What are Buddhist views on the existence of God?
Could you be a Buddhist and not accept the existence of God and visa versa?
Please elaborate thanks
2007-01-31 14:32:53 · 8 answers · asked by Yahoo Sucks 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I dont think buddha was atheist.
I only know that, buddha, never thought of god.
He only contemplated on, sufferrings of humans. He took initiative out of desperateness to find the reason and solution to sufferings. Instead of leaving it to god to give reason. As most of us do in the name of belief.
2007-01-31 14:39:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am an atheist, and I would also accept being called a Buddhist. I think the Buddha had some great ideas and life lessons. Other Buddhists have different ideas about gods and some Buddhists even think that the Buddha is a god. Supposedly the Buddha tried to discourage people from supernatural beliefs and any kind of worship. Meditation and living an "enlightened" life was a better alternative.
2007-01-31 14:41:05 · answer #2 · answered by HarryTikos 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We first need to distinguish two types of "god".
The first type is God as creator of the universe etc. This kind of God does not exist in Buddhism.
The second type is a divine or supernatural being, and of these one could simply say there are two kinds of gods in Buddhism:
Not all living beings live on planet earth, or would even be visible to us. One could say that these creatures live in different dimensions from us. Some of these creatures experience because of their karma (past actions) almost exclusively happiness, and these are called Devas (Skt.) or gods. However, these gods are still within the cycles of uncontrolled rebirth and can be reborn in the 'lower realms' once their positive store of karma is exhausted.
If one defines a god as a supernatural being, one could say that a Buddha or an Arya being are "supernatural" in the sense that they are not bound to the same realms of cyclic existence as we are, and they are said to possess supernatural powers (siddhis).
A Buddha is said to know everything, but not omnipotent (all-powerful). The logical reasoning behind this last is that if a Buddha would be omnipotent, He/She would instantly remove suffering from the universe, because compassion for all sentient beings (wishing to free alll from suffering) is the main motivation to become a Buddha.
2007-01-31 17:07:16 · answer #3 · answered by sista! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buddhist do not believe in gods nor have need to it. Everything they need is within themselves, but then in the other hand there is no "self". They do not accept the existence of God. They are all they need. They do not have no one to pray to.
2007-01-31 14:41:57 · answer #4 · answered by SeeTheLight 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buddhist are tolerant of other religions. You can as much or as little of Buddhism that you want. Buddhism doesn't believe in a God.
2007-01-31 14:36:31 · answer #5 · answered by S K 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Buddhism doesn't provide direction on the existence of God.
Buddhism is about the here and now. If God is part of your here and now, then Buddhism has relevance.
2007-01-31 15:04:32 · answer #6 · answered by TomParrish 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buddhists have a void you reach when you become perfect.
2007-01-31 14:37:59 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
WHO CARES WAHT THEY THINK??? IT'S ALL SUPERSTITON!!! THERE IS NO REINCARNATION, NO DARHMA, NO NIRVANA!!! IT FABLES TOLD TO ENSLAVE PEOPLE!!! IT'S TIME TO START THE ATHEIST REVOLUTION!!!
2007-01-31 14:38:32 · answer #8 · answered by THE 1st HAPPY ATHEIST 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