Former US president Bill Clinton turns to Buddhism

[Ensapa]

Guess what?! Bill Clinton is now Buddhist!

Former US president Bill Clinton turns to Buddhism
by Merlyn Seeley, The Examiner, January 10, 2013
San Francisco, CA (USA) -- According to thebuddhism.net news site, in an article dated January 10th, 2013, former US president Bill Clinton has hired his own personal Buddhist monk to teach him how to properly meditate.
Bill is learning to meditate and has reportedly turned to a vegan diet as well. All this change has apparently been influenced by his recent heart scare where in February 2004 when he was rushed to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City because he started experiencing some awful chest pains.

At that time, he had to have two coronary stints put into his heart and a few months later, in September, he had to undergo quadruple bypass heart surgery. In 2010 he then had a clogged artery that the surgeons had to reopen which was his second heart operation in five years.

He says that learning meditation helps him to relax, which apparently stress is supposedly one of the biggest contributors to this heart condition. He travels a lot and his job is highly stressful, learning to meditate he learns to relax and says he is doing much better after his two life changing decisions.


 He reportedly also has a favorite mantra that he loves to chant when things get hectic and says that is really does help him to relax and think more clearer. He used to eat a lot of fast food apparently according to the news reports, but now he has decided to give up all that and replace it with a lot of fruits and vegetables with the occasional fish! Outstanding I say, we need more govt. officials turning to healthy ways of life and Buddhist meditations to relax and maybe our country would start looking up.
As 2010 and 2011 taught us, Buddhist meditation and healthier diets are starting to make a trend with everyone. More and more people are seeing the benefits that come from a life of relaxing meditation and eating healthier and changing their lives.

From Tiger Woods to Steve Jobs (RIP) Buddhism is beginning to be seen in some very high places. It is true meditation has a lifetime of relaxation and peace as well as health with it. Everyone could benefit from the changes that Mr. Clinton has made, and good for him.

[Q]

Very interesting, it is common nowadays to find many high profile people that are from very taxing jobs and have high level of stress, slowly turning to a spiritual lifestyle.

This shows that principles preached or taught by the Buddha truly applies in making other find a peace of mind and stability for a more fulfilling and enriching life. I don't want to sound like a bitch here, but I guess merely praising God and not do anything about the situation you're in or even bother to develop one's mind to be more positive will do no good in bringing happiness and counter our sufferings.

Take for example, Tina Turner, who adopted the Nichiren Buddhist lifestyle... although Nichiren is a whole other school of Buddhism, but it is undeniable that the principle of which Buddha taught is deeply rooted in their teachings to gain peace and clarity.

There are many examples where people, who's lives were filled with suffering, came to realize the teachings of Buddha and suddenly find themselves to slowly change their perspective in the way they see things... allowing them to let go of whatever that have made them unhappy.

Thank you for sharing this news, it is always very joyous to hear about someone who have discovered a change in life through the Dharma.

[Big Uncle]

This is very interesting because Bill Clinton (to be honest) the last person I think who would be interested in spirituality. It seems that he had some good karma to have experienced his health scare and survived. I don't know how much he is into Buddhism but I think he is in it because he found some sort of results from his simple meditations. I rejoice and I do hope he goes deeper into it and shares his results with people.

Someone like him has the potential to spread Dharma far and wide without teaching. All he has to do is just share his experiences with others. That's why celebrity Buddhists have a very special role in spreading the Dharma in this day and age. That's because people are more into celebrities than they are into spirituality. Hence, someone like Bill Clinton, Tina Turner and so forth are able to share their spirituality and millions would listen and many would follow the same footsteps.

[jessicajameson]

The former President of the United States is now a Buddhist?

I mean, we don't have to label him, but he's a vegan, meditates and chants mantras. I'm actually really happy for him!!

Here's a whole list of celebrity Buddhist!


Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Nigerian-English actor
Roberto Baggio, soccer (football) star for Italy
Orlando Bloom, English actor
Kate Bosworth, American actress
Jeff Bridges, American actor
Jackie Chan, actor
John Cleese, actor, writer
Leonard Cohen Canadian singer/songwriter/poet
Patrick Duffy, actor
William Ford, Jr., Executive Director of the Board at Ford Motor Co.
Richard Gere, American actor
Allen Ginsberg, poet
Philip Glass, composer
Herbie Hancock, musician
Goldie Hawn, actress
Hermann Hesse, Noble Prize winning author
bell hooks, author
Kate Hudson, actress
Michael Imperioli, American actor
Phil Jackson, Basketball coach of the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers
Angelina Jolie, American actress, humanist activist, Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency
Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Inc.
Jack Kerouac, author, poet, painter
Miranda Kerr, Australian supermodel, one of Victoria's Secret Angels
K.D. Lang, Canadian singer
Jet Li, Chinese martial artist, Hollywood actor
Jennifer Lopez, actress, singer
Courtney Love, American singer-songwriter
George Lucas, American filmmaker, director of Star Wars
Alanis Morissette, Canadian singer-songwriter
Maya Soetoro-Ng, university professor, sister of U.S. president (Barack Obama)
Ellison Onizuka, U.S. Air Force colonel, NASA astronaut
Sarah Jessica Parker, actress, producer
Victor Pelevin, novelist
Brad Pitt, actor
Ron Reagan, talk show host, son of former U.S. president (Ronald Reagan)
Keanu Reeves, American actor
Alex Rodriguez, American baseball player
Steven Seagal, American actor and aikido expert
Russell Simmons, Entertainment and Fashion Mogul
Sting, English singer-songwriter, lead vocalist of The Police
Oliver Stone, film director
Sharon Stone, American actress, producer, and former fashion model
George Takei, American actor, "Sulu" on Star Trek
Uma Thurman, American actress
Thuy Trang (1973-2001), Vietnamese American Actress
Tina Turner, American singer-songwriter
Alice Walker, author (Color Purple and others)
Naomi Watts, British-Australian actress
Dennis Weaver, actor
Ming-Na Wen, Chinese American Actress
Tiger Woods American Golfer
Elaine Wynn, Wynn Resorts, charities
Steve Wynn, CEO of Wynn Resorts Limited, Las Vegas
Adam Yauch, American musician, director, producer, Beastie

