How many gods does buddhism believe in? one or multiple?
2007-01-04 11:20:05 · 14 answers · asked by Michelle H 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No god in Buddhism,but we believe that there are other beings in other realms.There are a few celestial realms;if you called these beings 'god' then,we have billions of them.
Please refer to:http://www.bswa.org
2007-01-04 11:26:26 · answer #1 · answered by Anger eating demon 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It depends. Tibetan Buddists believe there are a variety of Gods, but these are simply beings of great duration and power - they are not to be worshipped as deities. Different schools of Buddhism believe different things about metaphysical realities, such as a belief in a number of celestial Buddhas, but for the most part, these things are not believed in the same sense as Christians believe in Christ. There are there to help the believer find the way, but they are not worshipped out of necessity. The divine Buddhas or divinities of Tibetan buddhism can also be understood as symbols, to help man understand deeper truths.
That is because of one basic difference between Buddhist thinking and Judeo-Christian thinking, in that the Buddha did not encourage metaphysical enquiry. One of the noble truths of the Buddha is that the world is illusion. Therefore, any description of the world, while possibly useful, is not to be taken as a final reality. Buddhism differs from Judeo-Christian religions in that it does not concern itself with saving man from sin - it's attempt is to save man from suffering. And the suffering is believed to be caused by an attachement to the world, which is illusion.
Thus, a belief in the existence of Gods is only useful if that belief helps one get closer to liberation from desire and suffering. Otherwise, this belief can become an hindrance. The Gods require no worship. Nor does it matter whether one believes in their actual existence, or thinks of them as images. The ultimate goal is liberation from suffering, and beliefs on the path to that goal are irrelevant.
It's a whole different way of seeing the world.
2007-01-04 11:30:09 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no God in Buddhism. In the matter of believing in God, Buddhism is somewhat different from other religions. Those who believe in Buddhism respect and try to know the law of the universe. The law is like all things are connected and all things are empty itself. It is not like study knowledge intellectually. It considers spiritual experiences, practice as the way of knowing the law. It claims that we have to know the nature by feeling the inner peaceful spirit.
2016-05-23 04:05:55 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buddhism is Siddhartha Gautama Buddha's attempt to reform Hinduism. He felt Hinduism lost its true essence by the incorporation of thousands of gods, all represented by idols. Buddha was an atheist. He felt God or gods was holding people bound to this physical world of karma and suffering. The idolatry that Buddha condemned has become such a part of Buddhism with its many shrines and statues of Buddha. The very one who loathed these things.
Buddha means "The Enlightened One." Buddha lived from 563 to 483 B.C. and was born into a wealthy Hindu family. To the religion are 4 noble truths, eight fold path that leads to Right Ecstasy and this release or final liberation is where you are no longer reborn through reincarnation. You become one with the Impersonal, the state of Nirvana. You merge into nothingness and at this point you will be at peace. China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam plus other oriental countries Sri Lanka, Nepal, Tibet, Thailand, Burma, Laos and Cambodia all have forms of Buddhism.
In Hinduism, pantheism means that all is god. One with the universe (monism) but the universe is God (pantheism) Therefore, they say we are one with god and in fact are God.
Through "God" or "the Universe" is by definition "impersonal enlightenment."
We suffer because we haven't liberated ourselves from our personal world. Don't kill a cow or rat in India, because you may be killing someone's uncle or aunt reincarnated.
2007-01-04 11:50:16 · answer #4 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buddhism is a philosophy; not a religion.
Buddhism doesn't believe in any gods.
2007-01-04 11:24:10 · answer #5 · answered by Nowhere Man 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sorry none.
Buddhism is the personal search for enlightenment.
And the release from the Birth-Death-Rebirth system.
2007-01-04 11:24:39 · answer #6 · answered by L Strunk 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Any answer between zero and a thousand could be correct.
Some buddhists are atheists, some are agnostic (like the Dalai Lama), some are deists, some are theists, and some are polytheists.
It varies widely. Most American Buddhists are either Atheists, Agnostics or Deists, likely.
2007-01-04 11:24:08 · answer #7 · answered by QED 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They don't specifically believe in one or many because Buddhism is NOT A RELIGION! it is a PHILOSOPHY!
2007-01-04 11:31:26 · answer #8 · answered by Lee 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i beleive its zero.
but if i recall a documentary i once saw there might be a sect of buddhism which does.
dont quote me, im really not sure. it is known as an atheistic religion, so.
Buddha WAS a real person, so. but he never was considered a diety. he was more of a Ghandi type figure. a teacher of a specific philosophy.
2007-01-04 11:21:47 · answer #9 · answered by johnny_zondo 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They believe in thousands of gods, but they don't worship them. Gods are more powerful than us but have nothing to do with running the universe. In fact, we are higher on the reincarnation chain than they
2007-01-04 11:26:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