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If the Buddha was not a God, Then why Do people pay Respect to him?

shoelshoel
edited June 2011 in Faith & Religion
If the Buddha proclaim tat he wasn't a God or if Buddhism says that the Buddha was not a God then why do people pay respect to him ?

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Comments

  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    you're paying respect to what the buddha stands for. compassion and wisdom and the freedom from suffering.
    basically you are paying respect to those qualities in yourself.

    when i bow to the buddha i bow to the buddha within myself and within everyone else.
  • TheswingisyellowTheswingisyellow Trying to be open to existence Samsara Veteran
    edited June 2011
    Because he was DA' BOMB :om: :bowdown: :rockon:
    Seriously though, if coming from countries that were traditionally Buddhist, you see anything from paying respect to downright worship. You have a Buddhism that has mixed with cultures and their own religious traditions, you can have many different outcomes. People turn their sages into God, look what happened with Jesus. But as far as my belief goes, he was a man that I have great respect for.
    All the best,
    Todd
  • santhisouksanthisouk Veteran
    Maybe Buddha himself chose not to be called a "God"?
  • shoelshoel
    Good answers guys, I really Like Tayaki's reply too. I think, We pay respect to the dhamma. as the Buddha said he who sees the Dhamma he sees me. In this way its out duty to realize the dhamma and we know the ultimate truth. also Buddha was an Unique being and had the quality that we non of us had or have. Buddhas are unique being for having 32 characteristics. so my answer for why we pay respects to him is that, the dhamma he discover is unforgettable and could make us unique and be free from this samsaric life.
  • mugzymugzy Veteran
    Buddha was a great teacher. He wasn't a God, he was a regular guy with extraordinary qualities. We pay respect to him for bringing the teachings of the dharma to our world.
  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    Not to beat a dead horse, but my own view is that Buddhism, from start to finish, from Tripitaka to bodhisattva, amounts to one thing and one thing only: Advertising.

    Advertising is the stuff made of pretty pictures that depict something else ... a vacation resort, a snappy car, a pill to cure your ills. So what is it that Buddhism is advertising? Is it really something else or is the answer staring out of your very own mirror, looking you straight in the eye before you even thought to utter the word "Buddhism?"
  • LostieLostie Veteran
    amen to this...

    >>>>
    you're paying respect to what the buddha stands for. compassion and wisdom and the freedom from suffering.
    basically you are paying respect to those qualities in yourself.

    when i bow to the buddha i bow to the buddha within myself and within everyone else.
  • YishaiYishai Veteran
    Not to beat a dead horse, but my own view is that Buddhism, from start to finish, from Tripitaka to bodhisattva, amounts to one thing and one thing only: Advertising.

    Advertising is the stuff made of pretty pictures that depict something else ... a vacation resort, a snappy car, a pill to cure your ills. So what is it that Buddhism is advertising? Is it really something else or is the answer staring out of your very own mirror, looking you straight in the eye before you even thought to utter the word "Buddhism?"
    What is it that it is advertising? Why is it advertising that?

  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    @Yishai

    those questions reach the heart of buddhism. keep on it!
  • santhisouksanthisouk Veteran
    edited June 2011
    If Buddhism is advertising then temples and monasteries can't be classified as non profit organizations.
  • AmeliaAmelia Veteran
    If the Buddha proclaim tat he wasn't a God or if Buddhism says that the Buddha was not a God then why do people pay respect to him ?
    I think to express gratitude for the Dharma.
  • auraaura Veteran
    If the Buddha proclaim tat he wasn't a God or if Buddhism says that the Buddha was not a God then why do people pay respect to him ?
    Within your own culture, tradition, philosophy, or religion does one have to be considered "a god" in order to be considered worthy of respect and devotion?

  • thickpaperthickpaper Veteran
    If the Buddha proclaim tat he wasn't a God or if Buddhism says that the Buddha was not a God then why do people pay respect to him ?

