Frequently Asked Questions

^{1)
How
does
Buddhism
fit
with other religions, especially Christianity?}

^{First thing to know is that Buddhism is
not really a religion. It is a philosophy of life or a way to live.
There is no God figure in Buddhism. The Buddha image is meant to remind
us of the goal or ideal that Lord Buddha laid out before us. Buddhist
worship that 'Ideal' not the idol. When a Buddhist bows before a Buddha
image it is to give humble thanks for him having shown us the way to
avoid suffering.}

^{Since Buddhism is not a religion, a
Buddhist is free to practice any religion as long as it does not
conflict with the 5 precepts of Buddhism.}

^{Simplified 5 Precepts:}

^{1) Do not commit murder

            2) Do not steal

            3) Do not
commit adultery

            4) Do not lie
or gossip

            5) Do not use
intoxicating substances}

The Goals for a Buddhist in life are to:

(1) to lead a moral life,
(2) to be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions, and
(3) to develop wisdom and understanding.

^{2) How
can you say Buddhism is not a religion ?}

^{Buddha only talked about what we can do
here. There is no god, no creation story, no afterlife discussed.
Buddha's teachings are like talking about a man in a raft on a sea
trying to reach the shore. Buddha described the how to build the raft.
He never described where it was going. We are adrift on that raft
in the sea of life. It has been said that life is not about the
destination, but rather about the journey itself. Every other group
recognized to be a religion has those things as part of the practice.
While many Buddhists, including monks may practice other religions or
borrow ceremonies and rites from them, no Buddhist is required to
believe or participate in those things. Buddha, himself, was a Hindu
monk before he became enlightened. Many Hindu practices have been
carried over by Buddhists. Buddhists have adopted local practices where
ever the monks went. Buddhism is an entirely individual practice for
each person to determine what is proper to do. Buddha, himself, said to
"test everything for yourself and adopt only those that seem right and
proper for you."}

The Goals for a Buddhist in life are to:

(1) to lead a moral life,
(2) to be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions, and
(3) to develop wisdom and understanding.

There is no "after life" to pursue, a God to please or anything to atone to or for. Other religions use these as goals in this life.

^{3) Why
are there so many Buddha images?}

^{Humans easily fall into the traps of
desires that lead to suffering. Having many images helps to remind us
of the goal in our lives to avoid our own suffering and relieve the
suffering of others.}

^{Bowing before the image is a way to lose
some of the ego problems that interfere with people dealing honestly
with themselves and others. It helps to be humble before contemplating
on the problems of life. Many religions have some form of this practice.}

^{4) Do I
have to attend a temple to be a Buddhist?}

^{It is not necessary to ever attend any
temple to become a Buddhist. All one has to do is "take refuge" in
Buddha, the Dhamma (Dharma) and Sankang (Sankma). By vowing to follow
the teachings of Buddha, you become a Buddhist. There is more about
this on the "To Become Buddhist"
web page of this site. There is another that has much the same
information at How
to Become a Buddhist (DIY Guide). Many do find it helpful to have a
mentor to assist them on the
journey.}

^{5) Why
are women not allowed to touch a monk or a buddha figure?}

^{The prohibition on contact between a
Theravadan monk and a woman are to prevent any idea that the monk might
have violated his vows of celibacy. There are 5 of the 227 precepts
that will automatically end the monks time as a monk. Having sex is one
of them. No proper Theravadan monk will ever be alone in a room with a
woman. This will protect him from any allegations by her or anyone else
that he might have violated his vows.}

^{Women may touch a buddha figure but they
must not be on their menstrual cycle. The touching should be in a
reverent and caring manner and for a good reason. If someone stops a
woman from touching a buddha figure, they might no be sure the woman
understands. There are figures of women Bhoddisatvas after all. There
are some places that have female monks ordained as well.}

^{6) How
can monks be married?}

^{This one has a three part answer.}

^{1. Some Mahayana sects
allow monks to marry while a monk or become a permanent monk while
being married.

2. A married man may become a Theravadan monk. He
usually does this to honor a relative that has passed such as one of
his parents or grandparents. This is usually done for a set period of
time. It may be a day, a month or even the for the entire Buddhist
Lenten season. Durng that time he may not touch his wife or be alone
with her at any time. He will stay overnight in the temple.}

^{3. A widower may
become a permanent monk. He will not have the same status as a monk
that was never married.}