The Buddha The image of the Buddha is very important to Buddhists in various ceremonies. This however is not idol-worship as some would claim it is. When meditating on the image of the Buddha it represents the highest spiritual ideals we strive for. We do not look at the Buddha in pure worship, it is a constant reminder of the perfection we are seeking in ourselves and others. This photograph was taken at the Cleveland Museum of Art by James Guilford, who has allowed me to post it here also.  James Guilford's page  Cleveland Museum of Art

When I tell people that I am a Buddhist I get some strange looks and some even stranger questions. "No, Brian, I did not shave my head or start wearing robes all the time". I've thrown together this information as a quick explanation of Buddhism and why I am drawn to it.

The most common mistake people make is mistaking the Buddha for the "god of the Buddhists". In my own words, the original Buddha was the guy who figured it all out. He was a man in the 6th century BCE that left a life of comfort to seek an end to human suffering. He attained enlightenment through his own efforts, and spent the next 45 years teaching others. Respect for the Buddha is essential, but it is not pure unquestioning worship. The Buddha instructed that we should not take what is written and accept it blindly - we need to weigh the teachings for ourselves and take what we find makes sense. The farther down the path you travel the more you can appreciate the gift the Buddha gave to us.

The links in the box up on the left give you a few paths to choose from. Since the web is teeming with information on Buddhism (2.1 million hits on Google) I only provide an overview and some links to help you continue your exploration if you decide too. These are the pages I have provided:

• All About Buddhism : general overview
• The Five Precepts - a Buddhist "Ten Commandments"
• The Four Noble truths and the Eightfold path - fundamental Buddhism
• Information on our Sangha at Hai-An pagoda - What its like to attend
• An organized collection of web sites for more information