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Curious Buddhist
Hi, my names Jamie, and I'm English but taking a gap year in China.
I have always been an atheist - I have tried many religions but I never really took to any. However, today, I discovered a 300 year old Buddhist temple near my town in Jiangsu, and upon visiting was really struck by the sheer serenity and spirtuality of the monastery and the monks within it. This has led me to take an active interest in Buddhism. But I do still have a few questions, and I hope someone can answer them for me.
Firstly, I was unsure of my behaviour in the temple. As I left I bowed at the Buddha, which got me nice looks from the monks, but the temptation for me was to pray. My first question is how you do this in a temple. I wanted to, but didn't want to make a fool of myself!
Secondly, is it a problem that I'm an atheist? My understanding of Buddhism (which, I admit, is very limited) is that it does not require believe in an omnipotent being. Am I right?
Lastly, how would becoming a Buddhist change my daily life? What would it require, and would it mean a major upheaval of my living patterns, or could it fit well?
I hope someone can help me - I'm very keen to learn!
I have always been an atheist - I have tried many religions but I never really took to any. However, today, I discovered a 300 year old Buddhist temple near my town in Jiangsu, and upon visiting was really struck by the sheer serenity and spirtuality of the monastery and the monks within it. This has led me to take an active interest in Buddhism. But I do still have a few questions, and I hope someone can answer them for me.
Firstly, I was unsure of my behaviour in the temple. As I left I bowed at the Buddha, which got me nice looks from the monks, but the temptation for me was to pray. My first question is how you do this in a temple. I wanted to, but didn't want to make a fool of myself!
Secondly, is it a problem that I'm an atheist? My understanding of Buddhism (which, I admit, is very limited) is that it does not require believe in an omnipotent being. Am I right?
Lastly, how would becoming a Buddhist change my daily life? What would it require, and would it mean a major upheaval of my living patterns, or could it fit well?
I hope someone can help me - I'm very keen to learn!
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Comments
First of all Jamie, may I extend a warm and hearty welcome to you!
I will attempt to answer your questions, but please understand this is purely my point of View and I'm merely offering it, since you ask. My responses are neither necessarily 'Right' or definitive.
The final decision will be up to you, but I offer my contribution, so that you might have something to ponder on.....
Your behaviour in a Temple just requires respect and reverence. To what you address this reverence, and how you display it or invoke it, is your choice. There is nothing stopping you from praying - in whichever form this takes - should you wish to do so.
Buddhists do not 'pray' per se, because as you rightly state, there is no Omnipotent Being. What you do in effect is to realise the Potential Buddha within - your Buddha Nature, and recognise it's Enlightened potential.... You don't pray in the sense that Christians would pray.... you clear your Mind, sit in quiet meditation, and contemplate.... perhaps it may even be a case of simply permitting the Peace, Silence and Serenity of the place, 'speak' to YOU.....
Buddhists come from all walks of Life.... I'm a former Christian myself, and while I would say that my Buddhist practise is both sincere and dedicated, I am conscious that much of what I learned and absorbed in my formative years still influences my thinking. This is neither 'Right' nor 'Wrong'..... perusal of this forum will show you there exists a Christian Zen Movement, and many whose lives are dedicated to their Religion, as either predominantly Christian or Buddhist, have done much to build bridges between differring Creeds.
In short, you only have your Conscience to face up to.
Buddhism has been described as both a religion and a Philosophy.
http://www.newbuddhist.com/forum/showthread.php?p=957#post957
Becoming Buddhist is not the problem here.... it involves 'Taking Refuge' in the Three Jewels. You might like to further view this site for more detailed and precise information.
http://www.buddhismtoday.com/index/index-eng1-beginners.htm
For my part, I took Refuge, and I follow the Eightfold Path, and adhere to the Five Precepts....
I hope I have gone some way to at least answering in part, your thought-provoking questions!
I'm sure others will contribute, and in the meantime, enjoy what you find, and come back any time! Nice to have you with us!
I too am new to the site. Though I have been floating around and reading a few of the posts. I thought it was time I joined, as I am new to both Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism. Their is a Tibetan group near where I live and I want to go along, but because I know so little about it I'm holding back. I hope anyone here can help with information? I've read a few things and I know that Buddhists don't believe in reincarnation, but Wikipedia said Tibetan Buddhist do? Are they right???? I have heard of the Dalai Lama, who hasn't, but I also know little about him, again can anyone help???
Well I'll go so someone here can possibly read this and answer my queries. Ta
Ross.
I read your posting and wanted to share a website with you that I think may be the answer to your questions regarding behaviour in a temple. The site is that of a very large Chinese Temple in Canada which apparently hosts many tourists. They have a page for visitors on "Temple Etiquette" which even has photos showing the proper methods of bowing before a Buddha figure, etc. The address is: www.buddhisttemple.ca/buddhism/etiquette.htm
Of course another thing that may be appropriate is to simply observe what others do as they enter and make offerings. I hope this helps.
But thanks, this has been a very eye-opening weekend!
anyway..Jamie your story and i kind of relate, no worries
'Re-birth' means returning to being alive, but not necessarily in the form you had previously...
This is an extremely complex and quite difficult concept to grasp - !!
This is more in line with certain Buddhist beliefs.
So I will for example, for argument's sake, come back as a Jack-rabbit - albeit a very pretty and intelligent one.....
Doubtless you will have other explanations and definitions.... The above is merely an extremely succinct account of my definition....
Venerable Ajahn Brahm is also a British, now in Australia. Maybe you can visit http://www.bswa.org/ to read some of the very interesting materials about Buddhism.
There is another great website @ http://www.thubtenchodron.org/. An American Buddhist nun.
If you prefer Mahayana Buddhism which I believe temple you visited in Jiangsu is one. Goto the link provided by Makarov. There are also others like "Fo Guang Shan"-taiwan at http://www.fgs.org.tw/english/index/index.htm, "Kong Meng San"-Singapore at http://www.kmspks.org and http://www.amtb.org.tw/ - excellent site but I think only in Chinese.
One possible reasons that you felt good (strong affinity) during the temple visit could be that you were involved in Mahaya Buddhism in your previous lives.
Amitabha.
In the temple, there was a large structure in the middle, with about 4 statues on it, and then lined up either side were about a dozen or more other statues, each with its own prayer stool. What do these represent? I thought they might be different people who have achieved Nirvana, but that may just be me being ignorant. And which one should I pray to?
Usually, for a Chinese Temple, you will first get to see a statue of Maitreya - The laughing Buddha with the Four Heavenly Kings at four corners. Pictures of Four Heavenly kings are available at http://www.luckywonders.com/FourHeavenlyKings.htm
Information about the four heavenly kings is available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Heavenly_Kings
Your can see some pictures with good explainations of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas at http://web.singnet.com.sg/~alankhoo/Buddhism.htm#Buddhas
It will be great if you can send me a picture of it.