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The One Fantastic and Wonderful and Amazing Word
ajani_mgo
Veteran
I start t have people asking me what does Buddhism teach... What do I say, that one word?
"Non-attachment?", does anyone have better suggestions?
"Non-attachment?", does anyone have better suggestions?
0
Comments
-bf
Perhaps emptiness as opposed to no-thing (as there are nihilistic implications with that term).
Good thread ajani!
The shock, dear friend, would be if you said nothing! LOL
I would most seriously urge you to give up any idea of "expounding the Dhamma". When asked, the only answer, IMHO, in Right Speech is: "I tkae Refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha".
Well very stupidly once Argon and his Muslim friend asked me what Buddhism taught and I was like erm... Then I remembered the first Noble Truth, dukkha.
So I said, "Life is full of suffering." Well very expected of them they laughed like hell and asked, "Hahahaha! Then what are we doing now?" But then I realize that's what they say only when they are in good mood, I see them in rotten depression at times and I thought "This's this."
Wonderful and
Amazing are excellent words to describe
Fantastic
Wonderful and
Amazing.
-bf
How about just saying that Buddhism teaches a person how to remove the harmful mental states of greed, hatred, and delusion?
Whether you are a Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, Black, White, Asian, Middle Eastern, Middle Western, short, tall, skinny, not so skinny, man, woman, something in between, or whatever - this is benefitial nonetheless, right? Wouldn't God, if God does exist, wish for His/Her followers to act in a generous, compassionate, and mindful way? Wouldn't you, if God doesn't exist, still wish to act in a generous, compassionate, and mindful way? (I'm hoping the answer is yes either way
That is all Buddhism really teaches - skillful living (with the added benefit of Awakening and the complete cessation of dukkha as a bonus, but you don't have to mention that part.)
Jason
not one word perhapse, but buddhism goes beyond one word.
The fun thing is, that if you really try to say it shortly - compassion, tolerance etc. every other religions could say the same.
I think that the important thing, is not what you tell people about buddhism but how you act and speak when youre in the presence of sentient beings
......... in other words - I don't know what to answer either when people ask me why i'm a buddhist lol
It's nice to meet you!
Welcome to the board and I hope you find it as useful as I do.
Thanks for the welkoming - May we all benefit from the virtuous actions of each other
I like the word "vigilence".
::
The listener if genuinely curious will hopefully ask, liberation from what.
I would agree with "liberation" and the Buddha makes clear that we are, indeed, in need of liberation - from the toils of samsara and its inevitable dukkha.
I find the same message of liberation in the Jesus message but I know that there are those who would disagree.
Because every second, something I thought was real, is not real.
Including me.
Palzang
As in, the transformation of suffering into well-being.
Of course I can't take credit for that--I got it out of one of Tich Nath Hanh's books.
Attention Attention Attention!
I know I said it 3 times, but it's still just one word.
_/\_
But please don't twist my arm and make me.
I dislike the word "Buddhism," but do very much like the Name, "Buddha."
But then, I dislike almost all words ending in -ism. The word "organism," however is an exception, as that is something REAL and not abstract. Abstractions, though necessary, just skirt around the real but never quite touch the essence. And I'd ruther be wordless (abstractionless) about a lot of really cool things.
But you needn't ask me, 'cuz I'm not quite sure I could Say them.
Mindfulness !!!
.. and if I can cheat "Practicing Mindfulness"
Although Simon's Compassion is hard to beat.
Cheers ...
Aww, well, that one is just so obvious I didn't even see it. You're right, of course