How does someone become a Buddhist?
There is no universally accepted process or ceremony for becoming a Buddhist. If you wish to adopt Buddhist practices, you can, and most Buddhists would agree that being one is mostly about your inner choices, not external initiations or ceremonies. However, two main commitments are associated with living as a Buddhist by most Buddhist branches: 1) Taking refuge in the Three Jewels of the dharma (teachings), Buddha (teacher), and sangha (spiritual community), and, 2) adopting the five precepts of ethical living (translations vary): I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking life. I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking what is not given. I undertake the training rule to abstain from sexual misconduct today. I undertake the training rule to abstain from false speech. I undertake the training rule to abstain from drinks and drugs that cause heedlessness. Exact interpretations of what each of these precepts means in daily life vary from school to school (as in the d
