2007-11-26 21:55:36 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I take it as a philosophy mainly because I don't follow their rituals. I just take its principles as an inspiration. :)
2007-11-26 21:57:28 · answer #1 · answered by R 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
On first encountering Buddhist teachings many Westerners wonder whether they are actually dealing with a philosophy or a type of applied psychology, rather than a religion.
Certainly Buddhism has strong elements of both philosophy and psychology.
2007-11-26 22:06:44 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
it's a philosophy. The rituals are not there to be followed but are guild lines to reach enlightenment. Religion requires worship or a being or something supernatural. Philosophy is a way of life. Some of the Buddhism that you see is combined with the local cultures primitive religion. For example Buddhism in Korea is like a combination of Buddhist ideals and Shamanistic Confucius ideals.
2007-11-26 22:06:04 · answer #3 · answered by ran b 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Buddhism is a philosophy (a way of life) that has become a religion simply through the weight of its followers.
2007-11-26 21:59:04 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
I think all 3 would fit
it is most definitely a philosophy and religion
2007-11-26 21:58:00 · answer #5 · answered by ☮ Pangel ☮ 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It is a religion, one does not need the belief in an omnipotent god to be religous its just taht the idea of a single god is inconcievable. My branch, which is Tibeton, is very mystical and we have many different gods for everything, from the harvest to the dead, from protective dieties to vengefull ones. As well as a belief in both evil spirits and good ones, and that animals have a spirit and are often in close association with naga spirits.It is westerners who think of it as a philosphy. That is due to their cultural and ways of thinking as well as concepts. It is much too complex to explain way they think so here, so I will not dwelve into that.
2007-11-26 23:09:11 · answer #6 · answered by chinavagabond94122 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Master Chin Kung said Buddhism is an Education
I would go with that but what would it matter
I like to keep it simple others like to intellectualize a great deal
whatever works for You
2007-11-26 22:33:26 · answer #7 · answered by Human Being Human 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Buddhism is not a religion but a way of life.
2007-11-26 21:59:14 · answer #8 · answered by jimmybond 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
My chinese husband, a buddhist, says that only white people think its a religion, but its a philosophy.
2007-11-26 21:58:45 · answer #9 · answered by schin530 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
A fusion of all three. However weather it is truly a religion is debatable because Buddha never claimed to be a god (but when has that stopped humans making him one)
2007-11-26 22:03:10 · answer #10 · answered by Freethinking Liberal 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