[tsangpakarpo]

Although it is no surprise these high profile personalities are embracing Buddhism, it is good that they do so because they have a huge following. They command a lot of respect from the community so there is a possibility of their followers joining suit.

Can you guys imagine if these personalities practice Dorje Shugden? Almost instantly, we will have so many more practitioners! So I guess it is important for us to focus on bringing in these people to support the cause of Dorje Shugden. Some people might say that is going over board but seriously, no one can deny Dorje Shugden's practice is good for everyone, no matter the hierarchy.

Since now Bill Clinton has embraced Buddhism, perhaps its time we introduce him to Dorje Shugden too? =D

[Positive Change]

I found an interesting article here that talks a little more about Bill Clinton's spiritual pursuance. Interesting to note how many people turn to Buddhism when they are down or depressed. Buddhism gives some form of alleviation like in meditation. Buddhism is certainly a way of life for these degenerate times... how lucky and blessed are those of us that propitiate our King, DOrje Shugden for guidance and protection!:

Former U.S. president and environmental activist Bill Clinton, raised a Southern Baptist, has turned his spiritual focus to the religion of Buddhism for the sake of his health and "hectic life," according to reports.
"Ever since his heart scare, Bill has looked for ways to help him relax," a source told RadarOnline in an exclusive report.

"He has a hectic life, he travels a lot on business as an ambassador for the U.S. and needs something to keep him sane," the person presumably close to Clinton added. "Meditation offers him that, he has a mantra that he likes to chant and after every session he feels transformed and full of positive energy."

"It's definitely doing him the world of good – he feels fitter and stronger than ever," the source concluded.
According to the Times of India, Clinton has even hired a Buddhist monk to aid him in his spiritual studies.
Clinton reportedly has sought to improve himself both spiritually and physically after surviving a wave of health scares, relating mostly to his poor diet and weight, in the mid-2000s.

Read more at http://global.christianpost.com/news/bill-clinton-turns-to-buddhism-to-improve-his-health-79617/#QCtXkZwdFL6zVHvi.99

[buddhalovely]

"He has a hectic life, he travels a lot on business as an ambassador for the U.S. and needs something to keep him sane," the person presumably close to Clinton added. "Meditation offers him that, he has a mantra that he likes to chant and after every session he feels transformed and full of positive energy."

"It's definitely doing him the world of good – he feels fitter and stronger than ever," the source concluded.
According to the Times of India, Clinton has even hired a Buddhist monk to aid him in his spiritual studies.
Clinton reportedly has sought to improve himself both spiritually and physically after surviving a wave of health scares, relating mostly to his poor diet and weight, in the mid-2000s.

The former president also has become an advocate for veganism after he underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 2004 to unblock four clogged arteries. He also received two stents, or mesh scaffolds, in a fifth artery in 2010 at the New York Presbyterian Hospital.

[lotus1]

Rejoice to know that Bill Clinton turns to Buddhism!

It has now becomes a trend to learn Buddhism, meditation and be vegetarian.
In fact, Buddhism is the philosophy of life and the universal truth. It will suit anyone, anytime.

Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga is known to help for calming down and de-stressing one and the surrounding. This is especially important in this world that is full of stressful and hectic life. Dorje Shugden is the protector that oath to protect the teaching of Lama Tsongkhapa. Would really hope more people especially the celebrities will get to know Lord Shugden to get his blessings and spread his teachings too.

[dondrup]

It is rejoicing news to hear how Bill Clinton had benefitted from doing Buddhist meditations and mantra chanting to help him relax and clear his mind.  Being an ex-President of USA, and a famous personality, Bill’s experience with Buddhist meditations will definitely help to spread the practice of Buddhist meditation in particular and Buddhism in general in USA and the rest of the Western world.  Bill Clinton joined the list of the many famous personalities and celebrities that had already become Buddhists.   I pray that Bill Clinton will continue to meditate, chant mantras and explore further Buddhism.

[hope rainbow]

I do wonder which mantra it is that Bill Clinton chants during his meditation. And what if it was Dorje Shugden's mantra or Manjusri's mantra?

Bill Clinton's karma to become the president of one of the world's leading nation, to be married to a very successful political  woman too and none-the-less his "gift" for speeches (I was told by some people I know that I have met him that he is extremely charismatic and knows how to captivate an audience, big or small, through speech) must result from a karma linked to spiritual practice of some kind.

Perhaps Bill Clinton should share his meditation knowledge with his wife which at this point seems to need it very much. I am sure that a meditation practice through the mantra of Manjusri or Dorje Shugden would help her get direction and success from where she is.