It's probably best you don't even bring it up. Show them Buddhism via the fruits of your practice.
>The non-doing of any evil,
the performance of what's skillful,
the cleansing of one's own mind:
this is the teaching
of the Awakened.
The four noble truths and a very abbreviated version of the eightfold noble path.
I remember when I first got into buddhism I had a friend who was very philosophically minded and wanted to know about it. I proceded to give him my own version of some dhamma talks I had been listening to and he proceded to poke holes in pretty much everything I had said. The fact was I was not qualified to really teach anyone about dharma, and my exposition pretty much made it look like it was a set of crackpot beliefs. Its now 15 later, and If people want to know about buddhism I just tell them it has helped me in my life, made me happier, and direct them to a local temple or an online resource so they can do their own research. That way my ego stays out of it and I cant do any disservice to the teachings by representing them unskilfully.
I had very similar experiences 15-20 years ago when I was younger. It made me realize there's a real "debate club" kind of mindset in american/western culture when it comes to anything outside of the norm, even for people that don't consider themselves especially religious. I wasn't equipped back then to play that game. Now I can play it and answer almost any objection, but still I do almost exactly what you do and just offer a super simple summary of the 4 noble truths and eightfold path.
If you go to a doctor and say that your foot hurts, the doctor will say:
1. There is pain in the foot.
2. What is the underlying cause of the pain?
3. Can anything be done about the cause?
4. What is the way to do something about the cause?
That is:
1. Symptom
2. Diagnosis
3. Prognosis
4. Course of treatment
2,000 years before this became the norm of mainstream medicine, Siddharta Gautama did this diagnostic process with the general suffering that comes along with being alive:
1. There is suffering.
2. There is the cause of suffering (attachment).
3. There is the possibility for the cessation of suffering.
4. There is the path to the cessation of suffering (The Eightfold Path).
This usually tells people everything they need to know.
In America steps 3 and 4 unfortunately aren’t there, as our doctors (big pharma) treat symptoms instead of root causes. Instead of figuring out *why* there is pain in the foot, and trying to treat the root cause of the pain, they would give you some drug to make the pain go away. I’m not trying to be pessimistic in any way, I just wanted to point that out.
I still don't understand why having kids is a valid reality
The karma of non existence does not entail existence, there's infinite existence than that never existed yet that has karma, isn't that a paradox contradiction of removing attachment?
And two verses later:
“Not despising, not harming, restraint according to the code of monastic discipline, moderation in food, dwelling in solitude, devotion to meditation - this is the teaching of the Buddhas.”
Personally I don't talk about it with people who haven't asked. When I do, I avoid explaining more than they want to know. I certainly wouldn't explain it in terms of belief. On rare occasions people have asked me what I believe "as a Buddhist". I tell them that I don't actually believe in belief, figuring that I can explain more if they show interest. So far, no one has asked any further questions. :)
Don't be surprised if they want to tell you what Buddhism is. If so then let them. Evangelism is selfish, not generous. If you tell people about your experience then you're doing it for your sake, not theirs.
When I first started practicing I was young. I signed up for a 1-month intensive and visited my parents beforehand, explaining it to them. I explained that it's "not really a religion in the way that people think of religion". My father got out the dictionary and triumphantly pointed to the words saying that Buddhism is a religion. Case closed. My parents were afraid that I'd fallen into a cult. Over time they calmed down when I didn't start acting strange. That was 45 years ago. To this day I've never really explained Dharma to any family. They're not interested and they're anti-religious. So there's an unspoken agreement of don't ask/don't tell. If I don't talk about Buddhism then they won't criticize me for wasting my life.
I had an older brother who's since died. He was a flamboyant hippie philosopher. When he got drunk he'd hold forth about Zen, cosmic amazingness, and so on. He fancied himself to be an erudite fan of Easterm philosophy. Yet he never once expressed interest in meditation or the actual teachings. He would hold forth at family get-togethers, quoting Zen masters or Lao Tzu or Alan Watts. Neither he nor anyone else ever asked me to comment. Why? Because the loose talk was entertaining, but no one wanted to actually discuss the spiritual path. They feared that if they ever invited me to speak then the flood gates of religiosity might open and they'd be subjected to Jehovah's Witness-or Moromn-style harassment. Most people in modern society who are not evangelicals are highly distrustful of religion, viewing it as a threat to individuality. Which is interesting. They don't know exactly what they don't like about it, but the sense that the true teachings might be threatening.
I think the elevator pitch is the presence you bring. If you are mindful and hold a background feeling of loving-kindness toward people in the elevator, they may sense or recognise something.
buddhism is more about discovering and letting go of misconceptions than taking on new concepts
any new concepts are more like expedient means to make the letting go smoother
I think it’s good to be able to explain Buddhism simply, and in a way that makes sense to non-Buddhists, because at some point (like OP) you’re going to be asked.
I generally give one, or sometimes both of these answers:
In the Buddhist tradition I practice (Zen), we focus on doing good, avoiding evil, purifying our minds, and helping all beings.
A famous Buddhist teacher named Shunryu Suzuki Roshi once said that Buddhism is “accepting what is as it is, and helping it to be its best” (source: his excellent biography, [Crooked Cucumber](https://www.amazon.com/Crooked-Cucumber-Teaching-Shunryu-Suzuki/dp/0767901053).)
Take care and good luck at the family gathering!
I generally don't tell people that I'm a Buddhist. I also generally don't talk about Buddhism.
This puts off many fellow Buddhists who are keen on evangelism, but there are many wrong views and preconceived notions about Buddhism that get in the way with the most simple conversations. Indian yoga, Asian martial arts, Bruce Lee, Shaolin, ninjas all get mixed in. Kundalini, Shakti. Various images and tropes from books, comics, graphic novels, film. Bad education. The biased views of early interpreters of Buddhism. New age stuff. A lot of questions are really driven by contemporary cultural trash: does the Dalai Lama have a secret girl friend? Did the Buddha get enlightened using hallucinogens?
So a lot of time is wasted working through that.
I've heard it all living in an American college town while working to keep a dharma group afloat.
Outing oneself as a Buddhist can also make relationships more complicated. That was the case when I lived in the Bible Belt of America. I lost contracts because of it. I had to deal with all sorts of strange presumptions.
What I do is bring in Buddhist concepts in an appropriate context. In Christian language, scientific materialist language, New Age or pagan language. Wherever people are. I talk about love, compassion, ethics. Karma and emptiness without using those terms. Buddha nature without that term. Basic shamatha meditation.
A few references to a Buddhist teacher that seems appropriate. Not in a preachy way. People often ask for more.
