Is Buddhism Atheistic? their 3rd rule say they don't .....?

Question

believe that earth is created &/or rule by a God. Buddhism is not a religion of faith and worship owing allegiance to God. That is simialr to atheism, isn't it. Could any buddhist & atheists comment on this for me. Thanks!

Answer 1

In the Indian cosmology (which the original Buddhists adhere to), there are six levels of sentient beings-- the gods, the demi-gods (these always wage wars with the gods), human, animals, denizens of hell, and hungry ghosts. So yes, in that respect the original Buddhists do believe in gods.

However, the Buddhists believe that even the gods (as well as the demi-gods) are still beings that are bond to the rules of reincarnation. that is, their deeds and thoughts generate consequences (or karma) that keep them in the wheel of suffering (reincarnation is often described as a wheel of cause and effect.) So a god, after enjoying eons of godly bliss, can in his next life become a hungry ghost whose throat is the size of a pin.

Therefore, the "nirvana" that Buddhists seek is the termination of this cycle. "Sunyata" (emptiness), or detachment from all attachments, can release one from the wheel of reincarnation.

So you see, the Buddhists (at least the original ones) did indeed believe in gods. However, they did not aspire to BE one. Instead, they see gods as part of the suffering world, and that the ultimate attainment is to leave the cycle of reincarnation altogether.

Answer 2

Christianity is a God centered religion. It sees God as the focus of meaning in human life and history as the unfolding of God's plan. It comes as a surprise to most Christians that there are religions, such as Buddhism, that are not God centered and have comparatively little to say about Him. First, Buddhists believe that the absolute is not something you believe in, or worship, but instead something you experience. The experience of the
absolute is called enlightenment. Because of this emphasis on experience, the terminology of Buddhism is often elusive. More attention is given to how to attain the experience of the absolute than to a specific description of its character. Indeed Buddhism teaches that no verbal description of the absolute is possible. That is, Buddhism insists that the absolute is ineffable. While no positive description of the absolute is possible, Buddhism
does teach that the absolute can be defined negatively by refuting false ideas of the absolute.

Answer 3

I am agnostic but practicing more in the philosophy of Buddhism, so I will comment as to my opinion. Atheism does not believe in God, but nothing dictates that Atheists don't hold onto a philosophy that guides their life. But, Buddhism does have a higher plane, earthly and heavenly realms, Nirvana, and the such, which means our soul will transcend into another plane. Atheism proposes there is nothing after life, no heaven, no plane of other existence. Buddhism is also grounded in the belief that the earth was formed by spiritual and animal deities, such as a peacock, believed to have brought twigs and mud to the cosmos to build the earth (similiar to the Greek belief of the falcon). Atheism does not hold any of these otherworldly understandings; in essence, nothing created us and nothing is waiting for us. So, overall, Buddhism is not at all atheistic in the overall beliefs. Thanks.

Answer 4

Buddhism is more agnostic than atheistic. Buddha said not to worry about how the Earth came to be, it is so complicated that humans would not understand. Also it is immaterial to living a 'right' life in the present. There is a Divine force on Earth but is it a personified God? And how would that change how we live day to day? Divinity is in each human being and living thing. Buddha was enlightened and we can become enlightened too.

Answer 5

Technically speaking, an atheist is one who believes that there are no deities. They have an atheistic (Anti-theistic) view.

An atheist is someone opposed to the belief in the existence of a God.

However in the U.S. the term atheist is often used to describe a disbelief in most of not all supernatural claims including gods, angels, spirits, daemons, reincarnation, life after death, etc.

So technically, most forms of Buddhism fall under the umbrella of atheism, however we still have faith in the unseen or the unknown. It just so happens that most of the time, that unseen or unknown is ourselves.

Answer 6

Buddhism, in my uneducated (only researched religion for my own beliefs) opinion, is about spirituality and a belief in the inherent good of all mankind. Transcending material wants and needs, removing prejudice, bias and ill thinking, are commendable attributes, regardless of the religion. Nirvana is a state reachable only when one comes to terms, not only with nature, man, space, time and knowledge, but most importantly with themselves. Life is interconnected, think of the Force in Star Wars, and I belive that Buddhism can be equated with atheism, they are distince and separate things.

Answer 7

Buddhism has no god, correct. They do not worship anything, but rather try to achieve self-enlightenment. So yes, their religion is atheistic, since atheistic means "lacking belief in a god or higher power".

Answer 8

A Buddhist follows the teachings of Buddha...an Atheist doesn't believe in religion.

Answer 9

Yep, it's pretty much atheistic. You will see mention of Buddhist gods; this doesn't refer to beings to be worshiped at all, but instead to another realm where our souls can reincarnate to.

ETA: Atheists don't believe in a supreme being/higher power. This applies to Buddhists.

Answer 10

Buddhism isn't a religion so much as it is a philosophy (pretty much the same philosophy as Christianity: be nice, don't kill, don't steal). I wouldn't say its the same as atheism because they are still following someone's teachings.
Atheists don't follow anyone's teaching, at least I don't. We follow our hearts and minds.