Expert: Justin Choo - 12/16/2007

Question
.    What are the important holidays and traditions of this religion?
2.    How has this religion shaped your  life?
3.    What are the challenges, if any, to practicing this particular religion?
4.    What made you want to become a Buddhist priest?
5.    How do you feel about other religions?
6.    What Gods do you believe in, which ones are they, and why this or these certain Gods?                                          

7.    What are some of your everyday rituals are practices?
8.    How often do you hold services at this location?
9.    What do some of your sermons hold within a service?
10.   Do you reside at the temple?
11.   What is the name of the book that your scriptures come out of?
12. Do you ever wear other clothing other than the robe like jeans and a t-shirt?
13.What level of Buddhism do you practice and how does it differ from others?


Answer
Hi Danielle,

Your questions have been asked many times.  If you care to read the archives, you would find the answers.
1. Wesak day.
2. To know oneself better.
3. To change oneself for the better, reduce greed, reduce hatred and reduce delusion of this existence.
4. I am not a "Buddhist priest".
5. Not my business to comment.
6. Buddhists do not subscribe to the idea of a creator god.  We believe in ourselves.
7. Rituals were not introduced by the Buddha.  The followers introduced them to satisfy their human emotions and social needs.  Buddhism is about living a peaceful and harmless life.
8. Refer 7.
9. This is not Christianity.
10. I am not a monk.
11. All the Buddha's teachings are compiled into Buddhist text referred to as Tipitaka.
12. Refer 10
13. Buddhist practice is about living in peace with oneself and with others. It is not Karate!

Smile from justinchoo :-)