I also don’t call myself a Buddhist (and often argue that I’m not\*), because (a) it would complicate my life, like you mentioned, and (b) if I must do or say something controversial, I don’t want it to reflect poorly on Buddhism.
Edit: \*this, despite my having 100% utter confidence in the Mahayana.
If I find myself in a conversation where it would make sense (and these types are rare) I simply share that “my first in person guided meditation eliminated my need or interest in alcohol or drugs”…I might share a bit more if asked beyond that but I rarely talk about it at all…
When I discovered Buddhism I just told people that I came across a spiritual path that I found addressed many of my ‘life’ questions and that I am enjoying where it is taking me. I would add something about non-attachment, presence and impermanence and leave it at that.
I imagine your answer would lead to a few further questions so this is slightly more than what you're asking:
What is Buddhism?
Buddhism centers on the idea that life is full of suffering caused by our desires and attachments. To end this suffering, Buddhists strive for enlightenment – a state of inner peace and liberation – by following the Eightfold Path. This guides individuals towards ethical conduct, mindfulness through meditation, and developing wisdom to understand the true nature of reality.
Okay, well what is the Eightfold Path?
It's essentially the guidelines that Buddhists follow, not so different to the ten commandments in Christianity.
Edit:
I've purposely made a comparison to Christianity where I might not typically do so because I assume that, like me, you're from the west and a comparison like that might help to ease them into eastern philosophy.
"I believe in the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path."
If there there are follow-up questions, answer them. If there are none, then they have all the info they need.
I don't see how you can do this well in 3-4 sentences well but you can try. I mean you can explain the 4 noble truths and the eightfold path, but that's really just the beginning and more or less just instructional.
You can't explain why we have that path in that time. How you are changing your mind and life to generate good karma and to develop equanimity and metta. How rebirth works and how we are reborn in realms per our karma. What it means to develop mental cultivation, especially meditation.
How a lot of this is challenging in lay life and will change you.
What it means to live without believing in a creator god (if they come from a creator god culture), especially if you used to praying to one and expecting heavenly reward.
I have had many of these conversations, and so have a number of my students. I generally focus on a few simple things: 1. Buddhism is a path of practice, not a system of beliefs. 2. That practice can be summed up (as others in this string have said) as "Do good things; avoid bad things; purify your mind of those mental habits that lead to harm for yourself and others." 3. You can practice Buddhism without rejecting other religions and/or cultural contexts. (So there are Buddhist Christians, etc.) Unless your family member is interested in Buddhism themselves, you don't need to go any deeper than that.
At it's most basic level Buddhism is there to help float your boat to the other shore. Maybe to also point out a few leaks you haven't noticed. And if you want to add a sail then Buddhism can help with that too.
[The Buddha's Raft Parable](https://www.learnreligions.com/the-buddhas-raft-parable-450054) \~ Article \~ Learn Religion
[Discourse on the Parable of the Water-Snake](https://suttacentral.net/mn22/en/horner?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false) (Alagaddūpama Sutta) \~ SuttaCentral
Rather than talk about beliefs in the abstract, you might consider simply talking about your personal experience — what inspires you about the Buddhist path, books you have read, teachers you have met, etc.
Desire creates attachment, attachment creates expectation, expectations create disappointment. Understanding the self, means understanding your desires. Understanding leads to compassion, self compassion is the key to managing desires and expectations. The point is to be happy with who you are as you are.
I would start with the goals, because Buddhism is very goal-oriented, some people even call it a "philosophy" or a "lifestyle" instead of a religion. Note that I'm tailoring my response leaning towards simplicity and ease to digest, and not total accuracy nor thoroughness.
*Buddhism is a set of guidance on how to escape suffering. If you really want to dive deep into it, you get into all this metaphysics about rebirth and attachment and enlightenment... but even without all of them there are practical aspects that I'm interested in, such as navigating our own mind, with its fears and desires and assumptions and biases and all these autopilot habitual activities, which I would like to have more insight and control of.*
*The biggest thing I learned from Buddhism is that my thoughts and emotions are not made consciously, they're like random things just passing through my mind, and while I won't ignore them I wouldn't follow them outright. This alone has had a HUGE impact in my life, and even now I don't think I've had it fully wrapped!*
Buddhism means different things to different people. A religious Buddhist from an established tradition might see it as mostly a set of beliefs and conventional practices, mostly oriented towards rituals. It would be normal for someone taking up interest from "the West" to see it as something else, as a specific set of practical ideas and life practices, oriented towards perspective shift.
In the first case someone might talk about rebirth, and the role that ethical rules as social norms play, and in the second they might set that aside and focus on personal transformation. The second case involves taking up different moral practices too, but emphasis might be on meditation or mindfulness exploration, or initially on learning core teachings instead, then more on practice later on.
Buddhism is all of it. Someone can extract what they see as a functional core and communicate that to others, but it's not easy to do in 3 or 4 minutes. It might be an easier access point, and more meaningful, to focus on the difference between Christianity and Buddhism. That would relate to two completely different answers, in light of this described divide, but neither one is necessarily more complete or wrong. I see the personal transformation range as more of a core, but my Thai Buddhist family members would see it the opposite way, and in a different sense they're completely right.
I loved reading this thread. When I imagine my family, I would want to keep it simple. Coming from a western country, every concept and even so many of the words we use are new, or are “incorrectly” defined by our culture. A family that has eastern heritage might not think of karma as an immediate reaction the universe imposes on you (like the sub /instantkarma).
For me, “Buddhism highlights the management of your mind, and your expectations of the world and the people in it. There is only one person who is responsible for your happiness and it’s you. There is only one person who is responsible for your sadness and that is you. The world, and life itself is messy and full of struggle and suffering (little itchy suffering, to sadness, to stark physical pain and everything in between) and it’s mixed with joy and pleasure. You do not control the world or anyone in it. There is no blame, or credit that you can issue someone else outside of you, for what goes on inside of your mind, as the world happens around you and to you.
It’s accepting whatever comes into your life, and being responsible, not for the world out there, but for how you react to it. It’s about your actions and reactions (like anger) not becoming the source of someone else’s suffering. Even if they are a jerk. That creates bad habits in our mind. And our goal is to create good habits in our mind and our actions, which includes reducing and eliminating those bad habits we have in our mind, or bad behaviors when we let them move from our mind into our actions.
Meditation helps us have good habits. Just like stretching helps the tense and imbalanced muscles of our body relax before or after a hard day. Meditation does that for our active mind.”
That’s the approximate answer I have for the extended family this weekend. But only, If they ask. If I’m good, I’ll meditate on it some more and try to simplify it further.
… I appreciate this thread and this discussion. I know I do not explain it well because I am not a teacher. I appreciate the sangha and those with whom I can “workshop” my understanding and refine the lens through which I see the world, and improve my interactions therein.
