When you hear something about Buddhism in the daily news you usually think of it having a background of huge idols and yellow-robed monks, with a thick atmosphere of incense fumes. You never feel that there is anything in it for you, except, maybe, an exotic spectacle.

But is that all there is in Buddhism? Do the news photographers take pictures of the real Buddhism? Do the glossy magazines show you the fundamentals, or only the externals?

Let us see, then, what Buddhism really is, Buddhism as it was originally expounded and as it still exists underneath the external trappings and trimmings. 

Read the rest of this entry »

First of all, before you consider yourself a convert, you have a ton of studying to do. Don’t rush yourself. What would the Buddha say? Here’s a story to explain.

A man who was a follower of another religion went to the Buddha as a skeptic looking to be convinced of the Buddha’s teachings. After listening to the Buddha he was persuaded and asked how he should become a Buddhist. Buddha said:

Make a proper investigation first.

That’s where you are. You need to make a proper investigation the way you would investigate anything else. Talk to followers of the religion, find a temple in your area, study, read, read, read, and read some more. Read not only the explanations of how the religion works, also read other people’s experiences with Buddhism. The Buddha would want you to look at all sides of it before making a choice. As you delve farther into the religion your real initiation into it will come along on its own.