    There is a big difference between respecting someone and worshipping someone/something:)

  • footiamfootiam Veteran
    Our parents are not God but we respect them too.
  • jlljll Veteran
    What people do with the statue of Buddha is no fault of the Buddha.
    Human beings worship everything from a tree to the sun. In Nepal, a girl borned severely deformed is regarded as a god. Also, note that statue of Buddha came into being many years after Buddha's death.
  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    i recall it was strictly a no no to actually create a statue or image of the buddha.
    wasn't the emphasis on the empty space or a foot print to represent the buddha?

    funny thought.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    Your mother is not a god, yet you pay respect to her, don't you?
  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    your mom mine as well be god. she made you didn't she? Lol
  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    edited June 2011
    If the Buddha proclaim that he wasn't a God or if Buddhism says that the Buddha was not a God then why do people pay respect to him?
    Because he and his teachings are very respectable.

  • seeker242seeker242 Zen Florida, USA Veteran
    Because he was one of the smartest men to ever walk the face of the earth? :)
  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    If Buddhism is advertising then temples and monasteries can't be classified as non profit organizations.
    When suffering is overcome, everyone benefits.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited June 2011
    If the Buddha proclaim tat he wasn't a God or if Buddhism says that the Buddha was not a God then why do people pay respect to him ?

    It's worth noting how peculiar it is that it's apparently a Monk from Thailand asking the question.....

  • VincenziVincenzi Veteran
    deities are spoiled brats, why respect and adore them?
  • shoelshoel
    Your mother is not a god, yet you pay respect to her, don't you?

    My mother is not an unique being and she doesnt has the 32 characteristics but the BUddhas are rare and has the 32 characteristics :P that makes him special and he is nor ordinary man too
  • shoelshoel
    your mom mine as well be god. she made you didn't she? Lol
    Buddhism is talking a bout suffering and everything is impermanent and my mother is not god, she is not able to save me from this world and suffering. however, Buddha is the only right man who has discovered the teaching and by which we can get out from this suffering but In Buddhism in the dependent origination (satissasamuppada) its says birth is suffering. therefore, my mom gave me birth and that was the starting of my suffering.
  • shoelshoel
    For the Buddha the English translation GOD is not good one. God is used for Christianity and Other religions. I would say/translate BUDDHA as Enlightened one. Thus-gone one.
  • shoelshoel
    deities are spoiled brats, why respect and adore them?
    Dear Friend, Deities and Buddha is Huge different.
  • shoelshoel
    If the Buddha proclaim tat he wasn't a God or if Buddhism says that the Buddha was not a God then why do people pay respect to him ?

    It's worth noting how peculiar it is that it's apparently a Monk from Thailand asking the question.....


    Dear Moderator, thanks for your comment,

    This is the question that people want to know, the more discussion we have te more understanding we get. however, awakening others isnt problem. Some of Buddhists think Buddha is similar to God which is not and this question is asked in the conference many times.

    There is another question that people would like to know, IF BUDDHISM DENIES SOUL, THEN WHO WILL BE THE OWNER OF THE ACTIONS/KAMMA.

    these questions hard to get sometimes....

    Sorry, might be bothering you some of you.
    I am not knowing too much but i am sharing my thoughts and i am 27 years old.

    Thanks for all and to Admin ^^
    may triple gems bless you


  • shoelshoel
    For Dhamma fiends,

    I will share some quality of the Buddha which he had. sorry will not post the link as i was wanred by admin.

    Sorry for the Pali words. Thats because i was not able to get the pali font :( you can read the English version.




    A number of discourses both in the ∂ighanikAya and µajjhimanikAya record some qualities of the Buddha because of what Brahmins leaders decided to go to see the Buddha.

    1. Recluse Gautama is well born both from mother and father (samaNo Gotamo ubhato sujAto mAtito ca pitito ca).

    2. Recluse Gautama ordained having given up much golden silver both opened and hidden (samaNo Gotamo pahUtaM hiraJJaM suvaNNaM pahAya pabbajito bhUmigataJca vehAsagataJca).

    3. Recluse Gautama ordained in young age (samaNo Gotamo paThamena vayasA agArasmA anagAriyaM pabbajito).

    4. Recluse Gautama ordained having shaved hair and beard when the unlike parents were crying with tearful face (samaNo Gotamo akAmakAnaM mAtapitunnaM rudantaM assumukhAnaM kesamassuM ohAya pabbajito).

