seems, grasshopper, that you have your uses after all.... :tongue2: :om: :thumbsup:
And yes, Brigid, I agree. This is the kind of lama I really like, like Mipham Rinpoche or my teacher. They're not afraid to tell it like it is.
Palzang
So, what makes you a Buddhist? You may not have been born in a Buddhist country or to a Buddhist family, you may not wear robes or shave your head, you may eat meat and idolize Eminem and Paris Hilton. That doesn't mean you cannot become a Buddhist. In order to be a Buddhist, you must accept that all compounded phenomena are impermanent, all emotions are pain, all things have no inherent existence, and enlightenment is beyond concepts.
It's not necessary to be constantly and endlessly mindful of these four truths. But they must reside in your mind. You don't walk around persistently remembering your own name, but when someone asks your name, you remember it instantly. There is no doubt. Anyone who accepts these four seals, even independently of Buddha's teachings, even never having heard the name of Shakyamuni Buddha, can be considered to be on the same path as he.
When I tried to explain all of this to the man next to me on the plane, I began to hear a soft snoring sound and realized that he was sound asleep. Apparently our conversation did not kill his boredom.
...It is not my aim to persuade people to follow Shakyamuni Buddha, become Buddhists, and practice the dharma.... What did this Indian prince say that earned so much respect and admiration, even from skeptical modern scientists like Albert Einstein? What did he say that moved thousands of pilgrims to prostrate themselves all the way from Tibet to Bodh Gaya? What sets Buddhism apart from the religions of the world? I believe it boils down to the four seals....
Siddhartha's priority was to get down to the root of the problem. Buddhism is not culturally bound. Its benefits are not limited to any particular society and have no place in government and politics. Siddhartha was not interested in academic treatises and scientifically provable theories. Whether the world is flat or round did not concern him. He had a different kind of practicality. He wanted to get down to the bottom of suffering... His teachings are not a grandiose intellectual philosophy to be read and then shelved, but a functional, logical view that can practiced by each and every individual.
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, What Makes You Not A Buddhist
Emphasis added...
Palzang
Palzang
But all these emotions are just energy. Painful energy, depending on the quality I assign to them, but without my opinions getting in the way they're just energy. And I'm understanding better the nature of that energy flow and how it makes me suffer. It's so interesting! Emotion is stressful therefore it causes us suffering. That's so very true.
Palzang
......"Things Just As They Are"
as I said...
Five hugely significant, enormous, difficult, extraordinary words....
Phew......
It certainly doesn't beat about the bush, and shoots straight from the hip. I have no arguments with it, for what he states is indisputably and unarguably true... I just need to read it again, in order to digest it more effectively....
But what a book.
Here are my first five finds (After that they start getting down to how ductape works on everything but ducts.):
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
Just One Thing: Twelve of the World's Best Investors Reveal the One Strategy You Can't Overlook by John F. Mauldin
Why People Buy Things They Don't Need: Understanding and Predicting Consumer Behavior by Pamela Danziger
Just One More Thing: Stories from My Life by Peter Falk
Caleb Williams or Things as They are by William Godwin
Is there a special Buddhist book world, dear, dear, federica, that I can access to have an idea where you are?
Sounds GREAT. Please say more!
XXX,
Nirvana
This book refers to the one mentioned earlier, by Palzang, titled "What makes you NOT a Buddhist? " by Dzongdar Jamyang Khyentse.
i tried telling my friend that... cus he was geting worked up about geopolitics.. he just replied
well what the hell does that mean...
I enjoyed it :thumbsup:
As for personal pronouns, Drolma, and WHO they relate to:
I remember my high school English teacher saying that when you're writing, try to think of a blind little old lady who needs directions how to get to a shop around the corner and across the street.
Now, it turns out that I'm her blind old man companion, as I can't follow any of you folks here. I guess I just read Palzang's original post's last line as some sort of allusion or question to somebody that I simply did not know of.
Is there no Buddhist ethical duty to be helpful or clear?
Oh the beauty: People Just As They Are
:banghead:
---
Hello Nirvana,
Indeed the beauty when we work with our own minds : People Just As They Are.:thumbsup:
Did your highschool English teacher have any advice about what to do when you are reading?
It makes logical sense to me not to ever assume too much. I mean the person I am reading, may not have English as their home language, they may not even have finished highschool for all I know. You just never know eh? I have personally found that expectations are a pain, a distraction, and laziness their game, so working with my own mind, using my own however limited intelligence---- well life really tends to be a heap less frustrating. But I guess in the end, everyone must do as they please.
Thanks Brigid :smilec: