Is Buddhism A Religion? A Comparison With Other Accepted Religions Of The World

The Criteria for Religion

Question:

Discuss about the Traditions of Meditation in Ancient.

A significant question has been asked many times, is Buddhism a religion? There are several criteria that can be used to answer this question. For example, the following aspects are present in case of many religions, beginning, ritual, believers, morality, goals and purpose. In the present research network, an attempt has been made to compare Buddhism with other accepted religions of the world and use these criteria from the standpoint and the belief that Buddhism is indeed a religion.

First of all, the issue needs to be considered from the point of view all the beginning of the religion. In case of every religion, there is a beginning. However, the major difference that is present regarding the beginning of Buddhism and the beginning of other religions is related with the amount of time (Anderson, 1999). It needs to be noted that Buddhism had appeared overnight. That is true, Buddhism appeared overnight while other religions like Hinduism are taken endless years to evolve. But still, it has a beginning and a history. Although in terms of beginning, it is somewhat minor but still it has a beginning and a historical sense to it. This is one competitive where Buddhism is hugely similar to the other globally accepted religions (Anderson, 2003).

The next issue is related with ritual. In case of Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism, which other three major religions of the world, ritual is present. In the same way, as is the case with these religions, data is also one of the two forms present in Buddhism. Therefore, while the Mahayana Buddhism has included ritual, it is eschewed by the Theravada Buddhism. Therefore even if it may be argued that only one part of Buddhism has ritual, but still, ritual is a part of Buddhism (Armstrong, 2004). At the same time, it also needs to be mentioned that not all Christians, Hindus or Jews go by all the rituals that have been described by their religion. Therefore it can act as an explanation behind the reason why the Theravada part of Buddhism does not have any ritual (Gombrich, 1984). After ritual, the next elevator is related with the followers or the believers. As is the case with other religions mentioned above, there is a widespread acceptance of Buddhism also. Therefore it cannot be described as a small cult that comprises only a few thousand people (Bhikkhu, 2000). Buddhism is much larger as compared to any cult. Therefore it fulfills another criteria that has been mentioned about in order to make it a religion.

Buddhism and Its Beginning

Morality is something that can be found in almost every major religion. Some form of morality is also present in case of Buddhism. If it was not the case, what this would be doing simply whatever they wanted to (Bond, 1992). For example, they could have simply kill each other or done wrong to each other. Therefore, at a simple, minimal level and also at an extreme level, morality intervenes in Buddhism. It is a fact that every Buddhist has to deal with on a daily basis as is the case with any other member of another religion (Brazier, 2001).

Under these circumstances, there are a large number of people who have asked the question, if Buddhism which is a popular belief system initiative also be treated as a religion. However, arguments have been given by academics from East and the West in favor of and against this proposition. While some have for Buddhism as a cult not be the reason that they are against Buddhism, but because in a heated debate how Buddhism can be placed in this well-organized educational structure (Bronkhorst, 1993). The Encyclopedia Britannica has mentioned Zoroaster, the Buddha, Aristotle and Plato as the first persons in history who have blogged regarding mind and behaviors. The logic of Buddhism is among the early records present regarding with a set of principles that are outlined for the study of the mind. There are a number of Western scholars like Albert Einstein and said Arthur C. Clarke, who were rejected towards Buddhism due to the similarities that exist between scientific philosophy and the logical thinking of Buddhism (Bronkhorst, 2007). For hundreds of years, there have been academics who have identified Buddhism as a religion that is not deceased by dogmas and theologies both Einstein and Clarke were of the opinion that in order to have a future for religion in the increasingly scientific world, a religion should be like Buddhism (Bronkhorst, 2013). The reason was that Buddha has encouraged logical reasoning as compared to beliefs, constructive thinking as compared to blind faith and testing of Buddhist concepts in the real-world as compared to theoretical Buddhism. But this is the point where Buddhism no longer remains a religion, but instead, it becomes an education system that is open to any person who wants to learn and use these tools for good use (Carrithers, 1983).

The logic of Buddhism, the Eight Fold Path, Five Precepts and Buddhist Karma define the core elements of Buddhism. Although it is not possible to describe all of them in detail in the present paper, but they will be used for the purpose of establishing that is and is much more than mere philosophy or an education system than a religion. The logic of Buddhism is famous due to the reason that it was one of the first structured logical thinking system role by the human civilization (Bucknell, 1984). The idea that a seed needs to be planted for a treat to grow and for the purpose of the existence of a tree, a seed needs to be a part of the cycle, has been used for the purpose of explaining the workings of the mind. According to the philosophy of Buddhism, controlling the seed needs to be given priority. As is the case with Western philosophers and scientists after the age of Enlightenment, free independent thinking was also promoted by Buddha (Carter, 1987). Instead of depending on the religious rules or regulations, Buddhism promotes logical reasoning for the purpose of establishing connections between the teachings of Buddhism, dharma and the real world applications. As against a religion, the followers were told by Buddha that he was not the God and therefore he should not be blindly followed by the Buddhists (Davidson, 2003). This remains the driving force due to which Buddhism can be set apart from the conventional religions.

