How many people know Buddhism has no god?

Question

Buddha is not a god, he is not worshipped, he was a man. Also nirvana is not heaven.

Answer 1

I thought Buddha said something to the effect of "Contemplating the idea of a God is a waist of time."

Answer 2

Buddha is no a god but neither is The Christ. I don't know where Christians got the idea that The Christ is a god or God. The men Jesus who supposedly deserved to be called a Christ, just like the men Siddarta Gautama deserved to be called a Buddha, never said he was a god or God. Buddha is not a proper name but an adjective which qualify an state or condition. It is a generic name for those who reach the spiritual stage of illumination. It means he who has penetrated the illusion (Maya) of the world and has reached that knowledge that set him free from Maya. The word Messiah or Christ as the Greek translation has the same meanings and the same use. We also will find others similarities in both traditions if we care to look a little closer and without prejudice. It is a well known fact that the so called Christians of now days have grossly distorted the tradition, what they teach and practice today is no more than the rubble of the true Christian Tradition. It is a mistake to judge Christianity by what any external group or sect is promoting about the subject.

Answer 3

I always like sharing this story:

"The Buddha was walking down a road soon after his enlightenment, he met a man who stopped him. The Buddha was very beautiful, physically beautiful and handsome, with a wonderful field of love and energy around him. This man saw him and said, "What are you? Are you some kind of god?" The Buddha said, "No." The man said, "Well, are you some kind of an angel or deva?" He said, "No." "Well then, are you a man?" The Buddha said, "No." Then the man said, "Well then what are you?" The Buddha replied, "I am awake."

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Gods, devas, demons, sprites, etc are mentioned in Buddhist discourses. The discourses say though is that these beings are still subject to "samsara." Heavenly beings are trapped in their attachment to "pleasure" or "pleasureable" feelings and have lifespans that last for eons. (I'm not into the cosmology aspect so I take these stories as like Aesop's Fables or morality tales; look into what it is pointing to instead of taking them as literal translations.)

According to the discourses, in these different realms, be it heavenly animal, hell realms, etc it is in the human realm that one can free itself for the bonds of samsara.


"Human beings can be seen as highly favored, in that they have an immediate reason to seek out the Dharma and yet also have the means to listen to it and follow it. Among the lower realms, Pretas, and dwellers in the Narakas are gripped by pain and fear, and can only endure their lot but cannot better themselves. Animals are intellectually unable to understand the Dharma in full. The way of life of the Asuras is dominated by violence and antithetical to the teachings of the Dharma, while most of the Devas simply enjoy reaping the fruits of their past actions and do not concern themselves with the future. When their past karmas have all had their result, these devas will fall into lower worlds and suffer again. The lowest sorts of devas deal with strife, love, and loss just as humans do, but even so they lack the spur of imminent mortality that can lead human beings to seek, not merely a better future life, but an escape from saṃsāra altogether.

For this reason, life in the world of human beings is known as "the precious human rebirth". Born close to the pivot point of happiness and suffering, human beings have a unique capacity for moral choices with long-term significance."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_beings_in_Buddhism


I'm not sure if this answers your original question, but thought to add some background and information regarding "gods" since it's asked a lot in this section.

Answer 4

You are, of course, mostly correct. There is no need for a deity in Buddhism. However, there are some texts in which the Buddha refers to gods, but he sees them as just as foolish and in need of enlightenment as all other sentient beings. I find this segment of Buddhism a source of great amusement to me and consternation to theists.

Answer 5

Yes I know that. Many Buddhists do believe in gods, but not a One Supreme God like in other religions. They are not to "take refuge" in the gods, only in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.

Answer 6

You are correct. However you will be surprised how many christians think Buddha is a god.

Answer 7

nirvana is heaven. THERAVADA buddhism dont have a god and they are atheistic but nirvana is like one. MAHAYANA buddhism have many gods revering buddha as the supreme god with nirvana as his abode....

Answer 8

thats true he was one of the only few men reaching nirvana it's said that he;s the only human to do so far. and he is no god he's a founder of the principles of buddism, peace...etc

Answer 9

Isn't it interesting how many people assume there must be one though?

Always known - comes from actually reading about something before discussing it.

Answer 10

nirvana is like joy and happiness....like out of the cycle of suffering