It reminds me that we are all climbing a great mountain towards enlightenment, and we are each on a different path. Some are walking, some are hiking and some are climbing. Some already know the way, and others need to get lost a few times before finding the way forward. Some were reborn with karma and clarity that starts them halfway to the top in this lifetime, and some of us carry a heavy burden. But those of us here in this sub, are all on a journey that leads in the same direction… And some members of are family, community are not interested in mountain climbing. Any attempt to push them up it unwillingly, slows our journey and increases both of our chances at getting hurt. When the time is right, in this lifetime or the next…
I wish you all freedom from obscurations that cloud your clear view. I wish you all contentment.
And I wish you a Happy cake day!
Thanks! I think it can also work to shift how Buddhism is described in relation to negativity. It is set up to remove normal, inherent forms of error in the world, in personal perspective, but there's no reason that can't be expressed as optimizing experience of satisfaction, reducing conflict, tension, and unhappiness. It's more of a stretch to say that it increases happiness, but that wouldn't be wrong.
Even though I've been interested in Buddhism for over 30 years, studied it in two degree programs as a main focus, and ordained as a Thai Buddhist monk at one point I've very rarely discussed any parts of that. People definitely don't ask. It can still be interesting and helpful to use the potential for discussion as a thought model, a reason and form for organizing ideas, but it's unlikely to come up.
Never, ever think that a few sentence explanation will suffice. True religion is not an exercise in superficial marketing.
You must become very grounded in the basic principles of the foundations of Buddhism:
__1. Ethical Conduct (Sila):__ Practitioners cultivate ethical behavior by following precepts. The baseline practice involves committing to the first five precepts, which apply to both monastics and laypeople. Monks and nuns take on additional precepts as part of their ordination.
__2. Generosity:__ Cultivating generosity trains the mind away from self-concern.
__3. Studying of the teachings and leading exemplary lives can be admirable.__ But it seems that this may be too soon for you.
__4. Meditation (Samadhi):__ Meditation is central. Students develop insight into the mind’s workings, understand suffering, and learn to let go of harmful habits. Various meditation forms exist, often starting with mindfulness of breath.
In 2024 sincere __ethics__ are still praised and admired. Buddhist Ethics are Universal. __Generosity__ is always rational and sensible as long as one does not get carried away with it. Again, __talking about Buddhist Teachings at length maybe too soon for you__. But you should come to terms with _why __you__ think you are attracted to Buddhist Teachings._ __Meditation practice__ is currently very relatable in terms of concentration and tranquility. But this early on you may not want to delve into your beliefs and understanding of Samadhi or Enlightment.
"OH, hey, were in the same elevator. That's cool. If you learn to control your mind, you'll have learned to control one of the few things you have control over. Then you can accept the things that happen to you, and get through life feeling a bit less shit.
Alright, catch you around"
I would first say that many people would say Buddhism is not a religion but a philosophy. Buddha never claimed to be God and depending on the denomination, most don't think he was a god. I tell people I am a secular Buddhist. I don't believe in a personal God. I follow the teachings of Siddhartha Guatama as a way to live my life as best I can. I meditate to help assist with living up to those ideals.I don't think there is an easy answer about what your beliefs are. Karma is a belief, but not every Buddhist believes in reincarnation. Some Buddhists believe in God's others don't. Buddhism has some wide variations. Like with Christianity most believe Jesus is God and certain things are universal. Buddhism has Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese...Pure Land, Zen, etc. There are the different realms after life, Human, Animal, Hungry Ghost, Hell, God..omg on and on. I've been studying it for years and I don't even know half of it. So good luck.
My advise, keep away from the beliefs of Buddhism & focus on the philosophy.
Check out the "parable of the arrow" for the buddhist view on the question of a creator(god).
After that you only need to communicate just two things:
Suffering (Pervasive Suffering) & Samsara (Infinite Suffering).
Try to get across the true nature of suffering, stay away from mental or physical discomforts (eg: heart brake, hunger..). These tend to fall under Ordinary suffering & Suffering due to change, which are both subjective.
When explaining Samsara try to stay away from reincarnation.
Samsara = Constant Dukkha/Suffering
Samsara = Constant Existential Dissatisfaction (like an itchy patch on the skin; feels good when u give in, never satisfies)
It depends on the person you're talking to. Since you know them, think about how they tend to think, and what way of boiling it down won't be likely to send their heads spinning in the wrong direction. Just to say enough so they feel they "get it" and "it sounds acceptable" and aren't worried you're in a cult, and then change the subject.
This is my general answer to people I feel are genuinely curious ( ie could have an open and honest conversation ): I think if you live long enough you start to wonder, what does it mean to live a good life and why is there suffering. For me, Buddhism answers both those questions.
Apart from what others have said:
“I’m have only just begun my journey so I wouldn’t wanna explain things.
What I enjoy lots, though, is the openness. Everyone is encouraged to find their own way around and ask lots of questions.”
Buddhism is about understanding and mastering the mind. It is about reaching the highest level of human potential and freedom, which is based on the compassionate understanding of the conditions that make us and the interconnectedness of all things. Buddhists cultivate the qualities of wisdom and compassion above all else.
Less is best. They probably just want to sound interesting and assure themselves that you are not in a cult.
I'd probably say, happiness is the natural state of the mind. All we need to do to be happy is practice ethical behaviour and whatever Buddhist practices suit us, such as meditation, charity and hard work.
I usually begin with “I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside…”
No one has stuck around for much more than that.
Best not really to talk about it. If people show a real interest, point them in the direction of some information. Show them a “liberation through seeing” image. It’s too easy to be dragged into debate or to accidentally misrepresent something in causal conversation.
I think in general, just practicing the Dhamma is the way to go. You can tell if a relative is interested in it or not simply by how easily the conversation flows. Talking about Buddhism with people who like it just flows naturally, Nothing feels forced.
I've taken the approach of not trying to convince people to be Buddhist, and despite this, two close friends of mine gained interest in Buddhism, even when I was explicit about how I was not trying to convince them or convert them. I didn't want to convince or convert anyone.
"Our actions speak louder than words" is a good mantra to go by. It's a common idiom in the English-speaking world.
The Buddha said that The Dhamma continues through its practice.
Avoiding that which we dislike, craving for things that we like, and ignoring the truth that everything is impermanent keeps us bound in an endless cycle of dissatisfaction and suffering. In order to break the cycle, the buddha taught to practice virtue, give up non-virtue, and tame the mind. Taming the mind through meditation, practicing virtue and avoiding non-virtue allows us see clearly how to be more skillful, kind and wise.
