As a Buddhist, do we need to protect our beliefs from external harms? Not really, because the doctrine of Buddhism lies deep inside our hearts
and real danger comes from within. Since Buddhism was born about two thousand five hundred years ago, it has gone through countless ups and downs. Yet Buddhism is still vibrant, widely received, and practiced throughout the world. There are many reasons why Buddhism is still growing, including the fact that this belief system has no hidden agenda. It does not discriminate in terms of gender or race. What we see is what we get. If someone suggests that we need to protect Buddhism, then we should first consider this seriously. My beliefs are supposed to enlighten and protect us, but why then would I have to safeguard my beliefs? If my beliefs cannot protect themselves, then how are they going to safeguard our interests? The answer is very simply: the true doctrine of Buddhism is how we live our lives meaningfully and share true happiness with each other. Furthermore, Buddhism teaches us to respect others, and that when there is the opportunity to help others, we should help them wholeheartedly and avoid harming them. Monasteries, temples, and centers are just a basis for individuals to learn and enlighten themselves from confusion and uncertainty, and to guide them to follow the right and meaningful path. Truly speaking, if someone could really harm Buddhism, we disciples are the only ones who could destroy it by not following the right path and by bringing pain and misery to others. For instance, a lion is the king of jungle and no other animals dare to inflict pain on the king. The lion can only bring pain to himself by not being careful of his acts. Similarly, if followers of Buddha Dharma do not respect the doctrine and go against the advice of Buddha, then we will destroy Buddhism forever. In conclusion, as long as we truly follow Buddhist doctrine from our hearts, then Buddhism will be evergreen.