---
title: Good Questions, Good Answers on Buddhism
---
1. [What is Buddhism?](105042)
2. [So Buddhism is just a philosophy?](105041)
3. [Who was the Buddha?](105040)
4. [The Buddha is dead so how can he help us?](105039)
5. [Was the Buddha a god?](105038)
6. [If the Buddha is not a god, then why do people worship him?](105037)
7. [But I have heard people say that Buddhists worship idols.](105035)
8. [Why do people burn paper money and do all kinds of strange things in Buddhist temples?](105034)
9. [If Buddhism is so good why are some Buddhist countries poor?](105033)
10. [Why is it that you dont often hear of charitable work being done by Buddhists?](105032)
11. [Why are there so many different types of Buddhism?](105031)
12. [I suppose you think your religion is right and all others are wrong.](105030)
13. [Is Buddhism scientific?](105029)
14. [What are the main teachings of the Buddha?](105028)
15. [What is the First Noble Truth?](105027)
16. [Isnt this a bit pessimistic?](105026)
17. [What is the Second Noble Truth?](105025)
18. [But how does wanting and craving lead to physical suffering?](105024)
19. [If we stop wanting altogether, we would never achieve anything.](105023)
20. [What is the Third Noble Truth?](105022)
21. [What or where is Nirvana?](105021)
22. [But is there proof that such a dimension exist?](105020)
23. [What is the Fourth Noble Truth?](105019)
24. [Nearly all religions have some kind of holy writings or Bible. What is the Buddhist holy book?](105018)
25. [What does the name Tipitaka mean?](105017)
26. [If the scriptures were memorised for so long - are they reliable?](105016)
27. [How important are the scriptures to Buddhists?](105015)
28. [Before you mentioned the Dhammapada. What is it?](105014)
29. [Ive been told that you should never put a scriptural book on the floor?](105013)
30. [I find it difficult to read the scriptures - they are long and repetitious?](105012)
31. [What is the purpose of monks and nuns and what are they supposed to do?](105011)
32. [What kind of person becomes a monk or a nun?](105010)
33. [Do you have to be a monk or a nun to become enlightened?](105009)
34. [Why do Buddhist monks and nuns wear a yellow robe?](105008)
35. [Becoming a monk is all very well but what would happen if everyone became a monk?](105007)
36. [What good do they do to the community?](105006)
37. [I have heard that there are no more Buddhist nuns. Is this true?](105005)
38. [Where do beings come from and where are they going?](105004)
39. [How does the mind go from one body to another?](105003)
40. [Is one always reborn as a human being?](105002)
41. [What decides where we will be reborn?](105001)
42. [So if our lives are determined by our karma, can we change it?](105000)
43. [You have talked a lot about rebirth but is there any proof that we will be reborn when we die?](104999)
44. [You say that talk about devils is superstitious. Isnt talk about rebirth a bit superstitious too?](104998)
45. [Well, have there ever been any scientists who believe in rebirth?](104997)
46. [What is meditation?](104996)
47. [Is meditation important?](104995)
48. [I have heard that meditation can be dangerous. Is this true?](104994)
49. [How many types of meditation are there?](104993)
50. [How do you practise Mindfulness of Breathing?](104992)
51. [How long should I meditate for?](104991)
52. [What about Loving Kindness Meditation? How is that practised?](104990)
53. [What is the benefit of doing this type of meditation?](104989)
54. [How is that possible?](104988)
55. [Do I need a teacher to teach me meditation?](104987)
56. [I have heard that meditation is widely used today by psychiatrists and psychologists. Is this true?](104986)
57. [Buddhists should be vegetarians, shouldn』t they?](104985)
58. [If you eat meat you are indirectly responsible the death of a creature?](104984)
59. [Mahayana Buddhists don』t eat meat](104983)
60. [But I still think that a Buddhist should be vegetarian.](104982)
61. [The person who was honest and kind.](104981)
62. [Because such a person obviously has a good heart.](104980)
63. [What did the Buddha teach about magic and fortune telling?](104979)
64. [Then why do people sometimes practise such things and believe in them?](104978)
65. [But some lucky charms do work, don』t they?](104977)
66. [Then is there such a thing as luck?](104976)
67. [What do the terms wisdom and compassion mean in Buddhism?](104975)
68. [So what, according to Buddhism, is wisdom?](104974)
69. [What is the point of Buddhism if only a few can practice it?](104973)
70. [What, according to Buddhism, is compassion?](104972)
71. [Isn』t it selfish to say that we are best able to help others after we have helped ourselves.](104971)
72. [Do Buddhist believe in god?](104970)
73. [But if there are no gods how did the universe get here?](104969)
74. [What does the Buddha say about the origin of the universe?](104968)
75. [You say there is no evidence for the existence of a god. But what about miracles?](104967)
76. [But so many people believe in some form of god, it must be true.](104966)
77. [So if Buddhists don』t believe in gods, what do you believe in?](104965)
78. [Buddhists dont believe in a god, how do you know right from wrong](104964)
79. [So does Buddhism have a code of morality?](104963)
80. [But surely it is good to kill sometimes, eg disease-spreading insects?](104962)
81. [You Buddhists are too concerned about ants and bugs?](104961)
82. [The Third Precept says we should avoid sexual misconduct. What is Sexul misconduct?](104960)
83. [Is sex before marriage a type a sexual misconduct?](104959)
84. [But what about lying? Is it possible to live without telling lies?](104958)
85. [Well, what about alcohol? Surely a little drink doesnt hurt?](104957)
86. [Drinking a small amount wouldnt be really breaking the precept?](104956)
87. [The five precepts are negative. They dont tell you what to do?](104955)
88. [How do I become a Buddhist?](104954)
89. [If Ive done this and find the Teaching acceptable, what do I do to become a Buddhist?](104953)
90. [What are the Three Refuges?](104952)
91. [What changes have taken place in your life since you first took the three refuges?](104951)
92. [Im being pressured by a friend to convert to a religion. What should I do?](104950)
93. [But he says he wants to share his religion with me.](104949)
94. [So how can I stop him?](104948)
95. [Should Buddhists try to share the Dhamma with others?](104947)