User:Dorje108/Is Buddhism a religion?

Is Buddhism a religion?

There are differences of opinion on the question of whether Buddhism should be considered a religion, or not. While many sources commonly refer to Buddhism as a religion, other sources note that the answer to this question depends upon what your definition of religion is. For example, Lama Surya Das states:

...Buddhism is less a theology or religion than a promise that certain meditative practices and mind trainings can effectively show us how to awaken our Buddha-nature and liberate us from suffering and confusion.

B. Allan Wallace notes that Buddhism does not fit the traditional definition of religion as it is typically thought of in the West. Wallace states:

...Buddhism has never been simply a religion as we define it in the West. From the very beginning it has also had philosophical elements, as well as empirical and rational elements that may invite the term ‘science.’

Rupert Gethin points out that some key differences between Buddhism and traditional Western religions are that Buddhism does not assert a belief in a creator god, nor does it define itself by a particular creed. On the other hand, Gethin notes, Buddhist practice often includes devotional practices and ritual, which are typically associated with religious belief.

Walpola Rahula emphasis that the label is unimportant from the Buddhist point of view; he states:

The question has often been asked: Is Buddhism a religion or a philosophy? It does not matter what you call it. Buddhism remains what it is whatever label you may put on it. The label is immaterial. Even the label ‘Buddhism’ which we give to the teaching of the Buddha is of little importance. The name one gives it is inessential.

Source quotes

Rupert Gethin:

I am not concerned here to pronounce on a question that is sometimes asked of Buddhism: is it a religion? Obviously it depends on how one defines ‘a religion’. What is certain, however, is that Buddhism does not involve belief in a creator God who has control over human destiny, nor does it seek to define itself by reference to a creed; as Edward Conze has pointed out, it took over 2,000 years and a couple of Western converts to Buddhism to provide it with a creed.12 On the other hand, Buddhism views activities that would be generally understood as religious—such as devotional practices and rituals—as a legitimate, useful, and even essential part of the practice and training that leads to the cessation of suffering.

Buddhism regards itself as presenting a system of training in conduct, meditation, and understanding that constitutes a path leading to the cessation of suffering. Everything is to be subordinated to this goal. And in this connection the Buddha’s teachings suggest that preoccupation with certain beliefs and ideas about the ultimate nature of the world and our destiny in fact hinders our progress along the path rather than helping it. - Gethin, Rupert (1998-07-16). The Foundations of Buddhism (pp. 65-66). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Walpola Rahula states:

The question has often been asked: Is Buddhism a religion or a philosophy? It does not matter what you call it. Buddhism remains what it is whatever label you may put on it. The label is immaterial. Even the label ‘Buddhism’ which we give to the teaching of the Buddha is of little importance. The name one gives it is inessential.

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose,

By any other name would smell as sweet.

In the same way Truth needs no label: it is neither Buddhist, Christian, Hindu nor Moslem. It is not the monopoly of anybody. Sectarian labels are a hindrance to the independent understanding of Truth, and they produce harmful prejudices in men’s minds. --- Rahula, Walpola; Demieville, Paul (2007-12-01). What the Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada (Kindle Locations 316-323). Grove Press. Kindle Edition.

B. Allan Wallace states:

When we in the West first engage with Buddhism, it is almost inevitable that we bring out one of our familiar stereotypes and apply it to Buddhism, calling it simply a ‘religion.’... But Buddhism has never been simply a religion as we define it in the West. From the very beginning it has also had philosophical elements, as well as empirical and rational elements that may invite the term ‘science.’ --- Goleman, Daniel (2008-11-19). Destructive Emotions: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama (Kindle Locations 1301-1305). Bantam. Kindle Edition.

Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse:

Although essentially very simple, Buddhism cannot be easily explained. It is almost inconceivably complex, vast, and deep. Although it is nonreligious and nontheistic, it’s difficult to present Buddhism without sounding theoretical and religious. As Buddhism traveled to different parts of the world, the cultural characteristics it accumulated have made it even more complicated to decipher. Theistic trappings such as incense, bells, and multicolored hats can attract people’s attention, but at the same time they can be obstacles. People end up thinking that is all there is to Buddhism and are diverted from its essence. --- Khyentse, Dzongsar Jamyang (2011-03-11). What Makes You Not a Buddhist (p. 2). Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

Damien Keown:

Problems of the kind just mentioned confront us as soon as we try to define what Buddhism is. Is it a religion? A philosophy? A way of life? A code of ethics? It is not easy to classify Buddhism as any of these things, and it challenges us to rethink some of these categories. What, for example, do we mean by ‘religion’? Most people would say that religion has something to do with belief in God. God, in turn, is understood as a Supreme Being who created the world and the creatures in it. Furthermore, God takes a close interest (or at least has up to now) in the course of human history, by entering into covenants, making his will known in various ways, and intervening miraculously at critical junctures. [...] If belief in God in this sense is the essence of religion, then Buddhism cannot be a religion. [...] Some have suggested that a new category – that of the ‘non-theistic’ religion – is needed to encompass Buddhism. Another possibility is that our original definition is simply too narrow. --- Keown, Damien (2000-02-24). Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Kindle Locations 361-372). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Surya Das states:

For Buddhism is less a theology or religion than a promise that certain meditative practices and mind trainings can effectively show us how to awaken our Buddha-nature and liberate us from suffering and confusion. --- Awakening the Buddha Within, p. 16

Donald Lopez states:

It is only with the invention of the category of religion, with its obligatory constituents of a founder, sacred scriptures, and fixed body of doctrine, that Buddhism comes to be counted as a world religion. Even then [at the end of the nineteenth centure], it was judged by many Europeans as a rival to Christianity. - page 12

Rather than portray Buddhism as a philosophy or a way of life, as it is so often characterized in the West, I prefer to view Buddhism as a religion to which ordinary people have turned over the centuries for the means to confront, control, or even escape the exigencies of life. --- page 14

Peter Harvey states:

The English term 'Buddhism' correctly indicates that the religion is characterized by devotion to 'the Buddha', 'Buddhas', or 'buddhahood'. --- page 1 (An introduction to Buddhism)

Joseph Goldstein states:

ALTHOUGH THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENCES AMONG THE various religions of the world, and among the various schools of Buddhism itself, there is also a great deal in common, most noticeably when we begin the journey. For almost all of us, the first step on our spiritual path, the gateway of One Dharma, happens when we find ourselves yearning for a deeper understanding or a sense of peace and completion away from the superficial conventions and entanglements that often seem to engulf us. --- Goldstein, Joseph (2011-03-15). One Dharma: The Emerging Western Buddhism (p. 27). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition.