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**fotochicaes** · 11-21-2011, 08:20 AM

Aloka-D, I will make sure to read and listen to "What is Buddhism?" Thank you for telling me about that. It makes perfect sense to me that I should learn about the basics of Buddhism first. I appreciate your guidance.

Kaarine, I personally love what I have read by Thich Nhat Hanh. I have only read I think part of, "Living Buddha, Living Christ". I do not own the book. I respect that he is not your favorite. To be honest I do not know who my favorite would be considering I am so new to Buddhism.

My grandparents gave me a gift card to Barnes and Noble for my birthday I think. I havn't used it yet. I am unemployed so I might not be able to get many books until possibly with the upcoming holidays I could just ask for a gift card. I could possibly find a good book about Buddhism at Barnes and Noble though. Is there a particular Thich Nhat Hanh book that you would recommend? I am open to anyones advice. I appreciate all of the help.

I will look up, "The Way It Is" by Ajahn Sumedho. Thank you Kaarine for telling me about it.

I really feel the need to ask this and if it is too far off of the topic of this thread I apologize. I hope it isn't.

I am wondering, how exactly does a person become a Buddhist? Before when I was interested in Buddhism I was in contact with a local Buddhist group. I am not sure what tradition they were. I think a person from that group told me that to become a Buddhist you need to say something officially. (I can't remember what it was something like) Buddha is my refuge? I think there was more to it than that. I think she said I needed to do it at a meeting that they were going to have with a foreign Buddhist leader of the particular type of Buddhism they practiced. I don't know if i'm making much sense. It is hard for me to remember exactly what I was told.

I am confused about how a person becomes a Buddhist. I know I need to learn more anyway but I just am very curious. I really want to learn more about Buddhism. If interest continues which I think it will I would really like to become a Buddhist, but I don't know how to. Or maybe you have to become a Buddhist by joining a particular kind of Buddhism?

I hope it is appropriate for me to ask these questions here. Thanks again.

11-21-2011, 08:20 AM	#10
fotochicaes Join Date Nov 2005 Posts 423 Senior Member	Aloka-D, I will make sure to read and listen to "What is Buddhism?" Thank you for telling me about that. It makes perfect sense to me that I should learn about the basics of Buddhism first. I appreciate your guidance. Kaarine, I personally love what I have read by Thich Nhat Hanh. I have only read I think part of, "Living Buddha, Living Christ". I do not own the book. I respect that he is not your favorite. To be honest I do not know who my favorite would be considering I am so new to Buddhism. My grandparents gave me a gift card to Barnes and Noble for my birthday I think. I havn't used it yet. I am unemployed so I might not be able to get many books until possibly with the upcoming holidays I could just ask for a gift card. I could possibly find a good book about Buddhism at Barnes and Noble though. Is there a particular Thich Nhat Hanh book that you would recommend? I am open to anyones advice. I appreciate all of the help. I will look up, "The Way It Is" by Ajahn Sumedho. Thank you Kaarine for telling me about it. I really feel the need to ask this and if it is too far off of the topic of this thread I apologize. I hope it isn't. I am wondering, how exactly does a person become a Buddhist? Before when I was interested in Buddhism I was in contact with a local Buddhist group. I am not sure what tradition they were. I think a person from that group told me that to become a Buddhist you need to say something officially. (I can't remember what it was something like) Buddha is my refuge? I think there was more to it than that. I think she said I needed to do it at a meeting that they were going to have with a foreign Buddhist leader of the particular type of Buddhism they practiced. I don't know if i'm making much sense. It is hard for me to remember exactly what I was told. I am confused about how a person becomes a Buddhist. I know I need to learn more anyway but I just am very curious. I really want to learn more about Buddhism. If interest continues which I think it will I would really like to become a Buddhist, but I don't know how to. Or maybe you have to become a Buddhist by joining a particular kind of Buddhism? I hope it is appropriate for me to ask these questions here. Thanks again.
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