Are Buddhists Atheists?

[Heresy]

Then find something positive to say

i don't agree with religion and i don't agree with the bible and i don't believe in god, so obviously my remarks are going to be a tad on the 'other' side rather than the 'god is good' side.

 

[Ryoko Ozaki]

It's funny how many people there are that think atheists believe in nothing. Theolgy is the belief in one or more deities. In other words atheism is the belief in no deities, not the disbelief of anything in any organized religion. As a Buddhist I think I know more than anyone that Buddhists can be and usually are atheists.

Where did I get the definition for theist and atheist you might ask? Does webster.com ring a bell for anyone? No matter the connotation, the denotation states that anyone that says a Buddhist is an atheist is right unless the Buddhist believes in a deity from another religion.

For example, Buddha tried teaching people to purify themselves and not depend on deities, but he still allowed people to believe in any deity they wished to, even the Christian God.

 

[Tariki]

i am, because atheism in it's trueist form means "you believe in nothing" literally, you don't believe in any higher power aside from what you see in front of you, so obviously buddhists are not atheists

Perhaps we can play around with words until it all becomes pointless, yet to my mind "believing" in "nothing" can be a positive belief that negates true insight and understanding........in the sense that in can lead to excluding any possibility before it has truly been tested by personal experience.

An atheists "nothing".................and a Christian's nothing..........per Meister Eckhart in his sermon on pure/true poverty............."a poor person is someone who desires nothing, knows nothing and possesses nothing". The purpose of such a state is to "see" truth, to experience/allow its unfolding in time and space......unstained by the eye that brings the past to everything it sees, wherein all "living" becomes just a succession of anticipations - and epitaphs - rather than living in the "now".

"To just see what is on front of you" is what all Buddhist seek for, and also those of many Faiths..........to regain innocence that yet embraces knowledge.........To take such a task seriously and to recognise the problems involved seem to me to go far beyond the ideas of most "atheists" who believe in "nothing".

To see just what is in front of me...........oh! happy day!

 

[Ryoko Ozaki]

You're off on your quick little summary of Buddhists. We don't just believe in what is in front of us, for reincarnation goes a lot further than what most people think. Study up a little bit bfore trying to summarize what I believe in a statement like that. It seemed like it was aimed to attack Buddhism, but I could be wrong.

EDIT: NM

 

[ej]

What would you recommend?

I'm intrigued by Buddhism, I've read a few of the Dalai Lama's books - are they too mainstream?

 

[Ryoko Ozaki]

I haven't read any of his books so I'm not too sure, but buddhanet.net is a nice site to learn the teachings from.

 

[Tariki]

You're off on your quick little summary of Buddhists. We don't just believe in what is in front of us, for reincarnation goes a lot further than what most people think. Study up a little bit bfore trying to summarize what I believe in a statement like that. It seemed like it was aimed to attack Buddhism, but I could be wrong.

EDIT: NM

Ryoko,

You are wrong!

My apologies if I have offended your sensitivities regarding what you may or may not believe...........the dharma rain falls, each responds according to their individuality.


Derek/Tariki

 

[Doctrine1st]

Quit flaming.

Lambslove is quite correct, as are the Buddhists.
Buddhism is a philosophy. Buddha is not a deity.

Just Curious.

If Buddhism is a philosophy of living a certain way, then why couldn't one be a follower of Christ at the same time? I think alot of there teachings were pretty similar? Or, one can follow Buddhism and still maintain the ideal of God...no?

 

[vajradhara]

You're off on your quick little summary of Buddhists. We don't just believe in what is in front of us, for reincarnation goes a lot further than what most people think. Study up a little bit bfore trying to summarize what I believe in a statement like that. It seemed like it was aimed to attack Buddhism, but I could be wrong.

EDIT: NM

Namaste Ryoko,

first things first... you are not the only Buddhist that posts on this site, as such, you will become exposed to other Buddhist thought that you may not have encountered in the past.

