How do you become a Buddhist?

I write this question not so much for the regular readers, who usually already are Buddhist, but for those who stumble upon this site looking for information about Buddhism. The most common question by far I see on Internet forums and Q&A sites is “How do I get started in Buddhism” or “How do I become Buddhist?”

So here’s my answer to this question. First, Buddhism is not a philosophy, it is a religion, but it’s quite different than what we Westerners grow up with. If you want to be Buddhist, but don’t agree with the beliefs 100%, or you still believe in God, that’s actually OK. In Buddhism, the notion of “faith” is more like a sense of conviction, than blind faith. You don’t start out believing everything you’ve been taught, but you accept it for now, and explore as time goes on. If it makes sense then your confidence in the teaching grows; your faith grows too.

Now with that said, how does one convert to Buddhism?

In Buddhism, conversion ceremonies vary widely depending on which sect, and so on, but all agree on the same process: taking refuge in the Three Treasures.

The Three Treasures are:

• The Buddha (the teacher)
• The Dharma (the teachings)
• The Sangha (the community)

The reason why we do this goes back to the beginning of Buddhism. When the Buddha wandered India teaching people, many of the texts would end with the student or disciple being impressed by what the Buddha taught. The student, now fired up about the teachings, would tell the Buddha that they want to go to the Buddha and his monastic community for refuge. Whether things actually happened this way or not is not so important. The idea is the same: in this turbulent world, we all need refuge from the challenges of life, so when one is awakened to the Buddha’s teachings, they go to the Buddha and his teachings for refuge, just as people did thousands of years ago.

So, if you want to be Buddhist, here’s the formula you can recite. Many Buddhists do this as a daily practice too:

• I go to the Buddha for refuge.
• I go to the Dharma for refuge.
• I go to the Sangha for refuge.

You can do this in front of a Buddhist image, in front of a monk or priest, or just as a personal vow in your heart. Once you take refuge, you are now a Buddhist. If you decide you don’t want to be Buddhist anymore, then you just stop taking refuge in your mind. That’s how you convert.

Now, your first challenge as a Buddhist is what to do next. In Buddhism, we generally divide up Buddhism into three factors:

• Sila – Moral conduct. The simplest set of rules is the Five Precepts:
• I abstain from destroying life.
• I abstain from stealing.
• I abstain from adultery, rape and other immoral behavior.¹
• I abstain from telling lies.
• I abstain from intoxicating substances.²
• Samadhi – Buddhist practice, which includes things like:
• Chanting Buddhist texts (sutras).
• Meditation
• Practicing generosity
• Or just studying the Dharma
• Pañña – Wisdom

Buddhist wisdom is more or less the same in every sect of Buddhism, as is moral conduct, so you can’t really go wrong with both. The practice portion of Buddhism is where things get complicated because different Buddhist sects like to focus on different texts and practices. No Buddhist sect will criticize you if you study this text or that, or meditate (or not), it’s just a matter of focus. If a Buddhist sect does tell you you’re focusing on the wrong practice, that’s a red flag.

Now, the most important advice I can give to new Buddhists is to find a Buddhist group or temple. I cannot stress this enough. Reading books and the Internet will only carry you so far; you need to be around other like-minded people who can help support your practice when you feel discouraged. The Buddha stressed that being in a healthy community (not a cult) is the most important way to improve your practice as a Buddhist. Even if you can only arrange to go every once in a while, you’ll come away from it a much better person.

If you live in an area with a few temples, which sect is right for you? The answer: try a few of them and see what works best for your personality.

So, there you go! Welcome to Buddhism the religion, and I hope it provides some meaning for you.

Namuamidabu

¹ – Unlike Western religions, Buddhism is not opposed to homosexuality, as long as one is in a healthy relationship. The key here is whether the specific sexual act is harmful or not to oneself and others.

² – Cold medicine obviously doesn’t count if you’re using it as intended. The key here is whether you’re abusing substances or not.