Ritual in Buddhism

The Eight Fold Path also copies the scientific logic and processes. It is well explained, therefore, every person has the opportunity to test its effectiveness. There are three main divisions in which it has been divided; wisdom, ethical conduct and concentration (Eliade and Adams, 1987). Furthermore, it has been broken down into factors. In this way, a striking similarity exists between a well-written scientific paper and the Buddhist layout of Eight Fold Path, due to the Buddhism has become a unique religion if one has to categorize Buddhism as a religion (Eliot, 1935).

The Five Precepts provided guidelines for laypersons, but they do not set up in a way for promoting the religious rule. The fact is that there are very few persons in Buddhist countries who are pure vegetarians. Most of them, including some Buddhist monks also eat fish or other type of meat. The question arises if this is against Buddhism? The answer is both yes and no. It meat is required to survive and live a healthy life, then it is not against Buddhism. On the other hand, if meat is consumed because a person likes it, then it is against Buddhism. However, Buddhism provides that no person can claim to be a Buddhist or to be a non-Buddhist. Hence, it is up to the person to decide what is wrong and what is right (Shults, 2014). The guidelines provided by Five Precepts are not rules, but they are merely guidelines. Therefore they are not rules, but tools that can be used to make the life of a person better and happier.

Buddha had also said that it is the responsibility of the petitioner to learn, tried and test the theories of Buddhism before accepting them as facts. In this way, Buddha and said that the person disagrees with something, such person is free to accept what he likes and do not take what he does not like (Robinson, 1982). There are many Buddhist and non-Buddhists who do not see any problem in accepting some parts of Buddhism and at the same time, rejecting the others. Similarly, Buddhism encourages middle path while the extreme Buddhism is even considered as a negative social issue for Buddhism itself. But at the same time, it also needs to be noted that still there are certain mythical stories present in Buddhism. For example, Buddha has discussed about gods and heavens. He is also stated that a person is his own blog, because the gods. In other dimensions do not have any power over humans. Therefore, the belief in mythical heavens is against modern science and philosophy as it has no faith or trust in any Almighty God. The belief in self God is in contradiction with the very definition of religion. As a result, this is one of the reasons why it becomes very confusing to identify Buddhism as a religion or as a philosophy.

Followers of Buddhism

Therefore, it can be stated for the Christians, Jews and Muslims, Buddhism may not fulfill the requirements of what they believe to be a religion. However, there are all the elements present in Buddhism that are present in these religions also. Buddhism has text and scriptures dating back to as far, or even further than Jesus and Mohammed. At the same time, Buddhism also gives instructions regarding the way life should be led and practiced. However, the major difference that is present in these two is the absence of God that has created the world and the universe. In this regard, we also hear a lot of regarding the term faith by the other religions. They can be described as a “belief that is not based on proof “. Buddhism also was the belief in God or in the doctrines are the teachings of religion. As a religion it also teaches many of these lessons even better. Similarly, in the form of a religion, Buddhism allows its followers to achieve something greater than themselves through the life lessons imparted by it and the structured practices. Some experts of Buddhism explain that it is a choice that is made by all the Buddhist practitioners, according to which they can change themselves in the way. That is beneficial for all living beings, and not only their ‘self’. On the other hand, in the form of a philosophy, Buddhism provides the same lessons to the non-followers, which can be used for improving their routine lives.

Therefore it can be stated in the end that out of all the other religions, there is least conflict present in case of Buddhism with modern science and philosophy. This is the reason why persons like Albert Einstein and Sir Arthur Clarke were drawn towards Buddhism. Over the years, the philosophers from the West have used the Buddhist teachings. The concepts of Buddhism have been written by them in their own words and marketed as their own. Many Western clinical psychologists have used their knowledge of Buddhism in order to help their clients without admitting that they are using Buddhism.

However, the Buddhists claim that Buddha gave a wide variety of instructions. If these instructions can help us in living the life in a better way or to solve our problems, we are free to practice them. In such cases, there is no need to call ourselves Buddhists. The purpose behind the teachings of Buddha is to benefit us and if by using some of these teachings, we can live more peacefully with ourselves and others that is the most important thing. Therefore, there is no question that Buddhism is a religion, as well as a philosophy and it should be respected as such.

References

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Anderson, C. (2003). “Four Noble Truths”, In Buswell, Robert E. Encyclopedia of Buddhism, Macmillan Reference Books

Armstrong, K. (2004), Buddha, Penguin Press

Bodhi, Bhikkhu (2000), The Connected Discourses of the Buddha. A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications

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Shults, B. (2014), “On the Buddha’s Use of Some Brahmanical Motifs in Pali Texts”, Journal of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, 6: 121–9