Tariki was a Theravedan Buddhist and now practices the Pure Land Buddhist tradition. You, yourself, are a Zen Buddhist, which sect, if you don't mind me asking, Rinzai or Soto? Whereas i am a Varjayana Buddhist. there is a wide array of Buddhist thought that is available outside of the Zen/Ch'an school... though, i must say that the Zen of Bodhidharma, the First Patriarch, is quite excellent. it's actually a bit of historic irony how Buddhism moved into Japan.. but that is, perhaps, a subject of only academic concern.

As such, Tariki, was explaining his/her understanding of the Dharma and it is in no way any less valid than yours.

as for reincarnation.. are you an American Buddhist? i've seen that term used by Americans more than any other type of Buddhist. the technical term is rebirth to be distinguished from reincarnation by what is reborn.

Tariki was pretty much on target... let me provide this as a way of reference:

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilites, but in the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

 

[vajradhara]

Just Curious.

If Buddhism is a philosophy of living a certain way, then why couldn't one be a follower of Christ at the same time? I think alot of there teachings were pretty similar? Or, one can follow Buddhism and still maintain the ideal of God...no?

Namaste Doctrine1st,

thanks for the post.

if pursued as a philosophy only, there would seem to be no problem with using Buddhism as the philosophical underpining with a belief in a creator deity.

Buddhism, however, is more than a philosophy and is also a religion and a step by step methodology to produce altered states of consciousness.

Tariki stated it well... the Dharma rains falls everywhere and people respond in their own capacity.

 

[vajradhara]

What would you recommend?

I'm intrigued by Buddhism, I've read a few of the Dalai Lama's books - are they too mainstream?

Namaste emmajane,

well... it depends on what you've read. for instance, Ethics for the 21st Century, is a very secular book and pretty mainstream.... whereas, the teachings on the Stages of Meditation is, though written for a westener, not a mainstream text.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama writes three main types of books.. those that are secular in nature, those that are writen for westeners that may or may not be practicing Buddhists and those that are written for advanced practiconers, regardless of geographical circumstance.

 

[Ryoko Ozaki]

Sorry Tariki, I put that NM in my post because I noticed that you meant that in a good way and was also Buddhist. Sorry about the confusion but I was confused myself. However, now that I see it right I agree and agree that it is good.

If you ever want someone to talk to just private message me, I'm always open for dicussion with other Buddhists to talk about meditation experiences and stuff.

 

[Jersey]

Namaste all,

i've seen some discussion across the various threads offering various opinions regarding this topic and i thought that, perhaps, a few of you might be interested to know what the Buddhist position actually is.

Buddhists are not atheists. we believe that there are, in fact, gods. in the Sutras the Buddha teaches both gods and men the Dharma, so it's incorrect to say that Buddhists don't believe in gods.

it is quite correct, however, to say that Buddhists don't worship a god nor do they hold to a concept of creationism as generaly held by the monotheistic traditions.

the Buddhist view of such things is one that most monotheists have trouble coming to terms with, and that's perfectly ok, for we don't insist that only our view is correct. Buddhist respect and encourage people to explore the various faith traditions and find the one that is appropriate for them. in our tradition, it is said that the Buddha opened 84,000 doors to the Dharma to account for the varying dispositions and abilities of the myriad sentient beings.

Everybody is an atheist. Surely everyone has a God they don't believe in. And there are thousands of them. Maybe a new god is being born as we speak.

What do you think?

 

[vajradhara]

What would you recommend?

I'm intrigued by Buddhism, I've read a few of the Dalai Lama's books - are they too mainstream?

Namaste emmajane,

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama writes many sorts of books.. some for lay people of the West and others for Buddhist monks of Tibet.. so it would really depend on which book you are speaking of

that said, His Holiness' school of Buddhism is called Vajrayana and is somewhat different than Mahayana or Hinyana Buddhism in its particulars, though they all share the same foundation.

my own suggestion would be to read the Suttas themselves and see what they have to say rather than texts on said Suttas.

metta,

~v

 

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings!

Buddhism AS ORIGINALLY REVEALED was theistic, as demonstrated by its scriptures.

Over the millenia, it has split into several subgroups; some of these are now theistic, and others atheistic.

Simple as that . . .

Regards,

Bruce