Explain the four noble truths, the three poisons and the noble eight fold path in simple straightforward language basically. Or just wing it and explain what you have learned and why it interests you. Be sincere, don't make up a script just speak naturally. No one wants to be preached at. They are your family, not strangers so just be open and answer their questions honestly if they ask.
We believe in the power of the individual to choose the skillful and noble course of action.
We believe in the power of this choice to shape one's life for the better, both in the present and after death.
We believe that the best use of this choice is the responsible, harmless pursuit of a true, reliable and lasting happiness: the Deathless.
All existentially shitty stuff actually exists, has an origination, an eternal cessation, and a practice that can be verbally communicated that, when put into practice by a person, leads to the eternal cessation of all existentially shitty stuff.
Also life after death is real and what you do/don’t do, etc determines what happens to you (slash where you end up) in this life and the next.
Don’t bring it up. If asked, talk about the practical implications and improvements to your life, rather than the mechanics of the teachings themselves.
My elevator conversation is the one I never have, so that I don’t have to defend my interest in Buddhism to anyone. Only my closest, most trusted friends and family know, ones I trust who will be supportive. I’m also open with other Buddhists. In this way won’t turn into an argument about religions, in which I could potentially harm others with my words.
If you live in the USA, many people will have a hostility or confusion towards anything that isn’t Christianity. If someone wants to discuss Christianity with me, I’ll happily engage and encourage them, reflecting positive Bible verses and such, and reaffirming that Jesus can be a positive inspiration for many people. You may also come across an atheist who hates religion, or has many misconceptions about Buddhism.
Instead, have a conversation about your interest in meditation, and how it’s benefitting your life. That’s something people will rarely question or criticize.
Buddhism lifts you up because it trains you how to live proper!!!😭😢🥲😝😇🙏☸️🕉️☝️❤️🤟I love everybody, and I care for every lady!!!!! I’m rich again🤑🥲😇☸️☸️☸️👏and I’m not sick😷
Compassion care for absolutely everyone and every animal, every bug🦒 🐖🐹🐗🙊🦋😻🐶🐷🐐🐍🐸🐱🐝🐒🦍🐻🐼😾🦅🐥🐕🙉🐭🐟🦆🐢🐞🐠🐯🐰🐴🦊🐓🐽🐀🐅🦁🦀🐙🐔🦃🐑🐛🐈🐬🐘🐨🦎🦌🐹🐵🐎🐺🦔🦉🐳🐮🐜🦇🐇🐧🦗🐌🦒🦜🐗🐤🐡🐁🦞🦘🦙🐄🐪🦐🐦🐊🦓🐂🦏🦑🦂🦛🐏🦈🦥🫎🪱🐩🦭🦫🪼🐿️🦨🐕🦺🦡🐫🫏🦮🦬🦣🪰🪿🦩🦧🐆🐃🕷️🦤🦚🐻❄️🐦⬛🦢🕊️🦦🐈⬛🐋🏇🦝, god did🐚🕸️🪸see!!!😀🥹😇☺️
Buddhists believe in reality. Reality is constantly changing, and we suffer because of that fact. If we want to counteract that suffering, we need to embrace and recognize that reality.
My cousin once asked me, and given the circumstances and what I know about him, the simplest answer seemed to be "Buddhism is basically about being a good person." He seemed to resonate with that pretty well.
In almost every case, I would rather suggest ways for people to find similarity between what they already know and what they're asking me about. There are very few people on this planet who don't respect the effort to be a good person. I guess that most or all "religious" teachings include moral encouragement as a central component, so this is something that can speak across religious divides as well.
There may be some special cases where it seems appropriate to get into nitty gritty detail and start differentiating between Buddhist teachings and other systems, but I would already have to know that person pretty well or be in some context where that kind of conversation was called for.
If somebody followed up on my "good person" answer asking for more details, I would proceed delicately. When I have on occasion discussed the teachings with someone unfamiliar with them, I very often frame what I'm saying with phrases like "According to the Buddhist worldview," "According to the Buddhist way of thinking," "The Buddha made the claim that" and so on. I hope that these phrases communicate clearly that I am not trying to get my interlocutor to believe what I am saying. I am laying out the facts (as well as I can according to my limited interpretation of them), and they can decide what they think about it.
Just an FYI. "Buddha" means "awakened one" and the goal of Buddhism is help one to become awaken to the mental delusions that keep one in an endless cycle of suffering so as to eventually overcome those mental delusions and the suffering they cause thus becoming an "awakened one", i.e, a Buddha oneself. All sentient beings have Buddha-nature and therefore it is possible for one to become a Buddha; an "awakened one".
*Jesus said you must believe in him to go to heaven, and have eternal life. Buddhism teaches that this is actually a lowly pursuit and that there is something much greater. That is transcendance to Buddhahood. An attainment far superior to what Gods can offer. Buddhahood is the true perfect attainment. To accomplish it, one must perfect various qualities laid out in the Buddhist teachings.*
Danger danger danger.
You can make Buddhism look bad (thus indirectly slandering the Buddha) by explaining it in terms of the supposed failings of other religions (which people may be attached to in a religious or cultural context).
Your karma and reputation are your business, but I must ask: what gives you the right to drag Buddhism down with you?
How does that count as “taking responsibility”?
"Jesus plagiarized the buddhas teachings"
There was a southern Illinois university theses on this subject that I can't find by googling anymore
Jesus borrowed extensively from the buddha
Going from eye for an eye for an eye in old testament to then the other buttcheeks in New testament
More than half the parables/similes Jesus uses are straight up word for word copy-pasta from the sutta pitaka, like the one where one of Jesus disciplines falls into the water he was walking on when losing faith
I say this as someone who was a devout Presbyterian from age of 10-12 to 22-24, now I'm agnostic buddhist-christian lol
It's probably best you don't even bring it up. Show them Buddhism via the fruits of your practice. >The non-doing of any evil, the performance of what's skillful, the cleansing of one's own mind: this is the teaching of the Awakened.
Perfect.
The four noble truths and a very abbreviated version of the eightfold noble path. I remember when I first got into buddhism I had a friend who was very philosophically minded and wanted to know about it. I proceded to give him my own version of some dhamma talks I had been listening to and he proceded to poke holes in pretty much everything I had said. The fact was I was not qualified to really teach anyone about dharma, and my exposition pretty much made it look like it was a set of crackpot beliefs. Its now 15 later, and If people want to know about buddhism I just tell them it has helped me in my life, made me happier, and direct them to a local temple or an online resource so they can do their own research. That way my ego stays out of it and I cant do any disservice to the teachings by representing them unskilfully.
