| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 11/7/2007 9:29:28 PM | Or are you just being obtuse?
Hey if it'll put an end to this idiocy let's just say that yes, I am just being obtuse. Jeez. What happened to that scroll wheel on your mouse you were telling all your faithful friends about? Use it man. I will too. | |
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| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 11/8/2007 4:30:42 AM | | yet another thread which has degenerated into a slagfest....a sorry cesspool of ad hominem fallacies....what a shame....whether one embraces buddhism as a philosophy or a religion, loving kindness is the language spoken where we gather.... | |
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| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 11/8/2007 1:07:38 PM | | ^^^^ Very good post Rainsands! According to the Dalai Lama, kindness is the only religion you need. | |
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JOHN8D
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Joined: 2/5/2008
Msg: 104 | |
| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 2/18/2008 9:48:48 AM | The Rock says........ It dosn't matter
I say its a pointless talking about it.
The word religion came from the word religio. look it up yourselves and make you own mind up.
Theres one truth about this thread that is theres resentment towards the word religion. I dont need to point out why 
Ill add one other thing... The idea of buddhists coming together is to talk about Lord Buddha,Dhamma so on so on and not ideal chit chat. by using mindful words you maybe able to give answer without 5 pages of posts.
with Metta
John
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| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 2/18/2008 2:36:24 PM | Paul; even though i kinda agree with your repeated assertions that Buddhism and classical Hinduism are(i would say "might") be called sibling faiths; i do not agree with some of the statements you made.
its interesting you would make them given the fact that you are a religion-major
paulthesane
Are you even listening to me? I said CLASSICAL HINDUISM, the Hinudism we know today...
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the Hinduism that we know of today, the one that we point and say THAT is Hinduism
can you define Hinduism? if so pls do so for me.
Buddhism even PREDATES the various schools of Hindu philosophy.
predates "some" schools of Hinduism. yes
In short: there was a myriad of various philosophical thoughts and schools in the period. [u]All of them shared common heritage in the historic vedic religion[/u]. some became Hinduism, some became Buddhism, others Jainism, and so on.
[u]The Vedas unified the shamanic traditions in the Vedic religion[/u], Hinduism developed due to the later commentary texts.
I'm appalled and astonished that you would claim that Hinduism as we know it arose from the Vedic religion!.
Hinduism today is the amalgamation of two major religious traditions, and only One was the Vedic religious tradition. in fact Hinduism as we know it owes a Lot to indigenous native religious Traditions.
A lot of things that we take for granted In Hinduism do not have a Vedic origin. the Goddesses of Hinduism are a good example of the Dravidian Mother goddess religious tradition's influence on the Vedic religion. furthermore the practice of Yoga itself can be traced back to the Indus valley civilization of the Natives.
and let us not forget that one of the major anthropomorphic deities of Hinduism; Siva is probably a native god who got co-opted into the Vedic religion. and there is evidence to believe that the practice of using flowers and rice grains as a form of offering rather than animal sacrifice(horse sacrifice to be specific)to the gods is also one that the Vedic religion took from the Native religious tradition.
and the list goes on..so much so that what see now as "Hinduism" is pretty much the native religion interspaced with some Vedic iconography and terms/concepts..a far cry from the picture you presented.
its really galling that you would avoid mentioning this when talking about the origin of Hinduism. i'm sure it was an oversight
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| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 2/18/2008 3:40:57 PM | | Thank You rainsand. Well said. I believe in the jewish messiah. I've recently started studying w/ a buddhist nun. Wow! It has really given a whole new meaning to what this jewish rebel taught. I don't buy the reincarnation thing,but that's ok. To all my "christian" friends out there...you don't know what your missing! | |
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| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 6/18/2008 1:32:45 AM | Mmmm...I just saw a lot of threads and debating about Buddha and Hinduism and what not. The accepted belief is that is he chose to be reborn at that time in that place because of prevailing beliefs 2500 years ago and could give a nudge in the right direction as the peoples
could accept his teachings much more readily then, say, a Viking village. Of course I won't argue about this, and please don't say anything about the run-on sentence(s) as I am really wanting to be un-attached to sleepiness but just thought I would post a little something something while my so unmindful mind was still on topic...
P.S. If a wall isn't a wall, and then it is a wall, and then in the end it isn't a wall(the whole emptiness thing and progressing through the different stages of recognizing REALITY)...
...can we say that about mind???
lol | |
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| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 6/18/2008 2:45:20 PM | Buddha (Sanskrit meaning Enlightened One) wanted to know why people suffer.
