Buddhism is a religion that has recently been brought to the attention of more people in society. People are intrigued by the life of Buddhists because of their ability to live with very little possessions of their own. Most people do not realize that Buddhism is not only a religion it is also a way of life. Buddhism is a choice that people decide to study, or they are born into families that study Buddhism. Not all Buddhists are monks, and not all Buddhists live solitary lives. In an interview with a Buddhist monk, he tells of life as a Buddhist, and his experiences. I hope that this paper will show the differences between Buddhism and other religions such as Christianity.
In Buddhism, people are not required to abandon their other religious or personal beliefs as long as they do not interfere or contradict the principles of Buddhism (Fisher, 2007). People who study Buddhism are also not required to dress a certain way or eat a certain diet. As for relationships with others, one is not required to change unless they are going to become a Buddhist monk only then are there specific rules to follow. Some Buddhists do however choose to change the way they dress, eat and their relationships on their own. This is what is called taking refuge (about.com, 2007). Taking refuge means that they have made a conscious choice to begin the process to liberation.
According to Fisher (2007), Buddhists believe in the “Four Noble Truths”. The first of the “Four Noble Truths” is that life inevitably involves suffering, is imperfect, and unsatisfactory (Fisher, 2006). In the second of the truths Buddhists believe that suffering originates in our own desires (Fisher, 2007). Meaning that if something is desired it will cause suffering to either get it or to have it. The third tr ...