Buddhist Is Buddhism Really a Religion.

[Akita Suggagaki]

From Merriam-Webster
Definition of religion

1 a: the state of a religious a nun in her 20th year of religion
b(1): the service and worship of God or the supernatural
(2): commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

2: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices
3 archaic : scrupulous conformity : CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
4: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith


Though some forms of Buddhism require faith most Buddhists I know approach it as a philosophy and way of life like Stoicism. No faith needed in anything supernatural. It all seems to be about seeing reality clearly with mindfulness and compassion.

With an approach like that there does not need to be conflict with Christian beleif.

 

[timothyu]

A 5000 year old search for a connection with God? Who knows.

 

[Hans Blaster]

From what I know, definition #2 seems to fit, but what do I know, I'm not a buddhist and am no longer in a religion.

 

[zippy2006]

It is definitely a religion by your definitions:

1b(2): commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance
2: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices​

 

[Xenophon]

It's more like a parasitic occult doctrine or philosophy which is then inserted into an existing religion to create something of a new form.

For example, Tibetan Buddhism is just Tibetan shamanism with Buddhist philosophy inserted into it. In India Buddhism is Brahmanism with a Buddhist framework. In Cambodia, it's cambodian religion with a Buddhist framework, etc.

Similarly, now in the west you can see some pockets where Buddhism has been inserted into Christianity - it is no longer Christianity, but Buddhism with a Christian overlay.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

It is definitely a religion by your definitions:

1b(2): commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance
2: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices​

Well that is Merriam-Webster and the word r "religious" is used in the definition of "Religion".

 

[Hmm]

It's more a science of the mind than a religion and is concerned with how to end suffering. Buddhism posits the moral laws of karma - that good acts will have good consequences for you, and bad acts, bad consequences - but these operate as natural laws without the intervention of a deity. There is no concept of a creator God although ultimate reality, Nirvana, is viewed as mind-like in some ways, having the attributes of bliss, wisdom and compassion.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

It's more like a parasitic occult doctrine or philosophy which is then inserted into an existing religion to create something of a new form.

For example, Tibetan Buddhism is just Tibetan shamanism with Buddhist philosophy inserted into it. In India Buddhism is Brahmanism with a Buddhist framework. In Cambodia, it's cambodian religion with a Buddhist framework, etc.

Similarly, now in the west you can see some pockets where Buddhism has been inserted into Christianity - it is no longer Christianity, but Buddhism with a Christian overlay.

Buddhism with Christian overlay? Well the essence of Buddhism, from what I know, is the "The Four Noble Truths"
They are the truth of suffering,
the truth of the cause of suffering,
the truth of the end of suffering,
and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering.


1. RIGHT VIEW
A true understanding of how reality and suffering are intertwined.

2. RIGHT RESOLVE
The aspiration to act with correct intention, doing no harm.

3. RIGHT SPEECH
Abstaining from lying, and divisive or abusive speech.

4. RIGHT ACTION
Acting in ways that do not cause harm, such as not taking life, not stealing, and not engaging in sexual misconduct.

5. RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
Making an ethically sound living, being honest in business dealings.

6. RIGHT EFFORT
Endeavoring to give rise to skillful thoughts, words, and deeds and renouncing unskillful ones.

7. RIGHT MINDFULNESS
Being mindful of one’s body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities.

8. RIGHT CONCENTRATION
Practicing skillful meditation informed by all of the preceding seven aspects.

Is there incompatibility with Christianity there?

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

It's more a science of the mind than a religion and is concerned with how to end suffering. Buddhism posits the moral laws of karma - that good acts will have good consequences for you, and bad acts, bad consequences - but these operate as natural laws without the intervention of a deity. There is no concept of a creator God although ultimate reality, Nirvana, is viewed as mind-like in some ways, having the attributes of bliss, wisdom and compassion.

That is the way I understand it also. So from a Christian perspective it is incomplete. But I don't think incompatible. Unless it is too do-it-yourself. One does not need a savior for their salvation. But again that is incomplete rather than contrary.

 

[Hmm]

That is the way I understand it also. So from a Christian perspective it is incomplete. But I don't think incompatible. Unless it is too do-it-yourself. One does not need a savior for thiir salvation. But again that is incomplete rather than contrary.

Yes, I would say so. Buddhism believes that everything that exists exists in a dependent
kind of way. Christians believe this too because we believe that everything is sustained in being by God. But because Buddhists do not have a concept of God it's not a religion at all

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

....philosophy which is then inserted into an existing religion to create something of a new form.

I would say that is true with Hinduism. In fact, I wonder how much of the reincarnation just came from Hinduism and how much came from Buddha.

 

[zippy2006]

Yes, I would say so. Buddhism believes that everything that exists exists in a dependent kind of way. Christians believe this too because we believe that everything is sustained in being by God.

