Expert: Stuart Resnick - 4/5/2007

Question
Sorry to put a few questions in one. to start off i went to catholic school for 5 years but never really bought into everything they tried to force feed us. I have been studying buddhism on my own with a more empahsis in zen buddhism. What i wanted to ask was is there a formal "baptism" that i would go to at a temple in order to become a buddhist or is there a ritual i can do in my own home. Also do you think i would be possible for you to tell me some prayers or rituals i can do in my house.

thank you so much
Kristii

Answer
To enter the path that Buddha pointed too, the important thing is how you keep your own mind, not any formal "baptism." If you make a strong decision to understand yourself and to help others, then you are following Buddha's way. If you feel it'd help your decision to make it in a public, ceremonial way, then you can do so. In the Zen Center I'm familiar with, you can do a ceremony to formally "take precepts," to become a Buddhist, and I'd imagine any temple would offer something similar.

You ask about what you can do in your house. You can try sitting still and silent for a set amount of time, and keeping a clear mind, which is just like a mirror that reflects whatever is in front of it. You can bring up the big question "What am I?" and what will appear is a Don't Know that's before thinking; then you sit with this clear, before-thinking mind. To help, you may want to try this mantra: breath in "Clear mind, clear mind, clear mind," breath out "Don't Know."