“Question: As of late, I have felt myself being more and more drawn to Buddhism. I don’t know if it’s a desire to a Buddhist myself but I was just… In need of some sort of help, I guess. I have no religion and my relationship with any god is odd. I just, need some sort of guidance from someone.”
Buddhism is drawn to a lot of people because of its peaceful nature. There are many debates on whether or not Buddhism is a religion, philosophy, or way of life. In my opinion, it’s all those things and not at the same time. It’s kinda hard to really put a term on it, because it’s very scientific, but it’s also very philosophical. So it attracts a lot of different people for different reasons.
You don’t have to be Buddhist to practice Buddhism. If you’re Christian and interested in Buddhism, Buddhism will make you a better Christian. If you’re Catholic, Buddhism will help you become a better Catholic. In general, Buddhism will help you become a better person. There are many things in Buddhism that you can use to simply better yourself and life, like applying the Eightfold Path and practicing in some meditation. These steps are simply Buddhist approaches to having a better, calmer life.
As for being an actual Buddhist, there’s a lot of work and study in it. There are so many important texts to read, learn, and understand. Profound concepts like emptiness, the five aggregates, dependent origination, etc. that must be studied throughout one’s life. Because Buddhism doesn’t have a concept of a god, you are your own god. So the point in life isn’t just to find happiness and peace, but to also find yourself, find your god, find your Buddha Nature. It’s all about self-development and self-realization. Buddhist don’t pray to a god or a deity to ask for help, guidance, or a better life – you ask yourself, give yourself the initial motivation, and better your life yourself. No one is in charge of your life but yourself.
Sometimes we have crappy lives despite how good of a person we are or how hard we try to have a better life, but that’s usually the cause of our Karma. The karma of our past lives determine where, what, and who we are today. Why were you born to a poor family and not a rich one? Why were you born in America and not Paris? Why do other people have fancy lives but are bad people? It’s all the result of our Karma. I’m excited for my next life, because I know it’s going to be so much better. To be in a life where you are human (and not in the realm of hell, ghost, or animal) is gratifying, and to be born in a time where Buddhism exists is even better! So it’s important to understand some of these concepts to figure out where your path should lead – or, where you’ll lead your own path 🙂
Smile and be well!