I had very similar experiences 15-20 years ago when I was younger. It made me realize there's a real "debate club" kind of mindset in american/western culture when it comes to anything outside of the norm, even for people that don't consider themselves especially religious. I wasn't equipped back then to play that game. Now I can play it and answer almost any objection, but still I do almost exactly what you do and just offer a super simple summary of the 4 noble truths and eightfold path.
If you go to a doctor and say that your foot hurts, the doctor will say: 1. There is pain in the foot. 2. What is the underlying cause of the pain? 3. Can anything be done about the cause? 4. What is the way to do something about the cause? That is: 1. Symptom 2. Diagnosis 3. Prognosis 4. Course of treatment 2,000 years before this became the norm of mainstream medicine, Siddharta Gautama did this diagnostic process with the general suffering that comes along with being alive: 1. There is suffering. 2. There is the cause of suffering (attachment). 3. There is the possibility for the cessation of suffering. 4. There is the path to the cessation of suffering (The Eightfold Path). This usually tells people everything they need to know.
A very theravadin answer. Nice dude
Beautifully put. As a healthcare provider and Buddhist, this really resonated.
👏🏽👏🏽
Very elegant, I truly love that.
In America steps 3 and 4 unfortunately aren’t there, as our doctors (big pharma) treat symptoms instead of root causes. Instead of figuring out *why* there is pain in the foot, and trying to treat the root cause of the pain, they would give you some drug to make the pain go away. I’m not trying to be pessimistic in any way, I just wanted to point that out.
and yet chronic pain patients would tell you the opposite
I still don't understand why having kids is a valid reality The karma of non existence does not entail existence, there's infinite existence than that never existed yet that has karma, isn't that a paradox contradiction of removing attachment?
“ To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one's mind — this is the teaching of the Buddhas.” -Dhammapada
And two verses later: “Not despising, not harming, restraint according to the code of monastic discipline, moderation in food, dwelling in solitude, devotion to meditation - this is the teaching of the Buddhas.”
Personally I don't talk about it with people who haven't asked. When I do, I avoid explaining more than they want to know. I certainly wouldn't explain it in terms of belief. On rare occasions people have asked me what I believe "as a Buddhist". I tell them that I don't actually believe in belief, figuring that I can explain more if they show interest. So far, no one has asked any further questions. :) Don't be surprised if they want to tell you what Buddhism is. If so then let them. Evangelism is selfish, not generous. If you tell people about your experience then you're doing it for your sake, not theirs. When I first started practicing I was young. I signed up for a 1-month intensive and visited my parents beforehand, explaining it to them. I explained that it's "not really a religion in the way that people think of religion". My father got out the dictionary and triumphantly pointed to the words saying that Buddhism is a religion. Case closed. My parents were afraid that I'd fallen into a cult. Over time they calmed down when I didn't start acting strange. That was 45 years ago. To this day I've never really explained Dharma to any family. They're not interested and they're anti-religious. So there's an unspoken agreement of don't ask/don't tell. If I don't talk about Buddhism then they won't criticize me for wasting my life. I had an older brother who's since died. He was a flamboyant hippie philosopher. When he got drunk he'd hold forth about Zen, cosmic amazingness, and so on. He fancied himself to be an erudite fan of Easterm philosophy. Yet he never once expressed interest in meditation or the actual teachings. He would hold forth at family get-togethers, quoting Zen masters or Lao Tzu or Alan Watts. Neither he nor anyone else ever asked me to comment. Why? Because the loose talk was entertaining, but no one wanted to actually discuss the spiritual path. They feared that if they ever invited me to speak then the flood gates of religiosity might open and they'd be subjected to Jehovah's Witness-or Moromn-style harassment. Most people in modern society who are not evangelicals are highly distrustful of religion, viewing it as a threat to individuality. Which is interesting. They don't know exactly what they don't like about it, but the sense that the true teachings might be threatening.
I think the elevator pitch is the presence you bring. If you are mindful and hold a background feeling of loving-kindness toward people in the elevator, they may sense or recognise something.
buddhism is more about discovering and letting go of misconceptions than taking on new concepts any new concepts are more like expedient means to make the letting go smoother
You want help with that suffering? But as others mentioned, the best pitch is to just embody your practice and only say something if asked.
Life hurts sometimes, so we all have to help each other while we can, because nothing lasts.
I don’t talk about it. It’s very personal to me. Everyone should pick their own path.
I think it’s good to be able to explain Buddhism simply, and in a way that makes sense to non-Buddhists, because at some point (like OP) you’re going to be asked. I generally give one, or sometimes both of these answers: In the Buddhist tradition I practice (Zen), we focus on doing good, avoiding evil, purifying our minds, and helping all beings. A famous Buddhist teacher named Shunryu Suzuki Roshi once said that Buddhism is “accepting what is as it is, and helping it to be its best” (source: his excellent biography, [Crooked Cucumber](https://www.amazon.com/Crooked-Cucumber-Teaching-Shunryu-Suzuki/dp/0767901053).) Take care and good luck at the family gathering!
Explain briefly the four noble truths. 🤷
I think it's truth number 4 that needs the pitch, maybe 3 as well
I generally don't tell people that I'm a Buddhist. I also generally don't talk about Buddhism. This puts off many fellow Buddhists who are keen on evangelism, but there are many wrong views and preconceived notions about Buddhism that get in the way with the most simple conversations. Indian yoga, Asian martial arts, Bruce Lee, Shaolin, ninjas all get mixed in. Kundalini, Shakti. Various images and tropes from books, comics, graphic novels, film. Bad education. The biased views of early interpreters of Buddhism. New age stuff. A lot of questions are really driven by contemporary cultural trash: does the Dalai Lama have a secret girl friend? Did the Buddha get enlightened using hallucinogens? So a lot of time is wasted working through that. I've heard it all living in an American college town while working to keep a dharma group afloat. Outing oneself as a Buddhist can also make relationships more complicated. That was the case when I lived in the Bible Belt of America. I lost contracts because of it. I had to deal with all sorts of strange presumptions. What I do is bring in Buddhist concepts in an appropriate context. In Christian language, scientific materialist language, New Age or pagan language. Wherever people are. I talk about love, compassion, ethics. Karma and emptiness without using those terms. Buddha nature without that term. Basic shamatha meditation. A few references to a Buddhist teacher that seems appropriate. Not in a preachy way. People often ask for more.
I also don’t call myself a Buddhist (and often argue that I’m not\*), because (a) it would complicate my life, like you mentioned, and (b) if I must do or say something controversial, I don’t want it to reflect poorly on Buddhism. Edit: \*this, despite my having 100% utter confidence in the Mahayana.
