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Is Buddhism a religion?
This question came up in my World Religions class. I never thought it was, as there wasn't really an object to deify; the closest thing was the Buddhas, but it's stressed that they're aren't gods, but rather teachers. It doesn't really resemble other religions, either, be they polytheistic like Hinduism or monotheistic like Christianity or Islam.
So, can it be a religion if there is no god figure? I don't think so, but I'd like to have your opinions on this.
Buddhism isn't really a religion more than it is a lifestyle. With Buddhism, there was an actual, physical being who was a mentor/teacher/etc. He taught life values, proverbs, how you can live your life to the fullest. Very straight forward. Though there are the obviously Buddhist who are more strict to the Buddhist lifestyle, I'm under the belief that it is more a lifestyle than anything.
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^That's basically the way I see it. The two are very compatible, at least when you go back to the core of Christianity (Christ's teachings, not the "fundamental" bull**** of the past half century or so, which is little more than taking a subculture's views and stamping them with "Bible"). In fact, for a while now I've been of the opinion that Buddhists make better Christians than some self-proclaimed Christians do.
I think the only reason some people classify it as a religion is that it does touch on the afterlife. Most lifestyles don't generally go that far.
It is neither a religion in the sense in which that word is commonly understood, for it is not "a system of faith and worship owing any allegiance to a supernatural being."
The rest of the article is actually quite enlightening.
Depends on the definition. Some people require superhuman (or, more commonly supernatural) force to be the object of worship; others require it to be a personified one of either singular or plural nature. Still others are less strict and simply require some sort of supernatural phenomenon to be involved somehow. Only under the last definition could Buddhism be a religion.
I myself would argue that things like the object of worship aren't important but rather the nature of the beliefs (eg. morality and the reasoning behind it) and the behaviours associated with its believers that are important. So in that sense you might consider Buddhism a religion. Or you might consider it to have aspects in common with other systems like atheism, which may not be religious in nature but still cover beliefs that compete with religious ones.
It really depends on what kind of Buddhism you're taking about.
Overall, Mahayana Buddhism (the most popular school, originating from about 500 years after the Buddha's death) is more like what we think of as religion. There are devas (gods/demigods) and asuras (demons), the Buddhas/Bodhisattvas are venerated, invoked, and prayed to like saints or gods, and there is an afterlife with various heavens and hells full of gods, demons, Bodhisattvas, and other spiritual beings. There is even a prophecy that a supreme bodhisattva named Maitreya will be born in the future to save all mortals and bring them to heaven, where they can meditate on becoming Buddhas. (A bodhisattva is an enlightened person who chooses to continue living as a spiritual being in order to help mortals, rather than transcending into nirvana and full Buddha-hood, which in Mahayana is basically equivalent to godhood.)
Then there is Theravada, the less popular school which traces its history back to the original followers of the Buddha. I don't know that I would call it a religion as much as a way of life and thinking, and maybe a "self-help" philosophy. It's a more "pure" version of Buddhism, which basically just focuses on individual study and effort at overcoming selfishness and desire, which alleviates suffering and ignorance, eventually severing ties with the world and resulting in Nirvana. No gods, no teachings on the afterlife or creation of the universe or any other esoteric or supernatural questions. It's very much focused on living the present moment and being mindful and aware of (and responsible for) everything you're doing, rather than seeking help/salvation/forgiveness from any external source. True there is a universal law of karma (which just means that every action has a result that must be seen through) resulting in reincarnation, but that's about as supernatural as it gets.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaizoku_Kouji
It really depends on what kind of Buddhism you're taking about.
Overall, Mahayana Buddhism (the most popular school, originating from about 500 years after the Buddha's death) is more like what we think of as religion. There are devas (gods/demigods) and asuras (demons), the Buddhas/Bodhisattvas are venerated, invoked, and prayed to like saints or gods, and there is an afterlife with various heavens and hells full of gods, demons, Bodhisattvas, and other spiritual beings. There is even a prophecy that a supreme bodhisattva named Maitreya will be born in the future to save all mortals and bring them to heaven, where they can meditate on becoming Buddhas. (A bodhisattva is an enlightened person who chooses to continue living as a spiritual being in order to help mortals, rather than transcending into nirvana and full Buddha-hood, which in Mahayana is basically equivalent to godhood.)
Then there is Theravada, the less popular school which traces its history back to the original followers of the Buddha. I don't know that I would call it a religion as much as a way of life and thinking, and maybe a "self-help" philosophy. It's a more "pure" version of Buddhism, which basically just focuses on individual study and effort at overcoming selfishness and desire, which alleviates suffering and ignorance, eventually severing ties with the world and resulting in Nirvana. No gods, no teachings on the afterlife or creation of the universe or any other esoteric or supernatural questions. It's very much focused on living the present moment and being mindful and aware of (and responsible for) everything you're doing, rather than seeking help/salvation/forgiveness from any external source. True there is a universal law of karma (which just means that every action has a result that must be seen through) resulting in reincarnation, but that's about as supernatural as it gets.
For my part, I'm a big fan of Theravada.
I thought both sects venerated the Buddhas and touched on the afterlife. Then again, we didn't really delve into the differences between the two, just basic history and beliefs.
As for which one I prefer, Theravada appeals to me more in that it concerns the self rather than the community. I've always thought that things of a spiritual nature should be a personal thing, not something you relied on others for. The only thing I don't find appealing is the monastic existence; I'm not really a people person, but I definitely prefer to have the benefits of civilization at my fingertips, or, failing that, as close as possible.
With that said, though, I think Mahayana would be more compatible with Christ's teachings, other than the idea of group "salvation", if you will.
yeah that is a religion. and whats the problem for this?????? As for which one I prefer, Theravada appeals to me more in that it concerns the self rather than the community. I've always thought that things of a spiritual nature should be a personal thing, not something you relied on others for. The only thing I don't find appealing is the monastic existence; I'm not really a people person, but I definitely prefer to have the benefits of civilization at my fingertips, or, failing that, as close as possible.
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