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What does being a Buddhist mean to you?

AMedicAMedic
edited November 2009 in Buddhism Basics
I was wondering what does being a Buddhist mean to every one on here? What do you think is the very core of what it means to be a Buddhist? Is it practice, or accepting the Dharma, or something else?

To me being a Buddhist is accepting and believing in the most basic Buddhist beliefs.

Comments

  • silversteinsilverstein
    edited October 2009
    Staying calm and serene in the face of anger.
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    edited October 2009
    <b>Being</b> a Buddhist means staying mired in samsara.
  • shenpennangwashenpennangwa
    edited October 2009
    All things are impermanent.
    Samsara is suffering.
    All phenomena are empty of inherent existence and are illusory.
    The ultimate truth of Buddhahood is beyond concepts and is free from extremes.
    Beings are reborn in samsara based upon karma and the Buddha's teachings on rebirth are literal.
    Refuge in the three jewels.

    To me the full acceptance of these six things is what it takes to be a Buddhist.
    Training in and practicing the dharma for the benefit of oneself and all beings is what we as Buddhists should dedicate ourselves to.
  • KungaTashiKungaTashi
    edited October 2009
    At the core, being a Buddhist is simple to me. It means being a decent person, not creating extra suffering for oneself or another, doing the best we can to cause less suffering for all sentient beings.

    On a wider spectrum, alot of people talk about hoping to end the cycle of suffering, ie. samsara, and reaching nirvana (wherever that truly is) this time around. Not to dampen anyone's spirit here but I think it's a cop-out and is slightly selfish to want out right now, to become enlightened and somehow be transported to nirvana. I think someone who truly practices the dharma has the intention to save all beings, in all time. This being the case, we vow to come back until no one is suffering, not just this karma we are living now. Not looking to debate to much on that, I just feel that if we take on this path it is our "duty" to not only gain enlightenment for ourselves, but to help all others do so. I mean, isn't that what Buddha did? He went on a journey to end suffering, found it and has passed it on for us all to end as well right?

    So I think being a "buddhist" is to live the dharma until everyone is truly free from the suffering of samsara.

    Then again, I'm still a new jack to this Buddhist thing... so what do I know? :eek:
  • RenGalskapRenGalskap Veteran
    edited October 2009
    Practice.
  • DhammaDhatuDhammaDhatu Veteran
    edited October 2009
    Gratitude to the Buddha for finding & sharing the Dhamma.

    :)
  • msmedusamsmedusa
    edited October 2009
    Walking a straight line without compromise or distraction


    Wow its hard..:-/
  • NamelessRiverNamelessRiver Veteran
    edited October 2009
    silverstein wrote: »
    Staying calm and serene in the face of anger.

    I have been working on that, but its hard :-/

    For me, Buddhism is my raison d'être. That actually is a profound statement and it never ocurred to me before. I'm shocked :wtf:. Maybe I should start taking it very seriously then.
  • XraymanXrayman Veteran
    edited October 2009
    To be a better person, than what I just was a moment ago. ad infinitum.
  • nomadnomad
    edited October 2009
    Being a “Buddhist” means nothing to me at all. Learning the Dhamma and following the path to enlightenment means everything.

    ~nomad
  • kennykenny Explorer
    edited October 2009
    To seek the truth of suffering and its end.
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited October 2009
    NamelessRiver wrote: »
    For me, Buddhism is my raison d'être.
    That's how I feel, NR. I've never put it that way before but I will now. It describes how I feel about the Dhamma perfectly.
  • shadowleavershadowleaver Veteran
    edited November 2009
    Buddhism for me is a way to better undersand the movement of my mind and try to train my mind in such a way that I cause and experience less suffering. That way is threefold: I try to gain a better theoretical understanding about the nature of my mind and its relationship to the world by reading, I practice meditation in an attempt to actually realize that theory and make it a part of my being, and I try to be as mindful as possible of my thoughts, words and actions in "real life" so that they do not complicate or burden my life and the lives of others. So far the progress has been modest but I have faith that the path is right for me and will eventually lead me where I should go.

    Buddhism is a very practical matter for me, it's an instrument for the betterment of the experience of life. It is in no way a religion for me. However, I clearly realize that most Buddhist practice does involve an element that is a major attribute of all religions and that is blind faith. In the case of Buddhism, there is only one such element that transcends all individual schools and that is the belief in an immaterial essence or energy that human beings posess and that gets somehow reborn. To me, that belief is in no way different in quality than, for instance, a belief the virgin birth or Jesus or a belief that aliens will come and save us: not only is there no conclusive edivence for all such beliefs but all existing body of knowledge and evidence (especially science) points in a different direction.

    However, I ascribe the dubious doctrine of literal rebirth to the overwhelming cultural reality of Buddha's lifetime-- it was a part of pretty much everyone's worldview in India back then. Perhaps rejecting that doctrine for a teacher in that situation would be similar to an American presidential candidate declaring himself an atheist. The latter would never get elected, the former would never gain a serious following. The rest of the teaching being so brilliant, the unfortunate dogma stuck, even in Western Buddhism. Luckily for a sceptic like me, the Four Noble Truths do not say a word about rebirth. Thus I find it possible to reject it and treat the concept of multiple births as a metaphora for the ever changing states of a human mind in this life-- the only one life that can be conclusively shown to exist.
  • MaxHMaxH
    edited November 2009
    Nothing refers to an "I" or "mine".
  • ValtielValtiel Veteran
    edited November 2009
    fivebells wrote: »
    Being a Buddhist means staying mired in samsara.

    Great post. :)
  • AriettaDolenteAriettaDolente Veteran
    edited November 2009
    There's no such thing as a Buddhist. If you are, you aren't.
  • uzebuzeb
    edited November 2009
    Following the spiritual path to libertation.
  • AhimsaAhimsa
    edited November 2009
    Being a Buddhist may limit one's openness to reality.
    I try not to be a Buddhist therefore.
    We all are Buddhists if Buddhism is the truth.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited November 2009
    being a Buddhist ultimately means being no-thing at all.....

    Roll on Nibbana...... *sigh*.....


    :smilec:
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited November 2009
    Being a Buddhist...... Im only a "Buddhist" when I'm posting, not when doing the dishes. The core thing, and it has been a real surprise , has been the lifting of expectation, the idea that things are a certain way now, so they will be a certain way tomorrow. This has allowed for sponteneus action. If I'm walking down the street and a situation arises that involve helping or intervening, things just happen. It isnt really thought out. The other thing is that states of mind continously change without leaving a trace, I'm forgettful in that way. Oh and far less psychological suffering. There is a sense of just being the space that everything flows through, a kind of transparency.
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