Introducing Buddhism

. As the Buddha's birth quickly approaches I'll probably do a number of entries on Buddhism. And I'm sure I'll do one on the Buddha at some point. But I'd like to begin with the beginning, a little orientation, a little introduction, if you will.

Buddhism can be a bit complicated to introduce people to because it defies most of the categories and concepts we think of when we think of religion. To illustrate this I've created a conversation between me and someone who is curious about Buddhism. I have engaged in such conversations to one degree or another for some time.

"So the Buddha is you're god?"

"No. The Buddha was a human like you and I."

"Oh? So, who is your God? Who do you pray to?"

"We don't have a god. We don't pray to anyone."

"I see. So how exactly do you think everything got created?"

"I'm not sure what you mean. Creation generally implies something being created from something else. I can create a home out of steel studs, dry-wall, and cement. But your question poses a much different use of the term creation. You mean creation ex nihlo or creation from nothing, i.e., the actual creation of matter. To that question I look to science. It is not something the Buddha felt was worth speculating about. To put it simply: we have no creation myth.

"The Buddha was aware that people want to know how it all started. He likened such people to the man who has been shot by a poisonous arrow. Before he will allow the doctor to do his job he demands to know who shot him, where the man came from, what type of bow he used, etc. All very interesting questions, but none of them will help the man overcome the poison racing through his body. The Buddha teaches us how to eradicate suffering.

"OK, no God, no creation account...what about your soul? Where does your soul go when you die?"

"We hold no theories regarding a soul. A lot of people falsley believe the Buddha taught there is no soul. Actually what he did was teach us ways to shed false views of self, including false views regarding the soul so that we unecessarily cling to. When asked point blank if there is or is not a soul the Buddha declined to answer.

"The 'self' according to the Buddha is composed of five aggregates or skandhas. A good analogy is a car. We think of a car as a 'thing' but in actuality it is a composition of many parts that together form the car. Likewise, we are composed of many parts. There is no one permanent and eternal me or you."

"Oh boy! No God, no soul, no creation...are you sure Buddhism isn't just a philosophy? Is it really even a religion?"

"I realize it can seem a bit strange. It's non-theistic, posits no creation myth, no belief in an eternal soul and yet claims to be a religion! What gives? What on earth could possibly make Buddhism a religion?
"Yes, the Buddha was a man. But unlike philosphers he didn't sit around speculating about the nature of reality. Instead he harnessed his powers of awareness and peered through the veil of illusion into the true nature of reality. His Awakening and subsequent fifty year teaching career are the result of his direct experience of Nirvana.

"Unlike Moses, Jesus, Muhammed, Joseph Smith and other religious figures, the Buddha never claimed divine guidance. He never claimed divinity. Instead, he claimed that through his own hardwork, dilligence, and perseverance he had unraveled the karmic knot of suffering and attained the bliss of Nirvana and that we too could attain such bliss."

Keep in mind that none of the above questions are 'stupid questions.' They are very normal questions that I get asked all the time and I don't mind trying to answer them. It can be hard at times because Buddhism is so different from most other religions that it's hard for people to wrap their minds around.

Most people assume that the 'other' religions are similar to theirs. The main difference being that 'they' simply worship another god or they read a different "Bible" (literally book). But it's these assumptions, whick make perfect sense if you're a Christian, that can make it a bit difficult to explain just what Buddhism is all about.

If you are interested in learning about Buddhism you have to try and meet it on its own terms. It's a very radical religion in many ways. It's a religion free of dogma and empty assertions about gods, souls, and creation. It's a religion that cares more about how you live your life than what you believe. It's a religion with a remarkably peacefull history that has gained followers around the globe through the sheer power of its message.

Some sites you might find interesting:
A Buddhist Critique of Christianity: This is actually an electronic version of a book printed in Sri Lanka. Christians and non-Christians will find it very interesting.

Access to Insight: This is my favorite Buddhist site. There are a lot of really bad books on Buddhism out there. Here you will find many of the texts from the Pali Canon so that you can see for yourself what the Buddha actually taught. There is a ton of information here.
There are a bazillion more Buddhist sites out there, but I don't want to bog ya down. I'd also like to let you all know that there is a Buddhist chat every Monday evening hosted by Ghana Bhuti. It begins at 10:00 pm Eastern Time. If you're interested in stopping by let me know and I'll give you the information.

Coming Soon: An entry on the Buddha