Conversion can be a touchy subject, especially since it can be extremely bothersome being on the receiving end of someone trying to convert you. We have probably all encountered, or at least heard stories, about people very intrusively trying to force their religions upon others. Other times conversion can be extremely natural, for example, someone stumbles upon a teaching from a great mystic and ends up falling in love with the faith. But where do Buddhists stand on this topic?
The Dalai Lama, who is the face of Tibetan Buddhism, and honestly Buddhism in general for most of us, has a bit to say on this subject. But for starters, it’s useful to understand how he views other religions. The Dalai Lama strongly believes that we should accept the diversity of religions around us. He accepts the fact that for many people, Buddhist philosophy is very effective in developing their spiritual qualities, but for other people, he is humble enough to agree that other religions do a better job. It all depends on the needs of the individual, and since people are very different, a plurality of religions is beneficial and natural. The Dalai Lama even admits that as a young man, he was biased against other religions, but after being exiled to India and meeting people of other faiths, such as Mother Theresa, his respect for other religions blossomed. He was able to see that other religions, not just his own, had the power to bring the world wonderful people, and that realization changed him.
Going back to Buddhism, this acceptance of multiple religions is in fact enforced by the teachings of the Buddha himself. The Buddha was known to teach different things to different people since he understood that depending on how each person ticks, so to speak, they would require a different teaching. What works for one person may be totally lost on another, and one size fits all approaches don’t tend to work in the real world. If a religion is seen to benefit people, even if the details of the religion don’t line up with Buddhist doctrine, the religion is accepted and respected. The Buddha respected different people having different views, and Buddhists extend that acceptance to all religions.
So what if someone wants to convert to Buddhism? Since Buddhists do not actively try to convert people, the Dalai Lama recommends first exploring the religion that your family practices. This recommendation is to help people avoid the difficulties that come with trying to practice a religion that was meant for a culture which you may not understand, and written in languages which you also probably don’t understand. I’m sure this also helps relieve some family tension, since we can probably imagine the spectacle of telling your devout Catholic or Muslim family, for example, that you’re making the switch to Buddhism. If we can try to avoid these tensions, why not?
If you’ve explored your family’s religion and it just doesn’t work for you, then by all means becoming a Buddhist is welcomed. People can even go about this in a few ways. People can either fully become Buddhists or they can adopt some Buddhist practices that suit their needs and benefit them spiritually. Some people may want to retain their old religion but add into their daily routine a few Buddhist practices. This is all a-okay. If some aspects of Buddhism just click with you, and if implementing them into your life will bring you peace and clarity, then use whatever you choose.
The only thing the Dalai Lama has to say with regards to exactly how you should practice your religion is that you live the teachings out. If you are a Christian, that’s fantastic, but make the peaceful teachings of Christ a part of how you live your life. If you want to become a Buddhist, that’s also great, but you must try to live out the Buddhadharma. Only when we let these teachings become a true part of our lives do we receive their value. Religion is not politics; hypocrisy should never find its way into our spiritual world. We don’t enjoy seeing hypocrisy in politics, but we accept it as a part of the game. Accepting hypocrisy in religion is disgraceful.
Whether you’re a Buddhist, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, or whether you don’t have a religion but simply want to add bits and pieces of different wisdom traditions into your life, practice your religion with your whole heart. These wisdom traditions hold the power to transform our lives and hearts. Live out the tenets of your faith every single day, only then can you be transformed.
SOURCE:
Approaching the Buddhist Path: The Dalai Lama and Thubten Chodron
Leave a Reply