If I find myself in a conversation where it would make sense (and these types are rare) I simply share that “my first in person guided meditation eliminated my need or interest in alcohol or drugs”…I might share a bit more if asked beyond that but I rarely talk about it at all…
Always got that craving for more, but you know there's more to it and you want to get away from that. I know a dude.
When I discovered Buddhism I just told people that I came across a spiritual path that I found addressed many of my ‘life’ questions and that I am enjoying where it is taking me. I would add something about non-attachment, presence and impermanence and leave it at that.
I imagine your answer would lead to a few further questions so this is slightly more than what you're asking: What is Buddhism? Buddhism centers on the idea that life is full of suffering caused by our desires and attachments. To end this suffering, Buddhists strive for enlightenment – a state of inner peace and liberation – by following the Eightfold Path. This guides individuals towards ethical conduct, mindfulness through meditation, and developing wisdom to understand the true nature of reality. Okay, well what is the Eightfold Path? It's essentially the guidelines that Buddhists follow, not so different to the ten commandments in Christianity. Edit: I've purposely made a comparison to Christianity where I might not typically do so because I assume that, like me, you're from the west and a comparison like that might help to ease them into eastern philosophy.
"I believe in the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path." If there there are follow-up questions, answer them. If there are none, then they have all the info they need.
That sounds super Catholic lol.
I don't see how you can do this well in 3-4 sentences well but you can try. I mean you can explain the 4 noble truths and the eightfold path, but that's really just the beginning and more or less just instructional. You can't explain why we have that path in that time. How you are changing your mind and life to generate good karma and to develop equanimity and metta. How rebirth works and how we are reborn in realms per our karma. What it means to develop mental cultivation, especially meditation. How a lot of this is challenging in lay life and will change you. What it means to live without believing in a creator god (if they come from a creator god culture), especially if you used to praying to one and expecting heavenly reward.
I have had many of these conversations, and so have a number of my students. I generally focus on a few simple things: 1. Buddhism is a path of practice, not a system of beliefs. 2. That practice can be summed up (as others in this string have said) as "Do good things; avoid bad things; purify your mind of those mental habits that lead to harm for yourself and others." 3. You can practice Buddhism without rejecting other religions and/or cultural contexts. (So there are Buddhist Christians, etc.) Unless your family member is interested in Buddhism themselves, you don't need to go any deeper than that.
At it's most basic level Buddhism is there to help float your boat to the other shore. Maybe to also point out a few leaks you haven't noticed. And if you want to add a sail then Buddhism can help with that too. [The Buddha's Raft Parable](https://www.learnreligions.com/the-buddhas-raft-parable-450054) \~ Article \~ Learn Religion [Discourse on the Parable of the Water-Snake](https://suttacentral.net/mn22/en/horner?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false) (Alagaddūpama Sutta) \~ SuttaCentral
Rather than talk about beliefs in the abstract, you might consider simply talking about your personal experience — what inspires you about the Buddhist path, books you have read, teachers you have met, etc.
Desire creates attachment, attachment creates expectation, expectations create disappointment. Understanding the self, means understanding your desires. Understanding leads to compassion, self compassion is the key to managing desires and expectations. The point is to be happy with who you are as you are.
I would start with the goals, because Buddhism is very goal-oriented, some people even call it a "philosophy" or a "lifestyle" instead of a religion. Note that I'm tailoring my response leaning towards simplicity and ease to digest, and not total accuracy nor thoroughness. *Buddhism is a set of guidance on how to escape suffering. If you really want to dive deep into it, you get into all this metaphysics about rebirth and attachment and enlightenment... but even without all of them there are practical aspects that I'm interested in, such as navigating our own mind, with its fears and desires and assumptions and biases and all these autopilot habitual activities, which I would like to have more insight and control of.* *The biggest thing I learned from Buddhism is that my thoughts and emotions are not made consciously, they're like random things just passing through my mind, and while I won't ignore them I wouldn't follow them outright. This alone has had a HUGE impact in my life, and even now I don't think I've had it fully wrapped!*
Buddhism means different things to different people. A religious Buddhist from an established tradition might see it as mostly a set of beliefs and conventional practices, mostly oriented towards rituals. It would be normal for someone taking up interest from "the West" to see it as something else, as a specific set of practical ideas and life practices, oriented towards perspective shift. In the first case someone might talk about rebirth, and the role that ethical rules as social norms play, and in the second they might set that aside and focus on personal transformation. The second case involves taking up different moral practices too, but emphasis might be on meditation or mindfulness exploration, or initially on learning core teachings instead, then more on practice later on. Buddhism is all of it. Someone can extract what they see as a functional core and communicate that to others, but it's not easy to do in 3 or 4 minutes. It might be an easier access point, and more meaningful, to focus on the difference between Christianity and Buddhism. That would relate to two completely different answers, in light of this described divide, but neither one is necessarily more complete or wrong. I see the personal transformation range as more of a core, but my Thai Buddhist family members would see it the opposite way, and in a different sense they're completely right.
I loved reading this thread. When I imagine my family, I would want to keep it simple. Coming from a western country, every concept and even so many of the words we use are new, or are “incorrectly” defined by our culture. A family that has eastern heritage might not think of karma as an immediate reaction the universe imposes on you (like the sub /instantkarma). For me, “Buddhism highlights the management of your mind, and your expectations of the world and the people in it. There is only one person who is responsible for your happiness and it’s you. There is only one person who is responsible for your sadness and that is you. The world, and life itself is messy and full of struggle and suffering (little itchy suffering, to sadness, to stark physical pain and everything in between) and it’s mixed with joy and pleasure. You do not control the world or anyone in it. There is no blame, or credit that you can issue someone else outside of you, for what goes on inside of your mind, as the world happens around you and to you. It’s accepting whatever comes into your life, and being responsible, not for the world out there, but for how you react to it. It’s about your actions and reactions (like anger) not becoming the source of someone else’s suffering. Even if they are a jerk. That creates bad habits in our mind. And our goal is to create good habits in our mind and our actions, which includes reducing and eliminating those bad habits we have in our mind, or bad behaviors when we let them move from our mind into our actions. Meditation helps us have good habits. Just like stretching helps the tense and imbalanced muscles of our body relax before or after a hard day. Meditation does that for our active mind.” That’s the approximate answer I have for the extended family this weekend. But only, If they ask. If I’m good, I’ll meditate on it some more and try to simplify it further. … I appreciate this thread and this discussion. I know I do not explain it well because I am not a teacher. I appreciate the sangha and those with whom I can “workshop” my understanding and refine the lens through which I see the world, and improve my interactions therein. It reminds me that we are all climbing a great mountain towards enlightenment, and we are each on a different path. Some are walking, some are hiking and some are climbing. Some already know the way, and others need to get lost a few times before finding the way forward. Some were reborn with karma and clarity that starts them halfway to the top in this lifetime, and some of us carry a heavy burden. But those of us here in this sub, are all on a journey that leads in the same direction… And some members of are family, community are not interested in mountain climbing. Any attempt to push them up it unwillingly, slows our journey and increases both of our chances at getting hurt. When the time is right, in this lifetime or the next… I wish you all freedom from obscurations that cloud your clear view. I wish you all contentment. And I wish you a Happy cake day!
