CHAPTER 1.BUDDHIST TODAY IN THE WESTERN WORLD.

 

What other reason Westerners Buddhist east to that?

Indeed did not HECO signs heralded the strange success of Buddhism in the West Buddhist before exposure to the region in the twentieth century. Alfred FOUCHER (1865-1952, was a French scholar) , author of a book recounts the life of the Buddha is still valid, wrote in 1949 as follows: "Except for some curious special like interested in exotic things, then Buddhism will only capture some of the true believers little trendat our country. " According to the belief that fine harmony with the character of the West.

Today many key concepts of Buddhism are known and can say that there were many Westerners endorsed the viewpoint: whether there is compassion, stability of impermanent phenomena (word this a Buddhist particular), the concept of non-self, career or correlated phenomena (of dependent origination) . One can assert that Western roiday will become a land of Buddhism, though not necessarily in a form really need to practice more.

The benefits of meditation to bring everyone to know and there are millions of people who are practicing today.

More than seven-hundred-thousand French people call themselves Buddhists (France has 65 million people) , and so Buddhism has become the third largest religion in the country. That figure was in fact obscured a much more important truth: that there are five million French people think that Buddhism is a religion that they feel closer to you. Buddhism was introduced in France in solid than elsewhere: several hundred meditation centers have been set up in France. Europe's largest Tibetan temple is located in the Bourgogne region (eastern France) , the most important Zen meditation center in Europe is set in Touraine (west of France) , and the new temple of Vietnamese Buddhism South, in Evry (Paris suburb) . ( picture)

There are many raw nhandua to the development of Buddhism here. But based on a few aspects of the Buddhist religion has made the hearts of Westerners to vibration then maybe just identify two major causes is enough: first of all a moral foundation built on tolerance, compassion, his a sense thucduoc responsibility to others in society;, and then the practice of meditation as an art of living, help manifest true nature in the person of each of us in any context in your life.

Natural resources thoroughly destroyed making the future of this planet are threatened in a serious way, and if you look on a broader level again there thenoi that anything on this planet are also being exploited ends - which including humans. In this context, for many people, Buddhism has emerged as a powerful solution savior, coherent and clearly needed.

For Westerners want to become a Buddhist, how?

It is the desire to follow in the footsteps of the Buddha, but this is not the way to collect yourself something exotic, but rather to follow the example of a Man now more than two-thousand- five-hundred years have discovered a path for us to follow in order to help her become more worthy people.

If forced to define Buddhism in a single sentence, I would say that there is a method to help us live it fully every moment in this life.

We all go through hardships and moments of grief, and other difficult things bring more or less intense. But Buddhism shows that we can eliminate these things effectively, and also a message to tell us not to blame outside circumstances or other people, because that is the only way to prevent does not help us to mature properly.

Buddhism encourages us to keep accurate and pay attention to your sense of life, in every thought, every emotion, and every act of his. If you look in that direction, Buddhism is not a religion. Buddhism did not originate from some kind of faith, and did not need to accept some kind of understanding of revolutionary dogma. As camot the Supreme Being has no belief in it.

The teaching of the Buddha's teachings help us direct access to the real life experiences that we feel. Nevertheless, the term experience (experience) does not contain the full implications need to express what comes on here, because today is the word used to be used in experience and scientific significance as is a test, not a listening with all vigilance.

The footsteps Buddhist cuaDuc first step meant to discover that reality does not manifest its true radung, but we are not ready to accept it. So it takes some practice necessary to enable us to approach so close, true to what is evident. For example, when visiting a certain city which was previously unknown, in which case we also need to have some time to feel the characteristics of that place, and context of activity where it. But still may be we can not assert that I have felt a true all in that particular context or not, so we need to have more time to verify. If you look on the flip side, it will understand that Buddhism encourages us to practice meditation. Buddha sitting down to meditate vàđã the direct access and is close to all things what they are visible, and he also has looked at the experience of his own experience with a high real sharp. Back a simple Buddhist tuchi person, which means that behave like that.

But not easy to do that. If more than one person to train together so it could be easier, especially that follow some clear rules are set and try to keep faithfulness revolutionary "religion" in his heart, to be confident that he is a good person and I have - do not blame others for our own problems. Humans have always been promoted vigorously by a deep desire to establish a base there and put all his intelligence on it, and then sacrificed everything for ideals - for example nhuthanh up a firm, an association, an administrative facility, or by a religious sect that circumstances led her tied in with it. All the stuff was really terrible.

The Buddha advised us to enjoy, feel and live every moment through his own existence, but not so that to remove his own intelligence, and their required to communicate their own freedom in the hands of anyone else.

Cacdieu was different from what is happening in the West?

It is true that, because meditation common in Asia is not considered a center of Buddhism. Meditation can only be executed by a number of special interest in it only. Buddhism in these places have a natural integration with everyday life. In the West, we see a similar phenomenon with Catholic, and also understand that many people see all these things are just a flowing air permeability cultural framework and long-standing practices that only, not a true spiritual conđường.

Buddhism in the West must first be seen as a spiritual impart. Buddhism is not a kind of synthesis of the dogmas, rituals and attitudes behave. Indeed, all thanks to the "hero" (this is "borrowed" in the Buddhist sutras, especially Tibetan Buddhist sutras, the word "hero" is used to refer to the Bodhisattva discharge close to my ideal, and in this case the Tibetan monks fled from their homeland into exile in Europe) has brought Buddhism to the West for us in the second half of the twentieth century , that is those who are left out of the social theche on their own land. They are aware of Buddhism is becoming a fossilized (local declaration - fossil) on their home, and when it has to be manhdat the West, they also understand that it is also an opportunity to help Buddhism to survive in, and moreover it is also an occasion to promote people to know the valuable potential very shy of Buddhism. The potential does not least high thietde a morality or promote a religious thing at all, but rather it is what help we can see a certain form of existence (high bars, peace, joy and freedom of a person to practice) .

