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Do Buddhists Believe in God?
Do Buddhists believe there is a God/Grand Creator?Originally posted by Brian@Dec 24 2003, 12:05 AM
I've been asked about a thousand times in the last few weeks, by friends, family, and acquaintances, the million dollar question:
"Do Buddhists celebrate Christmas?"
I love this question. Most people just assume that we don't. Let me explain my viewpoint, as an american buddhist:
My family celebrates Christmas. Let's look at Christmas for what it really is: It is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. While the actual date may be highly doubtful (in fact, the entire season is probably doubtful - scholars claim that Jesus was probably born in the spring sometime), the point of the celebration is timeless. Jesus Christ was a bodhisattiva of high regard. He did a great many works in the latter part of his lifetime which were of great value to humanity. Therefore, of course we would celebrate his life and his birth.
Now, add to that the cultural aspect of the Christmas holiday. In the west, Christmas is a time to reflect on the past year, reflect on our families and loved ones, and generally bring good cheer to those around us. This fits perfectly within the realm of Buddhism, so it is very logical for us to celebrate the holiday.
So, with all that in mind, I say "Merry Christmas" to you and yours.
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Comments
Let's look at this from a practical standpoint: Judaism was the only monotheistic faith (recorded, anyway) at the time of the Buddha (500 BC). Siddharta lived in India, during a time of many Gods. All of those Gods, with all of their power, could not end the suffering of one single man.
The Buddha never spoke of "one god" or any god, for that matter. Chances are, he never met a Jew, so the concept of monotheism was a foreign one to Indians of the day.
With that said, there are Atheistic Buddhists, Christian Buddhists, and Polytheistic Buddhists (Tibetans, for example). Buddhism isn't concerned with Theism.
One of the monks at my temple, Achahn Dharmananda, put it very well. He said "Buddhism is not atheistic. It is HUMANistic."
That's the best way I can put it - as a buddhist, I am concerned with becoming a perfect human being. I am not worried about God or any of that. It's just not on my "to-do" list right now.
Do buddhists believe in a "higher power"
Your answer was a little verbose... break it down into a "yes, no or per buddhist choice"
to sum up brian: buddha never spoke of any "god" hence god is not something that buddhist really worry about. it is more important to us to strive to become our own better person than to concern ourselves with the exsistance or non-exsistance of a god and what he, she or it thinks of us
You should worry about God AFTER the enlightenment
Surely, after Enlightenement, you don't worry about anything....?!
After the enlightenment, you still have to worry about the laundry, the kids, the bills, etc.
Mi Fo Lo is the squat, rotund Buddha of infinite joy. He carries a heavy sack tied to a gnarled branch of an ancient peach tree. The peach represents Wisdom and Maturity. In his hand he often carries a gourd filled with the sweet nectar of Knowledge.
The sack is heavy and cumbersome, but he carries it with patience and fortitude, and the smile of infinite Joy, Serenity and Happiness never leaves his face.
One day, upon his travels, he is wandering down a stony rugged path, and he chances to meet a disciple. The greet one another, and then the disciple asks, “Master, what is Enlightenment – understanding, acceptance, the True Way?”
In response, Mi Fo Lo simply places the sack upon the ground.
Bemused, and a little puzzled, the disciple takes this in, and then ventures to ask, “ Well, if that is so – what next?”
Mi Fo Lo simply picks up the sack and placing it upon his shoulder once more, smiles his farewell warmly, and continues on his way.
(It little matters what you carry in Life – more important is the way in which you bear your load.)
It is odd to me that after Christ's episode at the temple in Jerusalem, where his parents found him teaching his elders, ("Did you not know I would be at my father's house?" he questioned, after they'd been looking for him for hours.) no more is heard about him until he hits thirty. Where did his dad go? And where had he been, and what had he been doing? MY theory (and it is total conjecture and hypothesis on my part, I grant you ) is that he either travelled, or studied. Other religions, other creeds, other faiths... much of what is taught in the new testament can be threaded and interpreted via the sutras and the teachings of Siddharta Gautama.... many of St. Paul's words could have stepped right out of the mouth of the Buddha himself...
Remember - there is a chasm between Christianity as a Faith, and Christianity as a doctrine, implemented by those who interpret it with a 'human' mentality.....
To repeatedly talk of differences is divisive and un destructive. Seek rather, when confronted or challenged, to not dispute the Love taught by fundamental true Christianity, but to couple it with that which you already hold dear in your hearts.
This is the first time I've posted Brian.
For those of you that don't know me, I am a Lutheran pastor. Brian and I met through the tragic death of one of Brian's friends last October. I like what Brian is doing. Buddhism is a large part of our small world -- and so I commend Brian for perservering with this website.
I have an affinity and appreciation for many things Buddhist -- especially Zen Buddhism and Shin Buddhism. Still, I am a committed orthodox Christian and I must say there is a great deal of difference between basic Christianity and basic Buddhism (i.e. with out regard to the many variations of both).
Most significant is the difference between Jesus Christ and a bodhisattva. In Christianity, Jesus is the divine only and eternal son of God who, paradoxically, also lived on earth as a regular finite human being. How this occurred is a mystery, but it only occurred once according to Christians and is central to the Christian sacred story. A bodhisattva is an enlightened man or woman on the verge of entering Narvana, but holds back in order to enlighten (or "save") others through teaching and example. It is believed that there have been many bodhisattvas over history.
