Buddhist are not just Monks. The Mahayana (a.k.a. Greater Vehicle) tradition arose in the 1st century primarily due to Monks living excluded lives and not sharing certain teachings (meditation) with "lay people". Buddha actively discouraged avoiding society, and encouraged that his teachings be taught to everybody. Everybody.
A lay person that is a Buddhist is trying to achieve the same thing Buddha achieved. To discover ones true nature. Buddha taught the noble eightfold path and meditation. These two things will lead one to discover the same things Buddha discovered, although since many things cannot be put into words, some describe conclusions differently. Buddha never made any sort of advice that one should lead an isolated life.
To be a Buddhist you should attempt the noble eight-fold path, meditate often (the technique he taught is referred to as zazen today), and accept no outside savior. "Be a light unto yourself."
If you do those three things you are more of a Buddhist than some monk in Asia. Over the years Buddha's core teachings have been lost in the eastern world, mostly to due to Hinduism in many peoples opinion.
A lay person that is a Buddhist is trying to achieve the same thing Buddha achieved. To discover ones true nature. Buddha taught the noble eightfold path and meditation. These two things will lead one to discover the same things Buddha discovered, although since many things cannot be put into words, some describe conclusions differently. Buddha never made any sort of advice that one should lead an isolated life.
To be a Buddhist you should attempt the noble eight-fold path, meditate often (the technique he taught is referred to as zazen today), and accept no outside savior. "Be a light unto yourself."
If you do those three things you are more of a Buddhist than some monk in Asia. Over the years Buddha's core teachings have been lost in the eastern world, mostly to due to Hinduism in many peoples opinion.