Christians do not believe God is dependent, which is a huge ontological difference between the two religions. It is one of the reasons Buddhists deny God and one of the reasons Christians believe created reality is not illusory.

But because Buddhists do not have a concept of God it's not a religion at all

Philosophers of religion have long abandoned the assumption that a "religion" must include a western concept of God or the western notion of faith to be considered a true religion. That is to say: non Judeo-Christian religions are religions, too.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

From Merriam-Webster
Definition of religion

1 a: the state of a religious a nun in her 20th year of religion
b(1): the service and worship of God or the supernatural
(2): commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

2: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices
3 archaic : scrupulous conformity : CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
4: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith


Though some forms of Buddhism require faith most Buddhists I know approach it as a philosophy and way of life like Stoicism. No faith needed in anything supernatural. It all seems to be about seeing reality clearly with mindfulness and compassion.

With an approach like that there does not need to be conflict with Christian beleif.

Actually if I recall both Buddhism and Hinduism have variable beliefs etc. depending on your location and what you want the faith to be. You can be a polytheist, atheist, monotheist, pantheist, and every other kind of religious position as a Buddhist or Hindu. This because Hinduism is incredibly old with many different cults that have widely different ideologies, and Buddhism was derived from that religion as well and borrows and adapts from the native philosophies and religions around it.

 

[Hmm]

It is one of the reasons Buddhists deny God and one of the reasons Christians believe created reality is not illusory.

Buddhists do not maintain that reality is illusory. They believe things really exist just but that they do not have independent existence. For example, suffering is real. It's not illusionary but it does not have an independent exisitence. It's "other powered". It arises out of a false conception of reality which causes desire or fear for example. And that's also true for physical things. A table exists dependent on it's parts and so on.

Philosophers of religion have long abandoned the assumption that a "religion" must include a western concept of God or the western notion of faith to be considered a true religion. That is to say: non Judeo-Christian religions are religions, too.

I disagree. Buddhism does not have at its centre a personal being who you are dependent on and who you worship so it's a world-view, not a religion. It originates from human experience, not from divine revelation

 

[public hermit]

One could possibly be both Christian and Buddhist; however, either their Buddhism will be somewhat anemic or their Christianity will be somewhat anemic. It is not possible to robustly embrace the metaphysics of both. The same holds for Christianity and Stoicism. Something will have to give, and invariably it will be the metaphysical presuppositions of one or the other.

That being said, I do think that some of the practices of Bhuddism or Stoicism can appropriate by a Christian, so long as the metaphysical grounding of Christianity remains intact. Otherwise, it's neither one or the other, but an amalgamation.

 

[Hmm]

That being said, I do think that some of the practices of Bhuddism or Stoicism can appropriate by a Christian, so long as the metaphysical grounding of Christianity remains intact.

Yes, Buddhist meditation and Christian mediation (which is more usually called contemplation) are practically the same in their techniques and yet are underpinned by completely different methodologies. This is also true for a good Buddhist monk and a good Christian - they behave in very similar ways yet believe very different things.

 

[zippy2006]

Buddhists do not maintain that reality is illusory.

It is well known that Buddhists believe all of reality to be illusory (maya). You can interpret that how you like, but one implication is that they do not believe reality to have the same degree of substance that Christians affirm it has.

 

[public hermit]

Yes, Buddhist meditation and Christian mediation (which is more usually called contemplation) are practically the same in their techniques and yet are underpinned by completely different methodologies. This is also true for a good Buddhist monk and a good Christian - they behave in very similar ways yet believe very different things.

There's a great book by Steven T. Katz Mysticism and Philosophical Analysis, which analyzes the various reported experiences of religious mystics. The basic conclusion of the analysis of the phenomenology of the various experiences is that it is the same experience with different metaphysical underpinnings. It's a fascinating read.

Now, as a whole hearted Christian, I hold that any experience of enlightenment is mediated and realized in Christ, wittingly or unwittingly. Of course, I'm a healthy fallibilist, as well.

 

[Hmm]

It is well known that Buddhists believe all of reality to be illusory (maya). You can interpret that how you like, but one implication is that they do not believe reality to have the same degree of substance that Christians affirm it has.

It may be widely believed but that doesn't make it true. Buddhists believe in reality every bit as much as Christians, it's just a different kind of reality. Buddha would not have bothered to devise a sophisticated explanation of the causes of suffering and it's cessation if it was all an illusion. Just try dropping a hammer on your foot and you will know that suffering exists. But it's dependent on you dropping the hammer. Buddha taught how not to do that.

 

[Hmm]

Now, as a whole hearted Christian, I hold that any experience of enlightenment is mediated and realized in Christ, wittingly or unwittingly. Of course, I'm a healthy fallibilist, as well.

Me too, though I'm not certain I'm a fallibilist.