How to be a Buddhist
 

It seems that a 2500 year old religion or philosophy makes for quite the discussion about how to understand what exactly was taught.
Take the scriptures literraly, metaphorically or jumble them together.
Incorporate new additions or i sights, stick to the oldest known writings or what have you.
Even thoigh i like a lively debate. When it comes to bhuddism I realize that bickering about it may actually be detrimental.

So take what you can from teachers, scriptures what you can to guide you, but above all..

Practice.
Practice consentration.
Practice wisdom.
Practice virtue.

From that all else will fall into place for you.

With Love

Very well said. In my experience, generally speaking Buddhists that participate in internet forums love an argument. Where I'd rather be happy than right.

NO they don't :biggrin:

Thanks for saying so (bolded). I have said the same many times.

I think the three parts to Buddhism in practice are morality or virtue (sila), which is the foundation of meditation, that cultivates wisdom.

I found this article which I thought breaks it down well https://tricycle.org/magazine/noble-eightfold-path/

Yes,

Virtue has been called the first and last training. It is all you do in daily life.
I do think that even though training your Sila, Contemplating your Sila, Living in a virtuous way is the foundation of meditation. Other than Meditation SIla can be cultivated throughout every moment of the day.

That said meditation, Both Samadhi and Vipassana yield their own merrits. Part of a virtous life, but needed to walk the path to liberation to it's end. Without them I doubt someone who is virtuous will come to the level of concentration and insight needed to peek into their true nature enough to realize the deathless.

Sila is the main training of buddhism and most other religions for that matter. Buddhism has no monopoly on meditation, the European neo nazi that killed all of the children on a school camp actually meditated before committing that atrocity. It would have been far better of course if he'd only practiced some sila from anyone of numerous religions.
Also some Buddhist sects don't practice meditation. Japanese pureland and nichiren buddhism are two that come to mind.
I personally practice Japanese pureland (Jodo Shinshu or shin buddhism) which doesn't require a meditation practice although I do practice it, not so much for gaining karmic merits or spiritual advancement which admittedly it does help with but I practice it with the same attitude I have towards physical exercise, I just do it because it's good for you.
Good luck and best wishes.
Shaun.

I didn't know that.
Makes me wonder..
Because meditation seems to me to abundantly written about in the teachings of the buddha.

They say our prehistoric ancestors meditated and used ( om ) mantras..

Good example.


I thought Pure Land practices chanting someones name.

Well there's meditation.
european neo-nazi style and then there's meditation.