Expert: Alex Wilding - 2/26/2008

Question
Hi, I'm a highschool student studying different world religions, and I wondered if you could answer some questions about Buddhism for an assignment.

These are my questions:

What would you want someone who was new to Buddhism to know or understand first?

What is the Eightfold path? Can you summarize it?

If you had to describe Buddhism in one sentence, how would you do it?

Can you define “attachment?”

What is the purpose of meditation? What does it mean to you?

Is there anything else you’d like to say about Buddhism?


Answer
Dear Donald,
A lot of homework questions seem to be coming in at the moment, so forgive me if I am fairly brief!

>> What would you want someone who was new to Buddhism to know or understand first?
That it is based on step-by-step understanding rather than belief.

>> What is the Eightfold path? Can you summarize it?
You can find plenty about this on the web. See, for instance, http://www.samyeling.org/index.php?module=Pagesetter&func=viewpub&tid=30&pid=3#n...

>> If you had to describe Buddhism in one sentence, how would you do it?
Stop doing harm, learn to be kind, purify your mind - that is the Buddha's teaching.

>> Can you define “attachment?”
Grasping. Not being content to enjoy something good, but feel that you can't be happy unless you have more and more of that good thing.

>> What is the purpose of meditation? What does it mean to you?
Meditation is a word that covers a wide range of techniques for mental development: some are to do with calm and concentration, some are to develop compassion, some are to analyze the nature of things, some are to see the nature of your own mind, some involve visualization, mantras etc. It all depends on the person concerned and on their spiritual teachers.

>> Is there anything else you’d like to say about Buddhism?
You can spend a whole good life studying and practicing it!

Hope this helps a bit
Alex Wilding