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 … [Read more...] about Should Westerners Convert to Buddhism?
Buddhism
Who Is The Buddha? God or Man?
When Westerners think about the Buddha, we often fall into the trap of thinking that the Buddha is God. This makes sense for us considering there are Buddhist shrines, the religion is called Buddhism, and through our association with Jesus being considered God, it is natural that we would fall into this line of “God” thinking. That’s why it’s important to clear up this misconception. The Buddha (properly known as Śākyamuni Buddha) was simply a man who transcended cyclic existence. He was actually a prince named Siddhārtha Gautama, born in approximately the 5th century BCE most likely around the India-Nepal border. As a prince, Siddhārtha Gautama was kind-hearted, intelligent, very sheltered, and never really left the palace. At one point he does leave the palace and he sees real suffering in town with his own eyes. He sees a sick person, an old person, and a dead body, which truly shakes him. This causes him to very seriously contemplate suffering, which in turn leaves him … [Read more...] about Who Is The Buddha? God or Man?