 It is the fourth largest religion in the world, and its followers are found in every country of the world. Buddhism is a unique doctrine that teaches spiritual enlightenment through loving kindness, compassion and peace. Hello, I'm Chaplain Ding with the Chicago Police Department. This is the fourth in a series of videos to expand your knowledge and understanding of the many diverse communities within our city. Using even a basic knowledge of a person's customs and culture enables police officers to conduct their duties in a more efficient and respectful manner. Today we explore Buddhism. This is the image many people have of Buddhists. These are Buddhist monks from Thailand. They represent just a small number of the estimated 150,000 Buddhists living in Chicago. There are American, European Buddhists. There are Buddhists who are Catholic. There are Jews who are Buddhist. We do have police who are members. We are in all walks of life. I'm a journalist and a publicist. We are in politics. There are more than 60 Buddhist temples in the Chicago area representing different sects of Buddhism, such as Pure Land, Meacharan or Zen. Siddhartha Gautama was a real person and is the founder of Buddhism. He lived in India in the 5th century B.C. He is revered as guide, not a god. He's human just the same as anyone else. So not a god, a teacher, a fountain head, someone we look to. But it's the teaching more important than the person. The word Buddha means awakened one. Siddhartha Gautama was deemed a Buddha when he found the path to supreme enlightenment. This released him from what Buddhists believe is a continuous cycle of birth, suffering, death and rebirth. We believe the soul is eternal. So the causes that we make determine how we will be reborn. We don't believe that we have one life and this is it and we go to heaven as Christians do. Buddhism emphasizes the value of all life and all faiths. One of the Buddhist teachings is that there are 84,000 ways to find the truth and whether you take the way of Islam, Christianity, Judaism. If this helps you to live better and to believe that this life is precious, then I think that's wonderful. Buddha's message is a message for peace, for harmony, for enlightenment, for a higher grid. Meditation and chanting are important Buddhist practices. These are performed both formally and informally. Formal practice would be such as here at the temple sitting on a pillow or chanting at the altar with the rest of the temple or alone or at home in the morning or in bed before going to bed. And then informal practice would be something like that. You are in your car during rest hour. I like to tell people, you know, I'm a Buddhist and this is what I'm going to do right now so that you don't think that I am ill or I'm speaking some strange language. I'm doing this deliberately and this is why I'm doing it and I'll just chant out loud. Buddhist temples hold public services throughout the week. There is no mandatory day of worship but Sundays are busy at Buddhist temples in Chicago. When entering a Buddhist temple it is respectful to remove your shoes. Buddhist monks and nuns are greeted with folded hands and a nod. Traditional handshaking with a lay Buddhist is acceptable but monks and nuns have no physical contact with the opposite sex. Monks and many lay Buddhists are vegetarians. Monks eat only an early morning and late morning meal. They eat no food after 12 noon. Though they live rather cloistered lives, there is nothing that prevents monks from interacting with police. But keep in mind, due to persecution in other countries, new immigrants may be intimidated by police, though that is changing. But nowadays I think it's more understanding with regard to that section of the police and then how the police also as a human being to serve or to protect security of all people. Statues of various Buddhas are not considered sacred, but police officers are asked to treat them respectfully, whether within a temple or a business or private home. Buddhas are a special place for meditation and for inward practice meditation. So just showing respect when you enter the room and not start tearing things apart. It's very common even in an American Buddhist home to have a space set aside for these objects, probably an incense, perhaps a bell that's used in meditation. You can take off your shoes. Many times because of the situation, many Americans of different ethnic backgrounds don't ask you to take your shoes off when you enter their house. But if you can keep your eyes open and be aware that if you see shoes outside, then you can remove your shoes. Some altars are called lutsidans and may contain a scroll called a ghahonsan. Some Buddhists may also carry a prayer book called a ganyal book and meditation beads. Some people carry around the meditation beads. You might see them, they're little wooden beads. Sometimes they have them on their wrists, sometimes they wear them around their neck. The ganyal book and the beads can be handled. Anything that is a part of someone's faith should be treated with respect. Most customs and courtesies vary depending on ethnic backgrounds. The thing to key in on is really the ethnic or national background of the person. Thai people, Southeast Asian Buddhists will have a different set of courtesies than East Asian. For me, an American. Just approach me the same as you would any other Irish American. When in doubt, simply ask. People of all backgrounds welcome courteous inquiries. Yes, you could ask. That would be great because you might not know what kind of Buddhist you're having a dialogue with and they'd be happy to tell you what their limitations are if they had any. There are many different sects of Buddhism and many different customs and practices. There are several things to consider when interacting with followers of Buddhism. Remove your shoes when entering a Buddhist temple. Many but not all Buddhists are vegetarians. Buddhist monks and nuns are greeted with folded hands and a nod. Monks and nuns do not touch people of the opposite sex. In non-emergencies, police may be asked to remove their shoes before entering some Buddhist homes. Statues of the Buddha are not sacred but should be treated respectfully. Those scrolls called ghonsans should not be touched by police unless absolutely necessary. Police may handle articles such as prayer books and meditation beads. All of the people we encounter on a daily basis expect to be treated with dignity and respect. Those who practice Buddhism are no exception. It is our hope that this video will serve to enlighten and foster a new awareness and understanding. Thanks for watching and as always, stay safe.