Rui GongRELB 2100BuddhismBeing Buddhist“The secret of Buddhism is to remove all ideas, all concepts, so that the truth has a chance to penetrate, to reveal itself.”― Thích Nhất Hạnh (1926-) Born and growing up in China, it seems very common for me to become Buddhist. Growing up seeing all the majestic Buddhist temples, august Buddha figures and merciful Bodhisattvas, it seems like Buddhism is an integral part of me. In my mind, Buddhism is like a pure lotus growing out of fertile, muddy water; without being contaminated at all, it continues to spread its pleasant, inspiring and compassionate fragrance to the whole world, making the world better and clearer, just like a Bodhisattva. Even though people cannot become monks or nuns, we can still become Buddhists and use the wise teachings of Buddhism to purify our thoughts. In general, you can claim to be Buddhist if you believe in these four truths: “all composite things are impermanent; all emotions are pain; all things have no intrinsic existence; Nirvana is beyond concepts." By believing in these four statements stated by the Buddha (Khyentse 6), people can realize the true meaning of life and free themselves from pain. By trying to understand these four statements, I saw the wisdom of Buddhism and so I became a Buddhist. And I think that as an elementary Buddhist it is especially important to fully understand the first two truths. First, “all composite things are impermanent” (Khyentse 6). In other words, everything depends on other things and everything changes continuously: nothing can always remain the same (Khyentse 16). For example, life is impermanent, because our bodies change due to growth and disease; the world is impermanent, because...... at the center of the card ......which “causes a strong focusing of consciousness,” which also requires compassion and wisdom on the part of the practitioner (Dalai 193). The combination of two genders can prolong the thoughts of the practitioner, who can thus have a deeper understanding of emptiness (Dalai 195). However, in general there is no regulation of the breed of practitioners. In conclusion, it is possible for a non-Tibetan to become a Tibetan Buddhist; as long as he or she practices it in the right way, the door of enlightenment is open for him or her. Likewise, believing in the four main statements: “all composite things are impermanent; all emotions are pain; all things have no intrinsic existence; Nirvana is beyond concepts” (Khyentse 6), one can become a Buddhist, and this is what makes me a Buddhist. All in all, the secret of Buddhism is so subtle and profound and always deserves our further study.