He sat under a tree and meditated until he "awoke" after determining that "desire causes suffering.".
When he told others they couldn't believe that enlightenment was so simple.
So they started adding to it to make it more 'religious" until we have the many forms of Buddhism we have today.
After Buddha told people that "suffering causes desire."
They asked him how he came to that conclusion.
He said, I meditated.
So they figured if they meditated they would come up with the same conclusion.
I often wonder what part of "desire causes suffering" they didn't understand.
Buddhism is not what the Buddha wanted.
He did not want followers.
He did not want a Buddhist "religion.
He only wanted people to understand that 'desire causes suffering."
If you understand that you will become as enlightened as the Buddha.
If you don't, you can try meditating until you do.
It takes followers to make the simple, complex. | |
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| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 6/18/2008 3:17:30 PM |
Is buddhism considered a religion or a state of mind? What is the definition of religion (do you have to have worship or a god, for example)?
Buddhism is considered an Ancient Religion. I have questioned that "name" for a long time. It's a state of being: mind, body and soul. There is no god to worship and Buddha (several of them in fact) would not wish to be in a position of "the eyes" of others imitating, fearing, or otherwise using them as icons for the study of the prinicples.
On a related note, is there a religion or a label for the following belief: This person believes in reincarnation. This person also doesn't believe in society's values and morals (perhaps a complete sociopath or sociopathic tendencies - meaning absence of conscience and inability to understand right and wrong)? Lastly, would a person like that be reincarnated as a slug?
Reincarnation is so broad that would be impossible to answer. If you truly wish to know the answer, it's most likely within you. (Written like a true Buddhist....LOL)  | |
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| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 7/22/2008 3:40:51 PM | Yup, Ray ... concise and neat.
When we stop looking for the answers inside of us, that's when our path becomes a religion. | |
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| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 10/18/2008 7:41:06 AM | | I'm very new to Buddhism but I don't think it's a religion - merely a way of life and deep understanding of yorself. It has taken me a very long time to be able to listen to "the voice within". I have always believed in Karma and that you reap what you sow but don't really know how a slug rates in the whole scheme of things. "The Art of Happiness" is an amazing and enlightening book - I totally recommend it xxx | |
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| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 10/19/2008 8:01:30 PM |
Is buddhism considered a religion or a state of mind? What is the definition of religion (do you have to have worship or a god, for example)?
Buddhism is a religion Sidhartha was raised Hindu he went on a 40 day fast was tempted 3xs and after he passed given innersite becoming a god. To me religion is a system of belief that supports and informs a way of life. If that belief includes a God or not is up to you.
This person believes in reincarnation. This person also doesn't believe in society's values and morals (perhaps a complete sociopath or sociopathic tendencies - meaning absence of conscience and inability to understand right and wrong)? Lastly, would a person like that be reincarnated as a slug?
This person will not be happy nor learn anything as a slug his life energy will best be channeled into grass or an insect both life forms giving it understanding that it is part of a group and all are as important as the one. In my way of life he would be given chances until his death to show morals and if he can not he will be placed in torment until he is clean of such thinking. See Dan 14 or Rev
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| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 11/5/2008 4:11:08 PM | Buddhism could be considered a religion even though it states that there is no higher power than the awakened mind. It still revolves around the Buddhas teachings of the eightfold path and that awakening only comes from within.
Buddha didn't spend alot of time speculating on the existance of God. He was more concerned about the suffering of mankind in the Here and Now.
This person believes in reincarnation. This person also doesn't believe in society's values and morals (perhaps a complete sociopath or sociopathic tendencies - meaning absence of conscience and inability to understand right and wrong)? Lastly, would a person like that be reincarnated as a slug?
Why would the life of a slug seem like a punishment? It's just different. I would hope someone like that is reincarnated as someone who learns not to be like that.
I think being a slug would be a decent consideration for someone who has been everything else already.
Buddhism is a religion Sidhartha was raised Hindu he went on a 40 day fast was tempted 3xs and after he passed given innersite becoming a god. To me religion is a system of belief that supports and informs a way of life. If that belief includes a God or not is up to you.
Buddha turned to Hinduism and then turned away again to look within for the answers that eluded him instead of trusting in the gods. He did go on a fast (Not 40 days though, lol... You can't live that long with no food) until he found himself awakened to his true nature.
