What is Buddhism?

I think when I look at it and try

to simplify it I would say that in my view Buddhism
is about self-development; how to develop
loving-kindness, how to develop compassion; how to
develop tolerance. It Is about how to develop
ourselves in this direction so that we are not just
thinking of ourselves but thinking of how we can
help all other people. It is about self-development but
not in the sense of development of ego or
self-importance, but about developing
loving-kindness and compassion so by achieving that
we can also help others. I think this is a simple
description of what Buddhism Is.

This is a path which most decent human-beings

would try to follow regardless of religion - or no
religion - so in what way does Buddhism offer
anything different?

I think the main difference between the Buddhist path

and others is that Buddhism always says that you
have to deal with all obstacles and that you should
not try to escape from anything - including yourself.
It teaches that you have to come to terms with all
your own emotions and all situations - positive as
well as negative. You have to face yourself, and deal
with your own fears and reactions and not run away.
Buddhism also says very clearly say that in order to
develop tolerance, loving-kindness and compassion
you have to train, or tame, your mind. Just trying to
have positive thoughts Is not quite enough; you have
to achieve them; therefore an essential part of the
path of Buddhism is the practice and study of
meditation. In the beginning It may look as though
the learning and practice of meditation is running
away from the problem but it is not. It is the opposite.
You practise and study meditation in order to be able
to face problems and be better able to help others. I
think that overall there is much similarity in the
teachings of all religions but I think that Buddhism
emphasises that you have to deal with all your own
rubbish before you can be much help to others.

Some people feel attracted to "Tibetan" Buddhism

but are not clear about how much is Buddhism and
how much is the Tibetan culture. Some of the
imagery can seem quite alien. Can you give some
guide lines?

I don't think it matters very much. Those who wish to

understand will understand whatever you do. Many
stranger things happen! For example, an astronaut
went to the moon and soon tourists will be going
there. It seems very strange to me, but those who
want to understand the significance of this, will find
an understanding. From the Buddhist view, the
Buddha taught many different techniques - 84,000
different teachings - in order to help different sorts of
people. Tibetan Buddhism passes on to us these
teachings on how to help and how to benefit. There is
nothing in any of the teachings that can do harm to
anyone or can encourage wrong views. That would
be against the principle of Buddhism. Every teaching
- all 84,000 - contains something positive and the
Tibetan approach, the Vajrayana approach, is
included In these. But the presentation doesn't really
matter. Different people like different presentations;
some people like one style, some people prefer
another. Though Buddhism originally came from
India many Indian people prefer the Tibetan style and
the Tibetan art. It is not necessarily the case that
Indians always prefer the Indian style, and Tibetans
the Tibetan style; some Tibetans may prefer the
Indian style. So I think it is very much up to each
individual. The art, the pictures, the decorations -
these just represent things. They give your busy mind
something to do which is more positive than thinking
about what your neighbours are saying. They are
there to help you. But if you find that they not helpful
- then there is no need to look at them - you can just
think of what they represent. It doesn't matter what
you believe, what matters is what you do!

In the traditional Buddhist countries women have a

low status in society, is this due to the religion -
Buddhism - or is it the culture of the country?

I think Lord Buddha's teaching is valuable for

whoever comes. The teachings are for whoever has a
brain. He taught more for some and less for others
but it is not important whether they are "man" or
"woman". He ordained his own step-mother as the
first nun and this was the first time ever that there
was the possibility for women to follow a religious
life. But society is a different matter. Wherever you
go in the far East a women's job is to stay at home
and look after the children or her parents. Therefore,
although a few nunneries exist they are normally
smaller and poorer than the monasteries. In these
nunneries I am sure there will be some nuns who
teach the other nuns and perhaps sometimes a very
famous nun to whom lay people go to receive the
teachings. Generally though, men - and therefore
monks -are more respected than women but I think It
has more to do with society, with the culture, than
with Lord Buddha's teaching.

Although Buddhism places a great emphasis on

compassion there is not a good record of active
compassion in eastern countries' can you comment on
this?
One of the main teachings of Tibetan (or Vajrayana)
Buddhism is called the 'Six Paramitas' All Vajrayana
and Mahayana teachings are based on the six
paramitas and the first paramita is "generosity" or
"charity". I think that when someone who is a true
Buddhist gives to charity they give very sincerely and
very honestly. In western society you may notice that
perhaps people are giving more than in the East, but
the giving is more likely to be based on ego and more
likely to have strings attached. Too often it is charity
with a capital "C". "I am the one who gives and 'they"
receiver and "I want to become very famous because
I am so generous. I want to have a label saying how
good I am to poor people". Buddha once said that if
you want to give with a pure heart, first you have to
meditate and develop wisdom so that you can give
without attachment. We discussed "non-attachment"
earlier. "Non-attached" charity is when you give
something totally, both mentally and physically. It
means having the right state of mind when you make
the gift as well as the actual gift itself. In a previous
life the Buddha gave his own body; in another life he
gave his eye. We should all try to achieve that level
of non-attachment, non-possessiveness. I think that
those who give charity in the East are more likely to
have that development. If you don't have that
development, that right state of mind, if you cannot
truly give wholeheartedly with no strings attached,
then the person who receives your gift may benefit
but you may end up with a poisoned mind. I think
that perhaps people in the West may not understand
that some wisdom is needed. I think in the East they
may take more time and try to develop themselves
first. This may take some time and may mean that for
certain periods in their life they do not give much but
I think the idea of giving has always existed.