For generations Asian tretai, Buddhism is viewed as something backward, and not help them in the race for the global economy that they are trying to joined the detham. In the Western world, we had better luck and was aware of the limitations of the theory of globalization as well as the competing material comforts. Personal experience to help us experience the true character of the Buddha's teachings. The teachings that help us that is thucduoc though always trying to satisfy our desires, but really, we will not ever hungry. We do know find my yourself available Suan happy that always wanted to find a way to pursue other things.

After the issue of oil still contains another aspect. In the Eastern world, Buddhism is ingrained in all cultures and instill in each of the specific activities of daily life. People breathe a Buddhist atmosphere is tunhien - their actions are absorbent flowing spirit of Buddhism, how to eat, how to greet, how to watch all animals, the mountains, or any one thing other. Eastern cultures do not make war against anything governed by a second order nature rational calculation - which maintains a sense of suthieng spiritual and ritual, more interested in the body and both love. And that is exactly what we do not have. Want to do those things that are nhatdinh need a really great effort. If you can not set a true Buddhist cultural foundation in the West is also hard to make Buddhism took root in that land.

After all also need to set up another difference between Buddhism Buddhist Asia and the West: it is the role of the ordained. In the East especially in the South Asian nuocDong, the status of practice is raised very high. People of all secular must provide material comforts for the monks in their daily lives, and they see that duty more important than practice to focus on enlightenment for yourself.

In the West, it was different, the shots secular practice, participate in the retreat courses or workshops. They sought to step straight into the area of ​​the most profound and the most sacred Buddhist.

The reason that prompted me to become a Buddhist?

The more diverse people, promoting causes as much complex.

The reason it can be severe discomfort in my heart, the persistent unsatisfactory (because of the suffering that word) , accept to shoulder all their difficulties (aware of the causes of suffering is caused by yourself) , or it is the martial spirit, our desire help dotat all beings (the ideal of the Bodhisattva) .

Or maybe because feel the deep meaning of the teachings of the Buddha, always resound in our hearts in a very passionate way.

In any case, one day, it will also feel like drinking sips of water that comes out of that stream (ie Buddhism) . If you want to get the stream must be willing to give up the habit only act aimed at their personal interests. Quathat nothing more narrow. This is a run cycle just run around. Thus there comes a time when we would like to see things closer, more true to the way in which they manifest.

That's the way to help us into the "way".

The reason why we come to Buddhism course must also change. The the narrow thucday cause it will gradually turn into the broader high, cause useful kyroi a time that will be turned into determination to sacrifice for the benefit of others.

Whether driven by any motivation any case always we also need a way to help us with that.

There is something really difficult. People always want to protect yourself with a rigid outer shell was never thought to be transformed ourselves from within.

Yet there is Buddhist mucdich. To practice only, but is not set to simple trothanh a Buddhist - words that bring a real sense worth pity, by viday only is how to assign first to add your own personality with which to improve themselves consecutive values, mostly to reassure himself - but rather practice meant to follow in the footsteps of the Buddha .

Buddhism have any rituals like baptism or Bar ceremony Mitsva (lethu world of Judaism at just in 12-year-old daughter and son, then 13 years old) ?

When students out we khongduong course is Buddhism, similar to the case of Judaism, or the case of the Catholic by baptism. We became a Buddhist in a voluntary bring personal character called "refuge in the Three Jewels" which is taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha: it is an example for us to follow (ie Germany Buddha) , the way to help us to follow (the French) , and the mass of the people responsible for the mission (Sangha) .

Why is it called "refuge"?

Determined to become a Buddhist is an (indirect) proved that the previous target does not meet your expectations. The goal was not strong enough so that we can rely on it. Search for pleasure, gain, power is ultimately the only way to run things ephemeral. The true refuge real benefit is the extra space - the space in which the Buddha was pointing to us. Only the Buddha is stable and does not have any a thugi can make him unclean.

Buddha Dharma and Sangha are all manifest in a way that is authentic, and is seen as the three precious jewels nothing can compare. The priceless gem that can help us heal the deepest wounds. We can strongly depend on the jewel was not afraid of anything. This is the jewel not how our multiple giophan and also never do for us to be distracted ...

The refuge is usually held in a ceremony presided over by a teacher, can be held in the temple or at home. Procedure is simple, just intoned three times:

I take refuge in the Buddha

I take refuge in France

I ask refuge in the Sangha

To formalize the event, the ceremony will cut off a lock of hair of the new disciples, similar when Buddha left bocung power his father had cut his hair to show their determination to follow the path you have chosen.

Even in the East, this tradition is sometimes no longer keep her solemn way as they used to be, and unfortunately that is what is needed. The new disciples whether intoned the words but did not wish to know what it means, and they did not need to bring Rade applied on the path setups. That's why today in the West think should refuge ceremony was solemn and wait until the practice really ready to take refuge and determined to comply with his wishes, the new .

The action of the medicine is not only the meaning and limits of the ceremony. Practice each day to remember to hanhdong his refuge, and to see it as a true allowed to practice, and it is also a way to remind each one of us must not forget the ideals that we once desire is to give his own life. Although not attention thucduoc, but frankly, we always cling too much on things that are useless and ephemeral, so it is better we should find a direction (ie Buddhism) to entrust his own heart. END=VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY THICH CHAN TANH.VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUNS.( GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY,AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.26/8/2012.NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).