From the outside, Buddhism seems like a bundle of contradictions wrapped inside a paradox. It is a religion without a god, a belief system without rules, and a faith that encourages its adherents to question everything, including it...
(Beliefnet.com) I recently noticed that the "For Dummies" franchise had a book called Buddhism for Dummies. This made me laugh. Buddhism is a philosophy (and, in some areas of the world, a religion) full of deep-sounding expressions, lots of quiet time alone, and complicated teachings that could (and will) take a lifetime (or two) to unravel.The Buddhist path suggests that you simultaneously be okay with where you are in your life, recognize that there is a more peaceful and compassionate way to live and that there is a well-worn Path to that way, and to recognize that none of this matters because "you" don't exist.
In Buddhism, there's no externalizing responsibility for the good and the bad to fates or gods or god or holy ghosts; karma, once you really start to understand what that means, is as rational as 2+2=4 or the recipe for water.
No judgment here unless you choose to bring your own, but it's a fact that as you travel the world you'll meet some really smart people, regular smart people, people of average intelligence, and dumb people. I've noticed that everyone I meet who is practicing Buddhism is regular smart, or really smart, and I'm wondering what's up with that. More>>
