sean808080 ohmbase

If you’ve been reading me for a while, you may know that I’m a Buddhist.  I thought I’d share some of what got  me to considering myself a Buddhist.

As a child, my parents were not religious at all for a few reasons.  I’m extremely thankful for that as it spared me a lot of pre-programming and guilt that other gay youth have experienced.

The primary reason for my parents lack of religion was not because of any philosophical objection but rather that as deaf people, they didn’t have access to any churches that had sign language interpreters.  I don’t think they minded it very much though.  This meant that other than my baptism as a very young child I was very rarely ever inside a church because my parents didn’t have any means to communicate with the people running the churches where we lived.

Not being pre-programmed by my parents religion-wise meant that I was free to find my own way to faith and worship.  At some point along my adulthood, I learned a little bit about buddhism and meditation.  Being a person who puts a high premium of relaxation and logical thought, the more I read about Buddhism, the more I liked.

By reading books like:

• The Lotus Sutra
• Zen Mind Beginners Mind
• An Introduction to Zen Buddhism
• Natural Liberation: Padmasambhava’s Teachings on the Six Bardos

I began to see a real technology that explained the way to a better way of life.  These books got me acquainted with some of the Buddhist precepts that are so simple but key in making life (and death) better.

That last book, Natural Liberation really spoke to me.  It was a fascinating teaching by Padmasambhava on how to prepare yourself for all stages of life and death.  As someone who learned about mortality very early in life, I really connected with the no-nonsense approach to life and death that this book taught.

This describes my intellectual connection to Buddhism.  A few years on from reading about Buddhism, a new friend of mine let me know that he was a practicing Buddhist.  He introduced me to his place of practice and allowed me to participate in some of the ceremonies.  I really felt like I’d found a home among these rituals.  I’m thankful to him for introducing me to his practice and though i don’t practice the rituals daily as he does, I find that when I need to [for whatever reason] I will make the trip out the Culture Center and chant with my fellow Buddhists.  The energy that I feel when chanting in a room filled with like minded people is palpable and extremely inspiring.

So that’s my story.  If you’re interested in reading more about Buddhism, below are the basics precepts or tenets and feel free to check out the books I’ve mentioned above.  I hope you’ll be as rewarded by reading them as I have been.

Namaste

Key Passages from the Buddhist Scriptures

1. Right Understanding (free from superstition and delusion)
2. Right Thought (high and worthy of the intelligent)
3. Right Speech (kindly, open, truthful)
4. Right Actions (peaceful, honest, pure)
5. Right Livelihood (not bringing hurt or danger to living being)
6. Right Effort (in self-training and in self-control)
7. Right Mindfulness (the active watchful mind)
8. Right Concentration (in deep meditation on the realities of life)