Buddhism Basics

First, let me state that I was not brought up to be a Buddhist. I was raised as a Roman Catholic, complete with church every Sunday, Bible study every Saturday, and memorizing the Bible. I had no idea what it meant to be Buddhist for many years. I parted ways with Catholicism because of their stance on birth control. They feel - strongly - that no woman should ever use birth control, but studies show that 98% of Catholics DO use birth control. This is completely ridiculous to me. A religion that states something as being a moral imperitive, that 98% of their practitioners disagree with, indicates something is very wrong.

So, after floating around for a while, I did one of those Internet surveys that asks you about a variety of life choices and then tells you which religion is best suited for you. To my surprise, the indication was that I should be Buddhist. I had always equated Buddhists with a "worship" of many armed characters and gold filled temples. Yes, I understand I was very confused at that stage :) But the more I learned about Buddhism, the more I studied its history and spoke with its practitioners, the more I began to understand why I was so well suited for it.

Just one example. I used to hate spiders. I would squish them with great glee when I saw them. However, as I studied more about Buddhism, I began to respect their part of life. I began to appreciate them. Now I love spiders, treat them with care, and enjoy photographing them. Rather than being a fear and a hatred, they are now a joyous part of my life.

I'm not saying that saying "I am Buddhist!" makes you into a Pollyanna. Rather, I'm saying that by slowing down, learning to appreciate the beauty in everything around you and reducing your own stresses, that you are better able to find compassion and joy with anything you encounter.

Here are some of the topics I've researched along the way!

Buddhist Historical Items
Buddhist Shell Trumpet
Buddha Statue

Buddhist Mandalas
Mandala Basics
Printable Mandalas
How To Make a Mandala in Photoshop

Book Reviews
Becoming Enlightened
Bringing Progress to Paradise
Eat Sleep Sit
Escape from the Land of Snows
Orderly Chaos
Prayerfulness
The Force of Kindness
The Secret Power Within
Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life
Why I Am a Buddhist
Zen Keys


Movie Reviews
Kundun
Seven Years in Tibet

Magazine Reviews
tricycle - the Buddhist review
Shambala Sun

Product Reviews
Butterfly Net

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