Question asked by Carl N.
Dear Pastors,
I have a few questions I was hoping that you could help me with. Please forgive me if these questions have been asked before.
1) I have not yet taken Refuge and therefore I am not a Buddhist. I have been a Christian for most of my life, but I feel like I need to become a Buddhist as I accept the Four Noble Truths, No-Self, and other Buddhist teachings. But I have heard the Dalai Lama and others discourage people from leaving their current religion for Buddhism. Should I become a Buddhist or wait for the next life (which I'm not supposed to believe in to be a Christian)?
2) Since I have not taken Refuge yet do I receive any Karmic benefits from meditation and mantra recitation? I have done many things to negatively impact my Karma in my life so far. It's good practice either way, I suppose.
3) I have a center near me with several resident Lamas. I have not visited yet. What should I do when visiting for the first time? I do not want to be a nuisance and I want to show them proper respect.
Thank you for your answers! The videos of Tsem Rinpoche have been amazingly helpful.
Dear Carl,
1. In regards to becoming a Buddhist, if this is the path that you are on and are practicing then yes you can Take Refuge and become a Buddhist. I believe that H.H. Dalai Lama’s comments were in relation to people who like some aspects of Buddhist practice but still have belief in their own faith/religion. I myself used to belong to another religion in the earlier part of my life, but wasn’t really practicing and the belief system did not really resonate with me. As I learnt more about Buddhism, I took refuge and became a Buddhist. For me, Buddhism is what I believe in and have accepted, so that was the key. Actually, taking refuge as most people understand it (the formal ceremony) is not actually what makes you a Buddhist. What makes you a Buddhist is if you believe and take refuge from your heart. Simply going through the ceremony and not taking refuge from your heart is like sitting through a ceremony that has no affect. In short, if you are firm in your belief in Buddhism, then yes, you can take refuge.
2. Yes, even if you have not taken refuge and you meditate and recite mantra, you still gain benefit. This is due to the power of the mantras themselves, which are the enlightened energies of the Buddhas in the form of sound. However, if you have taken refuge, from your side because you have faith, conviction and effort involved in reciting and meditating, then the effects of those for your mind and benefit will be stronger.
3. Don’t worry about visiting your local centre. If they belong to a genuine lineage of Buddhism and are practising, they will not be offended by your actions and in fact will welcome you because you want to learn more. From your side, be mindful and respectful of how you speak and act with the lamas there. If you have or can get hold of khatas, then you can offer these to the lamas who are there, which is very traditional. They will place the khata over your neck as a blessing and to wish you well. Even if you do not have them, you can take some offerings with you for the centre or lamas there. This can be fruit, veggies, packaged vegetarian food, supplements, etc. Making an offering to the Sangha or the centre is very meritorious. It will be very good for your practice.
I hope all these answers help. Thank you.