Another difference is that Jesus, during his ministry, miraculously healed many persons with any ailment through the power of their mutual trust in God. The bodhisattva is not endowed with any such powers; rather, he or she must help people to understand the truth of themselves and the world, such the notion of "anatta," or the absence of a supposedly permanent and unchanging self or soul. Also, a bodhisattva will generally not be betrayed and killed by the people he or she assists, for they have little reason to be suspicious or jealous of him or her (as many religious leaders were of Jesus).
The reward of Nirvana for the bodhisattva is sort of akin to Jesus rising from the dead because both Nirvana and Resurrected Life represent an end to the suffering that Jesus, the bodhisattva, or any person experiences in this world. But buddhism generally does not understand the suffering of a bodhisattva as necessarily redemptive or "world changing." Indeed the ultimate goal of Buddhism is to remove one's self from suffering by exiting this existance via enlightenment. One does not need a god's help to attain enlightment in buddhism -- but does need discipline and an openness to wisdom.
A Christian cannot be resurrected into a life of bliss without a God's direct involvement (or mercy). So from a Christian point of view, people have to put God on the to-do list if they are interested in how one arrives at eternal life and bliss. If any person who is not a Christian were to receive eternal life -- it would still be contingent upon God's willingness to grant that person mercy and grace (not upon how virtuously they were to live their lives or how often they were to meditated upon the buddha's name). There is a branch of Japanese buddhism that teaches a doctrine remarkably similar to the Christian notion of mercy and grace as the means to salvation (Shin Buddhism), but that is for a whole new discussion.
Just food for thought. Peace to all. Lars
Buddha is much more for he is an enlightened being who has transcend birth and death.
Just as buddhist belief in heaven but is not their goal as their goal is to achieve enlightenment.
There is no father and son relationship as in god and their son, but in teacher and student relationship for Buddhism is not a religion but an education. It teaches one to become an enlightened being just like the buddha.
Bodhi,
Don't be so quick to answer for "all" buddhists. I do not believe in a higher being, as I'm sure many others don't as well. Don't fall into the fallacy of 'hasty generalization' about any group. It's no more right to say "buddhists believe this..." as it would to say "Christians think this way..." or "Republicans all want this...." We each have our own idiosyncratic ideologies, which is what makes us unique. And although all Buddhists share a commonality, we can't be lumped into one group like that. That's why there are so many flavors of Buddhism out there!
I used to be Christian and I never felt right with myself. Everything I read in the bible was either a contradiction or it preached God's unforgiveness and anger. Sure Jesus preached th eopposite but only if we as humans excepted him. I don't see why it should matter. I am more understanding than th eGod in the bible. I understand people get confused and don't always understand what is being taught and they decide to go down a different path, why can't God? God is supposed to be more understanding than me, right? I myself put my faith in God and the teachings of Buddha. I don't believe Jesus was the son of God and I don't believe the true God is anything like th eone in the bible.
The teachings of the Buddha are for anyone . No of course you do not have to "quit your other faith". It is possible to use the teachings here to go deeper into your own faith, find the path amongst the weeds as it were. There are rabbis and priests who practice Zen Buddhism and still maintain thier own teachings and faiths. welcome to our humble little site. Sit back , read, ask lots of questions and enjoy yourself. you may find you are more like than unlike most of the people here! :bigclap:
^gassho^
fyi.
cheers,
http://www.parami.org/buddhistanswers/what_about_god.htm
The Buddha did not say that one should not or cannot worship a God. He teaches the way to liberation from suffering and in applying the method taught by him, the worship of god is redundant. Indeed, if one is overly attached to the idea of God, it may become a hindrance. For example one may believe that all good or all the bad things that hsppen to oneself is ordained by god, when in truth, we are responsible for our actions and destinies. So instead of beseeching the favours of god, Buddhists venerate the Buddha out of gratitude, respect, and love.
That is a very excellent was of looking at it Noi.
Of Course we're helping God....he needs us as much as some need him... If NOBODY believed in Him, He'd be redundant.... He would cease to 'exist'..... at least in our Conscious, sceptic minds, he would.... but if He does exist, and no-one believes in him - who'd notice? So belief in God is a two-way street. And just as in any relationship, both partners have to commit and contribute... which is why the relationship with one's "Self" is so darned hard, at times....!
We ARE supposed to worship God, follow his laws and ways...
There are going to be a lot of people in deep dooh-dooh when this whole gig is up!
Michael
Hope I am not offending anyone....
Yeah, baby!. That's me! The big question asker!
Michael
Whew!
Michael
Still don't know what it's all about. Just an odd coincedence.
Michael
I am part wat though a book called 'Christ the Eternal Tao'. The author escapes me at the moment (I will get back to you on that). If I understood my reading on both Tao and Buddhism, there are MANY similarities (individual rather than follow the leader worship) This book points out MANY similarities between Christ and Lao Tzu...adn now I am realizing, Buddha.
Could it be that they are all connceted in one way or another???? (big question)
As for why the Middle East and Jews don't follow Christianity...it all goes back to communication (or lack thereof in His time), and just plain old non-believers.
Buddhafoot...as far as 'deep doo doo' whe nthe time comes...even going the Way, or with Buddism, both have the same fundamental teaching: compassion. So how can anyone do wrong?
Have a peaceful day everyone!
Yes. We are all connected. All sentient beings are interdependent. Time and place in history makes no difference. It's as simple as that.