    5. Recluse Gautama is endowed with attractive appearance, pleasant and makes eager to see (samaNo Gotamo pAsAdiko dassanIyo paramAya).

    6. Recluse Gautama is endowed with noble and wholesome virtue (samaNo Gotamo ariyasIlI, kusalasIlI).

    7. Recluse Gautama is endowed with good speech, speaks clearly and convincing (samaNo Gotamo kalyANavAkkaraNo anegalatAya vissaTThAya vAcaM bhAsati).

    8. Recluse Gautama is the teacher of many (samaNo Gotamo bahunnaM Acariya pAcariyo).

    9. Recluse Gautama has given up desires for sensual pleasures and free from restlessness (samaNo Gotamo vigata kAmarAgo, vigata cApallo).

    10. Recluse Gautama is an expounder of ethical action and result oriented (samaNo Gotamo kammavAdI kiriyavAdI).

    11. Recluse Gautama is ordained from a pure khattiya family (samaNo Gotamo amissA khattiyakula pabbajito).

    12. Recluse Gautama is ordained from a rich family (samaNo Gotamo aDDhAkulA pabbajito).

    13. Many wise men come to question Buddha from various colonies (tiro raTThA tiro janapadA Agacchanti bhagavantaM pucchituM).

    14. Many Gods took refuge in the Buddha until the end of life (bahU devA bhagavantaM hotamaM panehi saraNaM gatA).

    15. Recluse Gautama’s fame arose as He is Blessed One, Worthy One and Fully Enlightened One (kittsaddo abbhuggato bhagavA, arahaM sammA sambuddho).

    16. Recluse Gautama is endowed with thirty-two characteristics of a great man (samaNo Gotamo dvattiMsa mahApurisalakkhanehi samannAgato).

    17. King Bimbisara took refuge in Recluse Gautama with his family (ßeniyo BimbisAro saputto sabhariyo bhagavantaM gotamaM panehi saraNaM gato).

    18. King Kosala took refuge in Recluse Gautama with his wife and children (®AjA Pasenadi Kosalo saputto sabhariyo bhagavantaM gotamaM panehi saraNaM gato).

    19. Pokkarasati took refuge in Recluse Gautama with wife and children (BrAhmaNo PokkarasAti saputto sabhariyo bhagavantaM gotamaM panehi saraNaM gato).

    The on going record with some more detail is found in many suttas of the ßīlakkhandavagga of DN and in BrahmaNavagga of MN.


    These information and the collections of data in the sutta and other chronically wold be very clear for some of us to know more about who was Buddha and how he is different :)
  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    it's cool. buddha is empty anyways. respect that all things are empty.
  • auraaura Veteran
    Ah, I see @shoel.... you were using the traditional method of instruction, where the question is first posed for everyone's contemplation!
    Thank you so much for your gift!
  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    I don't think the qualities for which the Brahmins decided to go listen to the Buddha, the 32 marks and the 32 signs and being from high lineage and so forth, are why Buddhists in the West respect him. For us (me at least) it's because he worked out the way to Enlightenment and spent the rest of his life teaching about it. It's really just that simple. And we in the West do not normally look upon him as a God.
  • jlljll Veteran
    Buddha was indistinguishable from the other monks.
  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    Buddha was indistinguishable from the other monks.
    Very concise statement. Do you have a source for that or some other support for its veracity?

