Expert: Justin Choo - 2/13/2008

Question
Hello, I have a few questions, I have a paper that I have to write by this Sunday 2-17-08. I am hope that I ma not imposing.
1. What are the basic concepts of Buddhism?
2. Dose Buddhism have any holidays? If so what are they?
3.Why is Buddha some times pictured as being over weight?
4. Can you tell me what  on of the most used "prayers" or traditions and what is its meaning?
5.Can anyone became a Buddhist at any time?
6. Can you explained the concepts of meditation to me? What are you trying to archive with meditation?
7. What is the Noble Eight-fold Path?
8.As a Buddhist what do you think about other religions?
9. What are the Five Precepts?
10. What are the three refuges?

Wow, I am really sorry, this really seems like a lot. But I would really appreciate your help.

Thank you, Jaime

Answer
Hi Jamie,

Don't worry.  Here are the answers, in very simple terms.

1. Avoid doing evil, do good, and purify the mind.
  The Golden Rule:  Do not do to others what you do not wish done to you.

2. The most important holiday is Wesak Day which falls on the full moon day of May.  It marks the day which the Buddha was born, attained enlightenment, and passing away.  There are however some other important days depending on which Buddhist tradition.  Buddhism is about truth and inner peace. Traditional practices in the name of Buddhism are more related to the different cultural practices of the different nationalities which are incorporated into the practice of Buddhism.  For more info please refer to www.buddhanet.net.


3. In the Buddhist scriptures, the Buddha had revealed that the NEXT future Buddha will appear just before this present world system disintegrates, which will be a very very long time to come if you care to read any book on space and astronomy. The future Buddha's name will be Maitreya (Sanskrit) or Metteyya (Pâli). He will appear after the present Buddha's dispensation had long disappeared and forgotten.
 The "Buddha" you referred to is this "Buddha", sometimes affectionately called the Laughing Buddha.  This image was the "creation" of the Chinese mind. Nothing to do with the teachings of the Buddha.  I would assume that since the appearance would be a happy occasion, it was depicted such.

4.  (Not very clear question)  Buddist "prayers" are called chantings
  which are actually recitations of the Buddha's discourses.


5. Buddhism is about universal truths which trandscend nationailty, race, time and space.  Actually being a "Buddhist" is just a label.  If you follow #1 above, you are practising the teachings of the Buddha.  To be more precise, one should study the teachings of the Buddha; put them into practice; and reap the good results of inner peace and contentment.

6.  Let's take the example of training a dog.  Most ignorant dog-owners while taking their dogs for a walk end up letting their dogs taking them for a walk.  The untrained dog will pull the leash and the poor owner will try to pull back, but the dog will always be the leader in front taking its owner for a walk!  The main reason for this comedy of error is that the dog has not been properly trained to obey the owner.

We are not very different from the untrained dogs, sorry to say that.  Our minds take us for a walk because they are not trained to obey us.  Each time, we succumb to external stimuli through our 5 external senses, and we react intuitively to satisfy our minds' desires.  We are not taking charge of our lives.  An untrained mind is an unrestrained mind.  It leads us to react foolishly to external stimuli without regards to any moral responsibility.  

When we train a dog, we start with taming it with a chocker chain, that is, each time it pulls, we will jerk the chocker to send a painful message to the dog that it is not good manners to pull.  After a while the dog will get the message, and will not be pulling.  Same with the mind.  It wanders continuously, seeking gratifications from external stimuli.  If not restraint, it will be like a spoilt child getting everything it wants regardless of consequences.  When we sit in meditation, we are actually in a training session where we try to tame the mind from wandering.  It is a very difficult process because our mind likes to wander.  It is its very nature to wander continuously.  So we require patience and perseverance in our sessions to repeatedly bring back our wandering mind to focus on an object or to be aware of this wandering.  Over time we will be successful to tame this mind to be more quiet and calm.  Once this is achieved, then we can train this mind to obey us.  Just like, once the dog is tamed, we can proceed to train it to obey and to perform tricks!  It is common practice to focus our mind by directing our breath to note either at the tip of our nose or to focus on the rising and falling of the abdomen. Or simply be aware of the breathing and focus on the “third eye”.  Each time a wandering thought occurs (and there will be many) simply note and bring back the mind to the focal point.  Over time, the mind will stay at the point for longer period.  The mind is now tamed, and the person will experience a state of calmness and inner peace. Once the mind is tamed, the meditator is at a higher state of mind and he will be able to proceed to train the mind to follow his instructions.  He is now in control over his mind.  He is no longer a slave of his mind.  He will enjoy calm and inner peace with full control of his life.

7. It is the crux of the Buddha's teachings.  
 This is from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eightfold_path

As the name indicates, there are eight elements in the Noble Eightfold Path, and these are divided into three basic categories[1] as follows:

Wisdom (Sanskrit: prajńā, Pāli: pańńā)
1. Right view
2. Right intention
Ethical conduct (Sanskrit: śīla, Pāli: sīla)
3. Right speech
4. Right action
5. Right livelihood
Mental discipline (Sanskrit and Pāli: samādhi)
6. Right effort
7. Right mindfulness
8. Right concentration
In all of the elements of the Noble Eightfold Path, the word "right" is a translation of the word samyańc (Sanskrit) or sammā (Pāli), which denotes completion, togetherness, and coherence, and which can also carry the sense of "perfect" or "ideal".

Though the path is numbered one through eight, it is generally not considered to be a series of linear steps through which one must progress; rather, as the Buddhist monk and scholar Walpola Rahula points out, the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path "are to be developed more or less simultaneously, as far as possible according to the capacity of each individual. They are all linked together and each helps the cultivation of the others."[2]

In Buddhist symbolism, the Noble Eightfold Path is often represented by means of the Dharma wheel (Sanskrit: dharmacakra, Pāli: dhammacakka), whose eight spokes represent the eight elements of the path.

8. None of my business.

9. This is from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_precepts

The following are the five precepts:

I undertake the precept to refrain from taking the life (killing) of living beings.

I undertake the precept to refrain from stealing. (lit. "taking what is not offered")

I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct (adultery, etc).

I undertake the precept to refrain from false speech (lying).

I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicants which lead to heedlessness.

For more elaboration, refer above web site.

10. This is from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_refuges

In lay and monastic ordination ceremonies, Buddhists take the Three Refuges in the Three Jewels and are said to "take refuge."  
The general signification of Three Jewels is:　

the Buddha;
the Dharma, the teachings;
the Sangha, the community of monks and nuns (Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis).[2]

In Buddhism, instead of looking for any external saviour,  Buddhists believe they can take refuge in themselves.

 One truly is the protector of oneself, who else could the protector be? With oneself fully controlled one gains a mastery which is hard to gain.
 By oneself is evil done, by oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil left undone, by oneself is one purified. Purity and impurity depend on oneself--no one can purify another.

For more info refer to above web site.

Have fun.

Smile from justinchoo :-)