Why did you choose Buddhism?

[Skywalker]

I have not chosen Buddhism, I haven't chose anything. I don't belong to Buddhism. I am my own captain and honor the truth anywhere I see it. The thing is, is that Buddhism has so much truth in it. It even teaches to be a light unto yourself and only accept the teachings if they make sense to you and they agree with your reasoning. So there is nothing for me to argue with regarding Buddhism.

I can argue with Christianity on many points, but the biggest one is the way Christianity chooses to motivate one to practice. "Do as I say or else...!" versus the Buddhist way of "Oh you don't want to suffer anymore? Here is a way out!" It goes deeper and is more insightful and less superstitious than Hindu yoga.

I especially love how Buddhism is a how-to manual. I love that it does away with useless beliefs. I love how there is no creator god. I love how no god can liberate anybody, you have to do it yourself. I love how the Buddha is not the "the only son of God" but somebody just like me who had incredible insight.

I love the artwork. I love the architecture. I love how it agrees with my reason and gives me the freedom to disagree, not that I do, but at least I have the freedom to be a light unto myself.

[mrbambocha]

Thanks alot for your help everyone!
Ive decided to give it a go and my first stop is a vipassana retreat.
I wish you all a lovely week!

[CoreyNiles92]

It might sound cheesy, but I really didn't choose Buddhism, it chose me.

I was a drug addict, and at the end of my rope, my last days, I had accepted the possibility that I would more than likely soon be ending my life.

At the time I knew nothing about Buddhism, and thought it was a joke really and would ridicule anyone who followed Buddhism, as it seemed to be nonsense.
I was watching a video with my brother, a Sigur Ros music video which I've realized since was about mindfulness (which I had no idea of), then I stepped outside for a smoke afterwards, as I sat there I saw a wind come through causing the bush in front of me to dance, I watched it for a minute, and felt such a profound sense of calm and ease, I had no idea what it was, or why I had felt it. But in that moment I decided to quit smoking, drinking both alcohol and caffeine, quit drugs (I was an amphetamine addict), quit watchign porn, and started to meditate, I had no idea why any of it was happening, it seemed the universe was taking control of me to save my life. A month later, I had gotten to the point where my perception had changed to the point that I was feeling high all the time, everything was more vivid and intense, I saw more detail in things, and all the world became beautiful to me. I decided at that point to read a book on Buddhism (Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English), and found that all the changes I was noticing in my life were those of Buddhist ideals, I feel this is nothing short of a miracle, Buddhism would find me before I found it.

I recently fell out of mindfulness, as a gripping depression assosciated with loneliness consumed me, I allowed it for unknown reasons, but am returning back to mindfulness as I write this.

Not the most interesting story, but it is mine.

[deepbluehum]

Why did you choose Buddhism?

Suffering.

Why do you think it is the right path?

No more suffering.

[Nighthawk]

The practicality and down to earth teachings of Buddha is what attracted me to Buddhism.

[Karma Dondrup Tashi]

Not the most interesting story, but it is mine.

I thought it was interesting.

[Steveyboy]

It wasn't a conscious choice like I had to make one. Everything just fell into place. I met my Lama, Tsem Rinpoche as a friend many years ago , back when he was less busy and was more informal. He used to tell me that he was a lecturer of Buddhism. I found that extremely interesting as he would explain quite a lot about Buddhism to me. He used to tell me he doesn't want students and all he does is to share the Buddha's teachings with us. He would also tell us to take whatever teachings he shares and test it out. if it works, we should adopt it and make it a part of us. Coming from a Christian evangelism, I found that refreshing and strangely compelling.

[Andrew108]

Notice Steveyboy how no one else in this thread has mentioned their teacher except you? Why do it? Sounds like you still have a bit of an evangelist tendancy.

[Stewart]

Andrew, why are you having another go at steveboy?! Many people have mentioned their gurus by name, including you and I on other threads.

I know I have raised my opinion on your posts before, usually because they are contrived and often pretentious, but I never had you down as a bully too.

[CoreyNiles92]

Notice Steveyboy how no one else in this thread has mentioned their teacher except you? Why do it? Sounds like you still have a bit of an evangelist tendancy.

Andrew, I think you need to reevaluate why you are here, this forum, the people on it, are your brothers and sisters in your beliefs. Beyond that everyone on earth are your brother's and sister's as well. If you are here, you have learned about enlightenment, and or meditation, if you seek enlightenment you are going about it all wrong, I know very little of Buddhism, but understand enough to know that treating someone in a way that would bring about embarassment for them, or negative feelings with the sole intent of satisfying yourself will not bring about enlightenment. You will remain in the hell realm, until you are no longer angry, and until you escape the hell realm you will never be without suffering. If it is your desire to continue to suffer, then you would do well to bring about suffering to others, but as someone who cares very deeply for you and Steveyboy, I must implore you to rethink your aim and spectrum of sight on others.

[Andrew108]

Stewart and others, I'm having a go at him because he references Tsem Tulku in nearly every post he makes. I think this is cultish.
As to why I chose Buddhism well then my answer is that Buddhism represents the truth and I have a relationship with the truth. I don't have an agenda just an interest in the truth. I follow the truth and that's why I chose Buddhism. Within Buddhism there are often different types of truth. So it's not always that simple. But in an honest way, and working with teachers I trust, I have established the truth. So I'm very happy and relieved. Thanks.

