Meditave Teachings

Pariah

Okay so i have some one coming over to my place because they want to know whats so good about Buddhism, they are an atheist and i want to make them understand what its like to be Buddhist. She wants me to show her how to meditate, which is easy but what else should i cover? Karma? Nirvana? just wondering what you guys usually tell people about Buddhists.

Talisman

Explain the 4 noble truths and the 8-fold path.

If you think she is intelligent, you can try to begin to explain dependent origination.

Meditate and laugh

Jakbob

Pariah wrote: »

Okay so i have some one coming over to my place because they want to know whats so good about Buddhism, they are an atheist and i want to make them understand what its like to be Buddhist. She wants me to show her how to meditate, which is easy but what else should i cover? Karma? Nirvana? just wondering what you guys usually tell people about Buddhists.

I have only studied Buddhism for a mere 5months. I still feel like I have only touched the tip of the iceberg. (though at times I've sworn I felt below the surface ) What I like to tell others is the concept of nonself and explain in a way that I have found to understand it as in a more simple manner. The meaning of nonself, that we are all one in a sense, is a great teaching at showing us compassion imho. That we are no solitary in this world seperated but really are one living being. Simply put, think of others before yourself, showing love and kindness to others with no illwill but for the sake of generosity. That is a not so complicated thing I think. If your friend is considering studying Buddhism, suggest maybe that she practice some meditation and simply using it to find a sense of peace and inner focus in her day. She will gain practice and insight, and if she wants, can continue to find more truths the Buddha left us. Have a wonderful day and I hope this could have helped.
Peace, Love, Namaste~

SherabDorje

If, as you say, you think meditation is easy, maybe you should wait a while before trying to teach someone about Buddhism. I realize that you may be saying that showing someone how to meditate is easy, and that may or may not be. Showing them how to meditate correctly might be more difficult than you think. IMHO, if you have to ask us what we might say in your first post here, maybe it's better if the conversation were had at a later date.

sukhita

Hi Pariah,

Welcome to the forum.

I always start with the Four Noble Truths. These Truths, are by themselves, the core of the Buddhist teachings. In explaining each Truth, many aspects of the other Buddhist teaching are covered. Oftentimes, I find myself explaining that (formal) meditation is just one of the many factors of the Noble Eightfold Path.

Metta,
S

Simonthepilgrim

My own first Buddhist teachers spent the first couple of weeks on relaxation, posture and meditation on the breath before he got to the First Noble Truth. In that way, we were experiencing before we started any sort of intellectual stuff. That may have been decades ago now but, when I am asked about Buddhism even now, I start there because I am more and more certain that I do not know enough to claim to teach anything, only to learn alongside the questioner.

To start with anatta is, IMO, a good way of getting into an argument rather than leading towards the ending of suffering.