  • jlljll Veteran
    It is from a sutta, a king when to see Buddha and he could not tell which one amongst the monks was Buddha. Sorry, cant remember which sutta.
  • dharmadharma
    In Buddhist teachings, there is just the process of cause and effect and no creator God. Both deva and humans are planes within samsara. Buddha is awakened from all planes of samsara , including deva.
  • shoelshoel
    Ah, I see @shoel.... you were using the traditional method of instruction, where the question is first posed for everyone's contemplation!
    Thank you so much for your gift!



    you are welcome friend and i am so happy when you are able to understaqnd what i understand and can share with you guys.

    thanks once again.
  • DustyInTheMixDustyInTheMix
    Somebody touched on the subject of the statues correct if me if I am wrong but didn't the Buddha say we have to let go of idle ism (excuse spelling). Isn't those huge gold statues a form of idol ism.
  • dharmadharma
    Well, I see it as a way to commemorate the Buddha and show respect to him and his teaching . Of course, there are other ways to show respect to the Buddha such as practicing the dharma. For those of use who have been raised to see statues as something negative, you can simply practice the dhamma.
  • jlljll Veteran
    edited June 2011
    Yes, simply because many 'Buddhists' pray to the statue of Buddha for what they want. Would you prefer an empty room? Emptiness.....
    Somebody touched on the subject of the statues correct if me if I am wrong but didn't the Buddha say we have to let go of idle ism (excuse spelling). Isn't those huge gold statues a form of idol ism.
  • dharmadharma
    I would prefer a meditation room with meditation cushion & candle, with Buddha statue to create a sense of peace and tranquility.
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    People tend to pay respect to wisdom, regardless of where it's found. In Christianity there's such wisdom as "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and "you reap what you sow", which happens to match up well with Buddhism's "karma". There are intrinsic qualities of life that find their way into any religion.

    We respect the Buddha because he personifies Wisdom and Peace, and spent the entirety of his post-enlightenment life teaching others for their benefit (and for ours). He wasn't just a wise man to look up to... he gave us the means to receive that same wisdom, through our own efforts.
  • dharmadharma
    What I see is people taking the Deva plane too seriously . In the Buddha's teaching both the deva and human are within the boundary of samsara. Enlighenment is to transcend both. Having transcend both he became the teacher for both human and deva. So we respect Buddha for showing other beings ( both human and deva) the way to Awakening.
  • DustyInTheMixDustyInTheMix
    Don't get me wrong I do respect the Buddha and his teachings. I suppose now that I think about it it is all about respect right?
  • jlljll Veteran
    edited June 2011
    If you go to a mosque, you will find that it is empty. No statue, picture, nothing.....
  • YishaiYishai Veteran
    Yes, Mohammed told them how to build their temples. Buddha didn't really go into detail about ours. I like some things about Islam. The simplicity of the mosques, the daily prayers, Ramadan. Those things interest me. I do not really agree with all the hadith though. But this is neither here nor there. Buddha told us how to end dukkha, but he wasn't there to force you to do it in a very specific way, which I think is beautiful.

    Anyway, Buddha isn't a god as many think of a god. He didn't claim the title either. But we respect him and exonerate him for giving this gift. It's our way of being grateful. If someone gave you a new car for no reason, you wouldn't just shut up and go drive it without thanking or paying respects to the guy for the new car. So Buddha gave us the dharma, we thank him for it and pay respects, and then we go practice it. Kinda like driving that car :)
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited June 2011
    Many people are ignorant of the 32 marks. They know buddha only from quotations. Nonetheless there is a certain amount of respect aside from the fact that they think he is fat.

    This all points to the individual. Its not all about the buddha. Respecting the buddha fullfills a need within the individual. Or disrespecting could also fill a need.

    People could care less about the buddha. They care about themselves.
  • dharmadharma
    In a numerous past lives he was a deva, a brahma, a sakka, etc..In this life he took birth in the human plane, therefore having a human body.

    So Can we identify him as a deva or human ? No, after awakening one doesn't identify with neither temporary identity from either plane. Both are temporary and not self . One is simply Awakened ( Buddha).
  • shanyinshanyin Novice Yogin Sault Ontario Veteran
    If the Buddha proclaim tat he wasn't a God or if Buddhism says that the Buddha was not a God then why do people pay respect to him ?

    It's worth noting how peculiar it is that it's apparently a Monk from Thailand asking the question.....

    lol..
  • gekkogekko
    I'd say we Buddhists pay respect to Buddha as a gesture of gratitude for everything he taught back in is time. Is teachings remained and we are here because of him, right? :)
    I'd also say he represents inner peace, something we all want to achieve.
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