2007-07-07 03:10:45 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
There are different currents and styles of Buddhism. Most Buddhists understand Gautama the Buddha to have been an enlightened human (esp. Theravadins).
Some understand there to have been many Buddhas, and Pure Land Buddhists are in some respects similar to Protestant Christians -- praying to (= repeating the name of) Amitabha Buddha, so that his grace will bring us to the Pure Land (like Heaven) where everyone can be enlightened.
Many Mahayana Buddhists understand Buddha to be a kind of cosmic symbol for Enlightened Reality.
The Zen folks ... well here are a few Zen sayings:
"Your heart is the Buddha. Don’t use a Buddha to worship a Buddha." (Bodhidharma)
“Buddha" is the medicine for unenlightened persons; once the disease of unenlightened persons is removed, the medicine has no further use. (Ta-hui)
A monk named Hui-ch'ao asked his teacher, "What is Buddha."
His teacher answered, "You are Hui-ch'ao." (Fa-yen)
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2007-07-07 03:22:21 · answer #1 · answered by bodhidave 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He said he was just a spiritual man, but some worship him as a god.
2007-07-07 10:19:14 · answer #2 · answered by . 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Guatama the Buddha was agnostic. He said it is a waste of time to speculate about gods when you can be doing much better things. He compared that to a man being shot by an arrow and just sittingg there and speculating about who made the arrow, who shot it, etc., rather than seeking a doctor. Anyone who says Guatama is a god is perverting his message. He was a spiritual teacher.
2007-07-07 10:34:58 · answer #3 · answered by miyuki & kyojin 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Humans beings idolize anything, a gift, a book, a spiritual person. Its the human who does it, Buddha is more a spiritual man who expressed his wisdom and his expressions are wonderful, how we view varies from person to person, when you idolize you loose perspective, you become ritualistic, but when the cord stricks within you based on his wisdom then you follow his teachings. I love his philosophies, they are so applicable in our lives. No conflict what so ever.
2007-07-07 10:19:28 · answer #4 · answered by thachu5 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Wow, some question. I'd like to know the answer to that, myself. If He is worshiped as God, He is a Dead Idol, isn't He? Goes to show you, We were all born to Worship, I guess. Huh?
2007-07-07 10:39:31 · answer #5 · answered by minnetta c 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Spiritual man.
2007-07-07 10:33:12 · answer #6 · answered by S K 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
there are two types of Buddhism. Theraveda worships him as a spiritual leader whereas Mahayana worships him as a god.
2007-07-07 10:14:44 · answer #7 · answered by Camille 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
just a respected spiritual man ... gautama siddhartha (also gautama buddha) was believed to have sat under a tree and meditated until he reached enlightenment, and he sort of founded a religion based on his beliefs ... the existence of god was not one of them; buddhists don't believe there is a god. so, yes, they worship (gautama) buddha as a spiritual man.
2007-07-07 10:38:42 · answer #8 · answered by yin yang 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He is only a spiritual guide. Buddhist don't worship anyone.
2007-07-07 10:14:12 · answer #9 · answered by Steve 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
People lay offerings before statues of him. That makes the statue an idol and Buddha a god.
2007-07-07 10:17:59 · answer #10 · answered by hisgloryisgreat 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