by James Grisham

Created on: August 25, 2007

It has been said that Buddhism is different than all other religions because all others teach that you will know if you're doing it right in the end, but with Buddhism the moment you step on the path, you know. For me Buddhism makes sense, when I was younger I was an atheist, then I became a Levay Satanist, then oddly enough I fell into the ranks of Pentecostal Christianity. But in all of them it seemed something was missing, something important.

It's easy to be an atheist, if you don't ever think about anything, but when you start to ask, why am I here?', then having nothing for an answer doesn't suffice. It goes for the Levay Satanist as well, all it teaches is, you're here now, so live now, and not for some reward later when your dead. Now that had some appeal, but it's very selfish, and I just couldn't believe that we were just here for ourselves to be happy. As for Christianity, it does teach to help others, and that if you live right you'll have great rewards later when you die. Yet it bothered me that it was so total, small sins had big consequences, and one thing keeps you from ever being happy.

Buddhism seems to be the only religion' out there that tells you the amount of bad things you do, balanced with the good things, is what determines your happiness. It's understanding that makes everyday practice possible, because if you understand that everything in the world are sentient beings just trying, just like yourself, to make it in this life, to be as happy as possible, it becomes easier to be nice to those around you.

As for meditation, it helps, sit down an hour a week, and don't think. See how many thoughts you have when you're trying not to think. When you do have a thought, let it go, don't add to it, let it be like a small fire and burn out on it's own. Also meditate even for a short time everyday, on things in your life that are going wrong, you'll never know how to stop a pain until you know what's causing it.

The main reason I decided to be a Buddhist, is it tells you to question, to try it out, don't do it on blind faith. Try it out for your self and if it works great, and if it doesn't then stop doing it. All Buddhism is for is making your life better for you, not worse, not adding on more stress. Live, learn, and love just as the Buddha himself did.

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