[Stewart]

So I'm very happy and relieved. Thanks.

To be honest, you don't sound happy and relieved...you sound petty and bitter. If your not happy with what steveyboy says, ignore it, he's doing no harm. Why are you not raising concern at the amount of traffic about ChNN or the DC? Which include links to books and webcast sites?

These days you are starting to sound a bit 'unhinged'...I prefered it when you went in your little 'Im not posting here ever again strop' a couple of months back, unfortunatly your resolve there lasted about a week.

[Andrew108]

I guess I'm the only one who has a problem with Tsem Tulku's students evangelising here. So I'll drop it.
In truth the types of topics posted here where I can offer constructive advice are getting fewer and fewer. I have no contact with any Buddhist organizations anymore and would hate to meet someone like Stewart or Steveyboy in person. So I guess the things I post are pretty irrelevant to most. Oh well.

[Stewart]

I guess I'm the only one who has a problem with Tsem Tulku's students evangelising here. So I'll drop it.
In truth the types of topics posted here where I can offer constructive advice are getting fewer and fewer. I have no contact with any Buddhist organizations anymore and would hate to meet someone like Stewart or Steveyboy in person. So I guess the things I post are pretty irrelevant to most. Oh well.

Why would you hate to meet us?! Because we would not sit at your feet starry eyed at your profound insights?! I am not a Buddhist organisztion nor represent one. I just took exception to your bullying tone toward steveyboy. I'm not a particular fan of Tsem Tulku, but each to their own.

What is hilarious is the notion that you can offer anyone advice!, as I said 'unhinged'.

[Andrew108]

I find Tsem Tulku's organisation increasingly disturbing. Take a look Stewart for yourself at his website. Take your time and click through all the links. Then come back and tell me it's not a cult or cult in the making. If you think Tsem Tulku's organisation is okay and that again I'm being pretentious and that I'm speaking gibberish then I promise never to post here again.

[Hickersonia]

I met Buddhism through Cambodian friends at work who, while not being particularly outspoken on religious issues, seemed "different." I poked and prodded them for information until I had enough to be inclined to start researching on my own.

As I read and applied ideas to my life, I noticed that I wasn't as frustrated with things anymore, or when I get angry, I didn't let it carry me away as much.

More importantly, I learned that controlling lust had real benefits and I didn't have to do it just because "God said so."

I don't think there was really an "ah ha!" moment so much as a gradual progress through the teachings at a very basic level and realization that each time I applied a new teaching to my life I felt less stress as a direct result. Ultimately, around Christmas 2011 (interesting timing) I decided that I was going to start referring to myself as a Buddhist, and with that I quit drinking and took the 5 Precepts. Haven't looked back since.

So, I guess I chose Buddhism because it offered refuge for me as opposed to whatever hodgepodge of beliefs, views, and god I had clung to previously.

[Karma Dondrup Tashi]

Is there really anything else to talk about at DW these days apart from guru-bashing?

[gregkavarnos]

Not the most interesting story, but it is mine.

I think it is an excellent story!

I remember as a child flicking through a brand new encyclopedia my parents had brought for me (encyclopedias were fashionable back then since there was no interent (and/or Google) and I stumbled across a picture of the Buddhas face and a mudra from a Buddhist statue. My family was Greek Orthodox Christian and I was being educated at a Irish Catholic school (by monks) whilst living in an English Protestant colony (New Zealand), so I was pretty much into the Christian thing and actually wanted to become a priest.

Then along came adolsecence and I flipped over into Social/Green/Anarcho/Autonomist...

Buddhism was definitely the sane balance between the two insane extremes. It just made sense.

PS While we are on the topic of gurus, my guru can beat the crap out of your guru any day of the week!

[underthetree]

Not the most interesting story, but it is mine.

I think it is an excellent story!

I remember as a child flicking through a brand new encyclopedia my parents had brought for me (encyclopedias were fashionable back then since there was no interent (and/or Google) and I stumbled across a picture of the Buddhas face and a mudra from a Buddhist statue. My family was Greek Orthodox Christian and I was being educated at a Irish Catholic school (by monks) whilst living in an English Protestant colony (New Zealand), so I was pretty much into the Christian thing and actually wanted to become a priest.

Then along came adolsecence and I flipped over into Social/Green/Anarcho/Autonomist...

Buddhism was definitely the sane balance between the two insane extremes. It just made sense.

PS While we are on the topic of gurus, my guru can beat the crap out of your guru any day of the week!

Ha! I wanted to be a Greek priest as well when I was little! Not for religious reasons, but I loved the beards and the hats and the chanting and the incense. My Greek wasn't good so I couldn't understand the liturgy, and that suited me fine. When I had to do the C of E thing with the English family I could understand the vicar but he made no sense to me, so I was pretty much an atheist from day one. Whenever I chant for my practice I still think of Hagia Sophia in London...

[gregkavarnos]

...My Greek wasn't good so I couldn't understand the liturgy, and that suited me fine.

Even if your Greek was good you wouldn't really understand what they were saying coz the liturgy is in Byzantine Greek and not Modern Greek! You would have as much a chance of understanding Byzantine Greek as I would of understanding Olde English.