44-English Version - Buddhism for Beginners

Buddha Blog Podcast Episode 44 - English Version

Buddhism in everyday life - Mindfulness in daily life

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If you are a beginner with Buddhism, it will be difficult.

First of all, something very important up front: Buddhism is not a religion , it is a philosophy and worldview. Buddha expressly warned his followers not to worship him, but to strive for personal "ENLIGHTENMENT". That is why you can follow a religion (for example as a Christian, Muslim or Jew), but still be a Buddhist.

Many different teachings have developed from the original philosophy of Buddha, the influence of different cultures has even given rise to completely different types of Buddhism in different regions. Buddhism is lived differently in China than in Thailand or Tibet, other "saints" are the focus, almost everywhere other rituals are used. There is not even agreement on the exact birthday of Buddha. In part, the differences between the teachings are also immanent (comparable to the Catholic and Protestant views in Christianity).

For my part, I follow the pure teaching of the Buddha, as well as the characteristics that his worldview received through Bodhidharma and Hui Neng in the Shaolin Temple in China, the Chan (Zen) Buddhism. Chan (or Zen) originally comes from China (or Japan), see also "A Brief History of Chan (Zen) Buddhism".

Buddhism differs fundamentally from the major religious worldviews  . This is NOT about a belief system, the Buddha's teaching has as its goal no dependence on God or gods, not the bond to a "higher power", in Buddhism no dialogue in a superior and subordinate relationship is required. Buddhism is about the laws of the world order, about r