Tempted three times? This is folklore started by folks who were afraid for their religion. The Buddha only became a god to some Hindus in order to preserve their view that they were subject tot he whim of enlightened gods. There was no doubt that Buddha was enlightened, so they claimed he was the reincarnation of Krishna and made him a god even though his way negated our dependance on any gods. They also said he was of a virgin birth, but that was also fabricated. | |
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| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 11/9/2008 9:53:21 PM | | Do you think so? I've read that when 1/4 of the population of men in Thailand became monks, that it left many woman without husbands to provide for them, that it rendered the rest of the poor to have to provide for their families, as well as the needs of the monks, and since the entrance of buddhism in Thailand, demon possession has become a daily, 'normal' thing. This troubles me. | |
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| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 10/29/2009 4:25:57 AM | Just my opinion;
Buddhism is not a religion as we label religions, nor can it be simply labelled as a philosophy nor simply just a way of life as religion is also a philosophy and a way of life. Buddha proclaimed his teachings as “being”.
Perhaps the best way I can explain it is to use an example of Bruce Lee, Bruce Lee came up with a concept and called it Jeet kune do (way of the intercepting fist), Bruce hesitated giving his concept a name as when a name is given then its no longer a concept fluid and endless it becomes finite and limited, the concept Jeet kune do is using no way as the way and having no limitation as limitation – a bit like Buddha’s teachings, but once a name is put to a concept it is frozen, stagnated and becomes limited.
I think that peoples perception of “Buddism” has become just that limited, it has stopped it is encased.
Buddha did not say nor teach that there was a God a deity, he did not say nor teach that there was a soul, yet Buddha also did not say that there is no God or deity nor did he say that there was no soul, Buddha taught enlightenment without restriction and limitations when asked about existence of God and the soul Buddha would say not to bother thinking about such things – perhaps he understood the limitations of the human mind and our inability to fathom such things. Buddha did not teach that there is no God or a deity, room was left open for the enlightened to find for themselves, souls were not dismissed yet reincarnation was a part of Buddha’s teachings, so what is reincarnated if there is no soul?
“Buddhism” as we call it appeals to the religious and non religious for the simple reason that both are correct, it’s only when we become enlightened is when we will know the TRUTH of TRUTHS, till then all is true in our minds. Religious find peace in Buddha’s teachings as it is a reflection of their beliefs and non religious find peace in Buddha’s teachings as they can play God within themselves if they so desire.
Buddha was truly a wise and enlightened man, opening our hearts, minds and perhaps other parts of us to become enlightened a true path to enlightenment – but then what is enlightenment, what is the light or perhaps the light of all lights – may the light shine on us all from within and out and enlighten us. | |
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| Is buddhism a religion?
Posted: 10/29/2009 8:15:44 AM | The way I look at it, every time that people say it isn't a religion, I wind up with lots of questions. So I think it has to be.
1) For instance, if Buddhism is just a philosophy, and it is the philosohpy of someone called Buddha, then it is like the views of any other philosopher. No-one can agree perfectly with everything the Buddha said, because each person has their own private language. At best, you can only grasp SOME of what the Buddha said. But you're not a Russellist if you only agree with SOME stuff that Russell said. You're not a Kantian if you agree only with SOME of Kant's views. You're only really called a name like a Kantian, either if you're totally gung-ho and obsessed with that philosopher's teachings, which I gather is the very opposite of Buddha's teachings, or that other people wish to label you, just because they don't like to read the Buddha's teachings, and you're not so opposed, and they want to mark you out as someone to be derided or avoided. But just because others want to insult you, that doesn't make you a Buddhist.
Either way, I cannot find legitimate reasons to describe anyone as a Buddhist if it's just a philosophy.
2) Then from the other side, Judaism is called a religion. and Xianity is called a religion. They are so different in so many ways, that if you try to say religion bridges the common ground between them, which is mostly stuff that all people of common sense agree with, then I find that Buddhism sits on that common ground as well.
3) Basically, I think all of us have the opportunity to read things written by someone else and agree with them, without that making us an adherent or a worshipper, and that applies to Buddhism. Anyone can read Buddha's teachings and agree with some things he said. That doesn't make one a Buddhist. To be a Buddhist, one has to go a bit further, and start living a life in accordance with Buddhist teachings, enough that it's more than just a few good ideas here and there. It might even involve a few rituals.
You can agree with some things Buddha said, and you can be a Buddhist. The 2 are separate.
There is Buddhist philosophy and there is the Buddhist religion. The 2 are separate.
Just my opinion. | |
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