What does it mean to be a Buddhist?
So this one has many ways you can describe,
A more classical way or a more simple way,
And also your individual interpretation way.
I think the most very,
Very simple way to explain what is to be a Buddhist is,
If your favorite religion is Buddhist,
Then maybe you can call yourself a Buddhist.
That's very simple.
And my point of view in general,
Everybody should be a non-sectarian and buy a view toward the religion,
All the religions.
We have to accept,
Why?
Because we have to recognize all religion has purpose and good quality to liberate people and help them,
At least there is a lot of beneficial benefits.
So there is no one religion totally wrong and totally no benefits.
That does not exist.
Therefore,
Everyone earns the respect.
But at the same time,
When we say unbiased,
Non-sectarian view,
Does not mean everyone has to be equal.
All religion for you equal doesn't have to be equal.
You can have your favorite one.
There is nothing wrong with having your favorite one.
You should not feel guilty,
You have your own religion,
Your favorite one.
That's nothing wrong.
We have to understand this.
So therefore I'm saying,
If the Buddhist way,
The Buddhist religion,
If is your favorite religion,
And then you must be Buddhist.
That's a very simple way.
And then traditional way of explanation,
Simple way to be a Buddhist,
They just say,
You have fear as samsara,
The sacral of life,
And then you have genuine trust,
The Buddha,
Dharma and Sangha,
Which means the community,
The holder of the Buddha Dharma.
Then you are Buddhist.
But more classical way and philosophical way,
Higher level,
A more solid level of to be Buddhist,
Is you have to understand or at least to believe that full bundles.
Full bundles means the bundles can bind many,
Many stick together.
So you don't lose everywhere.
So that means the Buddhism is so huge,
So massive,
But you can bind with full bundles.
So these full bundles is you understand everything we experience in this universe,
All in permanent,
Constantly changing nature and never stop it changing.
So therefore,
Changing means all the time,
Not really stable anything.
So that means this unsatiability is the potential of suffering.
That's why I call all the worldly mundane things are suffering nature.
Understand that.
That's second.
The third is if you're digging down more,
Then everything is selfless and empty nature.
Selfless means not saying,
Oh,
You are so kind and you put yourself for everyone and everyone you put before yourself.
Doesn't mean that.
It means everything has no true nature.
Everything appears for us is not true.
It's empty nature.
This my people find difficult to understand,
But it's not really difficult if you think a simple way.
The simple way is anything appears for us.
If you don't analyze it,
Then it's real.
But if you analyze it,
Then you can cannot pinpoint anything.
Everything is not real.
That you can understand through logic or you can study,
Understand the philosophy,
The logical systems.
You can understand this way.
Also,
You can understand meditation way or you can intuitive way.
You can understand also you can understand in scientific way,
But we're not going to talk details of this.
This is is too much detail.
And the fourth is Nirvana.
So Nirvana is the only free from suffering.
So then you're inspired.
So these four things you have to understand.
Finally,
My interpretation of to be a Buddhist is quite simple.
To be a Buddhist,
Of course,
Have to be voluntary,
Not forcing anybody.
Cannot force you.
You have to be voluntarily.
But what you want to be voluntarily is,
Is not about rules and regulations.
It is about rising within yourself.
What do you need to rise within yourself is to be responsible for yourself.
That doesn't mean you just pay bills and do stuff.
That means you realize there is no creator,
Our own creation.
The whole universe is our own creation and our collective creation.
Your own life,
Your own experience is our own creation.
That's why it's not Buddha provide you the universe and your life.
It's not God or Buddha,
Nobody.
It's not even a random,
Your own 24-7 actions of body and actions of mind,
Actions of speech.
These are activities creating your own world.
So that's why which direction you want to go,
Everyday improvement or to be inferior is 100% up to you.
Buddha,
Dharma only facilitate in you.
They are not creator.
This universe is not somebody's creation.
So to be understand this is really Buddhist.
You cannot be anybody else.
You cannot be atheist.
You cannot be,
How do you say,
Other religious.
Definitely you are Buddhist if you understand this.
Or even you not fully understand but if you believe this way,
Definitely you are Buddhist.
Whether you like or not is up to you.