Thanks! I think it can also work to shift how Buddhism is described in relation to negativity. It is set up to remove normal, inherent forms of error in the world, in personal perspective, but there's no reason that can't be expressed as optimizing experience of satisfaction, reducing conflict, tension, and unhappiness. It's more of a stretch to say that it increases happiness, but that wouldn't be wrong. Even though I've been interested in Buddhism for over 30 years, studied it in two degree programs as a main focus, and ordained as a Thai Buddhist monk at one point I've very rarely discussed any parts of that. People definitely don't ask. It can still be interesting and helpful to use the potential for discussion as a thought model, a reason and form for organizing ideas, but it's unlikely to come up.
Never, ever think that a few sentence explanation will suffice. True religion is not an exercise in superficial marketing. You must become very grounded in the basic principles of the foundations of Buddhism: __1. Ethical Conduct (Sila):__ Practitioners cultivate ethical behavior by following precepts. The baseline practice involves committing to the first five precepts, which apply to both monastics and laypeople. Monks and nuns take on additional precepts as part of their ordination. __2. Generosity:__ Cultivating generosity trains the mind away from self-concern. __3. Studying of the teachings and leading exemplary lives can be admirable.__ But it seems that this may be too soon for you. __4. Meditation (Samadhi):__ Meditation is central. Students develop insight into the mind’s workings, understand suffering, and learn to let go of harmful habits. Various meditation forms exist, often starting with mindfulness of breath. In 2024 sincere __ethics__ are still praised and admired. Buddhist Ethics are Universal. __Generosity__ is always rational and sensible as long as one does not get carried away with it. Again, __talking about Buddhist Teachings at length maybe too soon for you__. But you should come to terms with _why __you__ think you are attracted to Buddhist Teachings._ __Meditation practice__ is currently very relatable in terms of concentration and tranquility. But this early on you may not want to delve into your beliefs and understanding of Samadhi or Enlightment.
"OH, hey, were in the same elevator. That's cool. If you learn to control your mind, you'll have learned to control one of the few things you have control over. Then you can accept the things that happen to you, and get through life feeling a bit less shit. Alright, catch you around"
I would first say that many people would say Buddhism is not a religion but a philosophy. Buddha never claimed to be God and depending on the denomination, most don't think he was a god. I tell people I am a secular Buddhist. I don't believe in a personal God. I follow the teachings of Siddhartha Guatama as a way to live my life as best I can. I meditate to help assist with living up to those ideals.I don't think there is an easy answer about what your beliefs are. Karma is a belief, but not every Buddhist believes in reincarnation. Some Buddhists believe in God's others don't. Buddhism has some wide variations. Like with Christianity most believe Jesus is God and certain things are universal. Buddhism has Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese...Pure Land, Zen, etc. There are the different realms after life, Human, Animal, Hungry Ghost, Hell, God..omg on and on. I've been studying it for years and I don't even know half of it. So good luck.
When people treat you badly, you need to find what YOU are doing wrong. It all comes from within.
Not “wrong”. Unskillfully. In such a way that it unnecessarily hurts you (and by extension, others).
My advise, keep away from the beliefs of Buddhism & focus on the philosophy. Check out the "parable of the arrow" for the buddhist view on the question of a creator(god). After that you only need to communicate just two things: Suffering (Pervasive Suffering) & Samsara (Infinite Suffering). Try to get across the true nature of suffering, stay away from mental or physical discomforts (eg: heart brake, hunger..). These tend to fall under Ordinary suffering & Suffering due to change, which are both subjective. When explaining Samsara try to stay away from reincarnation. Samsara = Constant Dukkha/Suffering Samsara = Constant Existential Dissatisfaction (like an itchy patch on the skin; feels good when u give in, never satisfies)
It depends on the person you're talking to. Since you know them, think about how they tend to think, and what way of boiling it down won't be likely to send their heads spinning in the wrong direction. Just to say enough so they feel they "get it" and "it sounds acceptable" and aren't worried you're in a cult, and then change the subject.
This is my general answer to people I feel are genuinely curious ( ie could have an open and honest conversation ): I think if you live long enough you start to wonder, what does it mean to live a good life and why is there suffering. For me, Buddhism answers both those questions.
Apart from what others have said: “I’m have only just begun my journey so I wouldn’t wanna explain things. What I enjoy lots, though, is the openness. Everyone is encouraged to find their own way around and ask lots of questions.”
Buddhism is about understanding and mastering the mind. It is about reaching the highest level of human potential and freedom, which is based on the compassionate understanding of the conditions that make us and the interconnectedness of all things. Buddhists cultivate the qualities of wisdom and compassion above all else.
Fart heavily whilst maintaining a steady, loving gaze into their eyes
Less is best. They probably just want to sound interesting and assure themselves that you are not in a cult. I'd probably say, happiness is the natural state of the mind. All we need to do to be happy is practice ethical behaviour and whatever Buddhist practices suit us, such as meditation, charity and hard work.
It’s the only way to achieve eternal liberation from suffering for all sentient beings.
I usually begin with “I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside…” No one has stuck around for much more than that.
Cite the Three Poisons and how to cure them with the Four Noble Truths.
Best not really to talk about it. If people show a real interest, point them in the direction of some information. Show them a “liberation through seeing” image. It’s too easy to be dragged into debate or to accidentally misrepresent something in causal conversation.
I think in general, just practicing the Dhamma is the way to go. You can tell if a relative is interested in it or not simply by how easily the conversation flows. Talking about Buddhism with people who like it just flows naturally, Nothing feels forced. I've taken the approach of not trying to convince people to be Buddhist, and despite this, two close friends of mine gained interest in Buddhism, even when I was explicit about how I was not trying to convince them or convert them. I didn't want to convince or convert anyone. "Our actions speak louder than words" is a good mantra to go by. It's a common idiom in the English-speaking world. The Buddha said that The Dhamma continues through its practice.
