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Interestingly, this is an interview with someone who is of the Buddhist faith just as I am, but I still found his answers diverse enough to be quite enlightening. Sadly, he elected to remain anonymous...
11.)Does your faith require certain types of clothing be worn or avoided? Not unless you are a monk. 12.)Does your faith restrict you from eating certain foods? Buddhism is strongly aligned with vegetarianism. I am not strictly vegetarian, but conscientiously restrict my intake of meat. I avoid mammals altogether, but eat chicken and fish occasionally. 13.)What advice would you give to someone who's considering joining your faith? I recommend lots of reading to start. There are some great books out there by such authors as Thich Nhat Hanh, Lewis Richmond ("Work as a Spiritual Practice" is my personal favorite), Sharon Salzberg, and Shunryu Suzuki to name a few. Practice meditation (if you can), but always be mindful. Ask questions. This is the congregational concept that the Buddha calls "Sangha." 14.) What is your faith's most widely celebrated holiday, if any? Buddhism avoids venerating any particular day, but some sects do recognize some holidays. That is not an aspect that I worry about. 15.) What are the taboos relating to your faith? The closest Buddhism gets to "taboos" is to identify barriers to enlightenment. These include being a slave to ego and not considering other as yourself and yourself as other. It is also recommended to be considerate of everything (not just people). Avoiding undesirable behavior can be accomplished through mindfulness practice. 16.) Does your faith encourage belief in an afterlife? Nirvana. 17.)Does your faith encourage belief in more than one deity? Yes, anyone can be a Buddha, but there are also highly recognized leaders such as the Dalai Lama. 18.)What healing methods are practiced by your faith? I have been part of a Tibetan healing ceremony. Buddhist healing practices are holistic in nature and involve a high degree of ritual. These practices strongly involve regaining ones non-separateness. Once ownership of suffering is given up, it is possible to transcend it. 19.)Does your faith embrace many sects? If so, feel free to name and briefly describe the differences. There are many sects incuding Zen, Tibetan Buddhist, Vipassana, Theravada, etc. Differences involve meditation techniques, emphasis of enlightenment as a goal, use of Koans as a tool, etc. I have read from many of the sects and recognize differences, but take some aspects from each. 20.)If you are part of a bi-faith marriage, briefly describe an incident you had with a conflict and how you dealt with it... Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article A Mindful Path, Part 2 in Acts of Kindness is owned by Joy A. Jones. Permission to republish A Mindful Path, Part 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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