2006-09-04 09:52:37 · 21 answers · asked by lonly_planet1976 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I don't think we can say Buddhism is "a religion", it's more a philosophy, a way of living than anything else. The proof of it is that you can be an atheist and a good Buddhist.
2006-09-04 10:55:51 · answer #1 · answered by JLD 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The thing is - nobody literate was ever around to write down anything the Buddha actually said. Different people remembered different things that he taught them, but we don't know for sure if he ever talked about God or not. His religion/philosophy has been diluted over the years - which is why we have several sects of Buddhism. Most Christians consider it to be a cult, because they think Buddhists worship Buddha or somehow associate him with God. In my opionion, the different views of Buddhism we have today are philosophies which are not exclusive of God - neither a religion nor a cult.
2006-09-04 17:00:02 · answer #2 · answered by farmgirl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Elaine F is wrong in two places. One, it's spelt Buddha, not Budduh. They don't worship Buddah, either, they simply follow his teachings. Buddhists don't worship anybody, as Buddha's teachings are silent on the existance of a deity. Buddhism is more of a philosophy than a religion. The word religion is derived from the Latin word, "religio", which means "reverence (for the god(s)). Because a majority of Buddhists are atheists or agnostics, they don't have reverence for any god(s). They may have reverence for Buddha, but not they don't revere him as in worship him. Buddhism's writings are similar to that of Confucious: they're a secular philosophy and a moral code for living, not holy scriptures. Buddhism has far too many adherents to be considered a cult. Also, Buddhism's teachings don't conform to cult ideology: Buddhists aren't being brainwashed, they aren't secretive about their beliefs, and they're aren't knee-deep in controversey. Buddhism is a philosophy, not a religion, and certainly not a cult.
2006-09-04 17:11:29 · answer #3 · answered by Nowhere Man 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Buddha was not a god and the philosophy of Buddhism does not entail any theistic world-view. One can be a Buddhist and still follow other religions.
Buddhism has separate sects within the religion.
2006-09-04 17:01:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If Buddhism is a cult, then Christianity is that 10 times over!!!
2006-09-04 16:54:46 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
He did imply a higher perspective on existence, often reffered to as Sunya. Often this is translated "void", but a better translation is "ontological indeterminism". This is basically the stance that nothing we experience as a differentiated phenomena can be coherently called real or unreal (including any personal deity). He prescribed ethical and developmental practices, all aimedat realizing this take on existence. That makes his teachings religious.
2006-09-04 17:10:10 · answer #6 · answered by neil s 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a religion represented by the many groups (especially in Asia) that profess various forms of the Buddhist doctrine and that venerate Buddha
All religions are businesses that sell faith.
2006-09-04 16:59:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buddhism presents itself as a path to spiritual awareness and a way to live peacefully and ethically with others. Compassion is a very important part of Buddhist awareness.
2006-09-04 17:03:23 · answer #8 · answered by beast 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People who usually have strong belief in their own religion call other religions cults.
On the other hand, there are many different sects (forms, whatever) of Buddhism, and some of them have much emphasis on supernatural beliefs, while others don't.
2006-09-04 16:59:30 · answer #9 · answered by Veronica Almighty 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buddhism is a religion. Religion does not require a god or gods only a set of beliefs.
2006-09-04 17:00:16 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