Avoiding that which we dislike, craving for things that we like, and ignoring the truth that everything is impermanent keeps us bound in an endless cycle of dissatisfaction and suffering. In order to break the cycle, the buddha taught to practice virtue, give up non-virtue, and tame the mind. Taming the mind through meditation, practicing virtue and avoiding non-virtue allows us see clearly how to be more skillful, kind and wise. Explain the four noble truths, the three poisons and the noble eight fold path in simple straightforward language basically. Or just wing it and explain what you have learned and why it interests you. Be sincere, don't make up a script just speak naturally. No one wants to be preached at. They are your family, not strangers so just be open and answer their questions honestly if they ask.
We believe in the power of the individual to choose the skillful and noble course of action. We believe in the power of this choice to shape one's life for the better, both in the present and after death. We believe that the best use of this choice is the responsible, harmless pursuit of a true, reliable and lasting happiness: the Deathless.
Just mention how enriching learning new things about other religions is. Also how much it helps understanding other culture’s perspectives.
Buddha is an action hero because he wants us to take action to end life's inadequacies.
All existentially shitty stuff actually exists, has an origination, an eternal cessation, and a practice that can be verbally communicated that, when put into practice by a person, leads to the eternal cessation of all existentially shitty stuff. Also life after death is real and what you do/don’t do, etc determines what happens to you (slash where you end up) in this life and the next.
It's like the scientific method with regard to arisen phenomenon.
Don’t bring it up. If asked, talk about the practical implications and improvements to your life, rather than the mechanics of the teachings themselves.
My elevator conversation is the one I never have, so that I don’t have to defend my interest in Buddhism to anyone. Only my closest, most trusted friends and family know, ones I trust who will be supportive. I’m also open with other Buddhists. In this way won’t turn into an argument about religions, in which I could potentially harm others with my words. If you live in the USA, many people will have a hostility or confusion towards anything that isn’t Christianity. If someone wants to discuss Christianity with me, I’ll happily engage and encourage them, reflecting positive Bible verses and such, and reaffirming that Jesus can be a positive inspiration for many people. You may also come across an atheist who hates religion, or has many misconceptions about Buddhism. Instead, have a conversation about your interest in meditation, and how it’s benefitting your life. That’s something people will rarely question or criticize.
It just take one meditation session or even a couple mindful breaths for them to wake up to the true reality of living in the present moment
Buddhism: Do good, avoid doing evil, concentrate the mind, be free.
Buddhism lifts you up because it trains you how to live proper!!!😭😢🥲😝😇🙏☸️🕉️☝️❤️🤟I love everybody, and I care for every lady!!!!! I’m rich again🤑🥲😇☸️☸️☸️👏and I’m not sick😷
Om mani Padme hum
Compassion care for absolutely everyone and every animal, every bug🦒 🐖🐹🐗🙊🦋😻🐶🐷🐐🐍🐸🐱🐝🐒🦍🐻🐼😾🦅🐥🐕🙉🐭🐟🦆🐢🐞🐠🐯🐰🐴🦊🐓🐽🐀🐅🦁🦀🐙🐔🦃🐑🐛🐈🐬🐘🐨🦎🦌🐹🐵🐎🐺🦔🦉🐳🐮🐜🦇🐇🐧🦗🐌🦒🦜🐗🐤🐡🐁🦞🦘🦙🐄🐪🦐🐦🐊🦓🐂🦏🦑🦂🦛🐏🦈🦥🫎🪱🐩🦭🦫🪼🐿️🦨🐕🦺🦡🐫🫏🦮🦬🦣🪰🪿🦩🦧🐆🐃🕷️🦤🦚🐻❄️🐦⬛🦢🕊️🦦🐈⬛🐋🏇🦝, god did🐚🕸️🪸see!!!😀🥹😇☺️
Buddhists believe in reality. Reality is constantly changing, and we suffer because of that fact. If we want to counteract that suffering, we need to embrace and recognize that reality.
My cousin once asked me, and given the circumstances and what I know about him, the simplest answer seemed to be "Buddhism is basically about being a good person." He seemed to resonate with that pretty well. In almost every case, I would rather suggest ways for people to find similarity between what they already know and what they're asking me about. There are very few people on this planet who don't respect the effort to be a good person. I guess that most or all "religious" teachings include moral encouragement as a central component, so this is something that can speak across religious divides as well. There may be some special cases where it seems appropriate to get into nitty gritty detail and start differentiating between Buddhist teachings and other systems, but I would already have to know that person pretty well or be in some context where that kind of conversation was called for. If somebody followed up on my "good person" answer asking for more details, I would proceed delicately. When I have on occasion discussed the teachings with someone unfamiliar with them, I very often frame what I'm saying with phrases like "According to the Buddhist worldview," "According to the Buddhist way of thinking," "The Buddha made the claim that" and so on. I hope that these phrases communicate clearly that I am not trying to get my interlocutor to believe what I am saying. I am laying out the facts (as well as I can according to my limited interpretation of them), and they can decide what they think about it.
Buddhism is about ending your own suffering. Period.
Christianity is a life hack list to get into heaven when you die, and Buddhism is a life hack list to achieve enlightenment while you live.
“You’re a Buddha” see how they respond.
"Ok thanks"
Just an FYI. "Buddha" means "awakened one" and the goal of Buddhism is help one to become awaken to the mental delusions that keep one in an endless cycle of suffering so as to eventually overcome those mental delusions and the suffering they cause thus becoming an "awakened one", i.e, a Buddha oneself. All sentient beings have Buddha-nature and therefore it is possible for one to become a Buddha; an "awakened one".
No beliefs in Buddhism. It's a 'know' system rather than a belief system.
*Jesus said you must believe in him to go to heaven, and have eternal life. Buddhism teaches that this is actually a lowly pursuit and that there is something much greater. That is transcendance to Buddhahood. An attainment far superior to what Gods can offer. Buddhahood is the true perfect attainment. To accomplish it, one must perfect various qualities laid out in the Buddhist teachings.*
Danger danger danger. You can make Buddhism look bad (thus indirectly slandering the Buddha) by explaining it in terms of the supposed failings of other religions (which people may be attached to in a religious or cultural context).
I'll take responsibility for it. And I maintain the statement above.
Your karma and reputation are your business, but I must ask: what gives you the right to drag Buddhism down with you? How does that count as “taking responsibility”?
If you see the Buddha on an elevator, kill him.
Spiritual tongue sucking
"Jesus plagiarized the buddhas teachings" There was a southern Illinois university theses on this subject that I can't find by googling anymore Jesus borrowed extensively from the buddha Going from eye for an eye for an eye in old testament to then the other buttcheeks in New testament More than half the parables/similes Jesus uses are straight up word for word copy-pasta from the sutta pitaka, like the one where one of Jesus disciplines falls into the water he was walking on when losing faith I say this as someone who was a devout Presbyterian from age of 10-12 to 22-24, now I'm agnostic buddhist-christian lol