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Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by justlove91(m): 1:02pm On Nov 11, 2016 |
Atheist: Someone that doesn't believe in God/Gods. This is from Buddhist's site Do Buddhist believe in god? No, we do not. There are several reasons for this. The Buddha, like modern sociologists and psychologists, believed that religious ideas and especially the god idea have their origin in fear. The Buddha says: "Gripped by fear men go to the sacred mountains, sacred groves, sacred trees and shrines". Dp 188 Primitive man found himself in a dangerous and hostile world, the fear of wild animals, of not being able to find enough food, of injury or disease, and of natural phenomena like thunder, lightning and volcanoes was constantly with him. Finding no security, he created the idea of gods in order to give him comfort in good times, courage in times of danger and consolation when things went wrong. To this day, you will notice that people become more religious at times of crises, you will hear them say that the belief in a god or gods gives them the strength they need to deal with life. You will hear them explain that they believe in a particular god because they prayed in time of need and their prayer was answered. All this seems to support the Buddha’s teaching that the god-idea is a response to fear and frustration. The Buddha taught us to try to understand our fears, to lessen our desires and to calmly and courageously accept the things we cannot change. He replaced fear, not with irrational belief but with rational understanding. The second reason the Buddha did not believe in a god is because there does not seem to be any evidence to support this idea. There are numerous religions, all claiming that they alone have god’s words preserved in their holy book, that they alone understand god’s nature, that their god exists and that the gods of other religions do not. Some claim that god is masculine, some that she is feminine and others that it is neuter. They are all satisfied that there is ample evidence to prove the existence of their god but they laugh in disbelief at the evidence other religions use to prove the existence of another god. It is not surprising that with so many different religions spending so many centuries trying to prove the existence of their gods that still no real, concrete, substantial or irrefutable evidence has been found. Buddhists suspend judgement until such evidence is forthcoming. The third reason the Buddha did not believe in a god is that the belief is not necessary. Some claim that the belief in a god is necessary in order to explain the origin on the universe. But this is not so. Science has very convincingly explained how the universe came into being without having to introduce the god-idea. Some claim that belief in god is necessary to have a happy, meaningful life. Again we can see that this is not so. There are millions of atheists and free- thinkers, not to mention many Buddhists, who live useful, happy and meaningful lives without belief in a god. Some claim that belief in god’s power is necessary because humans, being weak, do not have the strength to help themselves. Once again, the evidence indicates the opposite. One often hears of people who have overcome great disabilities and handicaps, enormous odds and difficulties, through their own inner resources, through their own efforts and without belief in a god. Some claim that god is necessary in order to give man salvation. But this argument only holds good if you accept the theological concept of salvation and Buddhists do not accept such a concept. Based on his own experience, the Buddha saw that each human being had the capacity to purify the mind, develop infinite love and compassion and perfect understanding. He shifted attention from the heavens to the heart and encouraged us to find solutions to our problems through self- understanding. source: www.buddhanet.net/ans73.htm |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by Anas09: 10:23pm On Nov 13, 2016 |
So, what is your own perspective in all this? |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by Seun(m): 10:37pm On Nov 13, 2016 |
what do they believe? what makes you a buddhist? |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by 4kings: 10:57pm On Nov 13, 2016 |
Buddha was most likely a Pantheist or Gnostic Stages of enlightenment sounds pantheistic |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by Nobody: 10:58am On Nov 14, 2016 |
Nice one, #Buddhabless. |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by justlove91(m): 5:08pm On Nov 14, 2016 |
Anas09:I 100% agree with the article though am not a Buddhist. |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by justlove91(m): 5:09pm On Nov 14, 2016 |
Seun:Am not a Buddhist |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by justlove91(m): 5:09pm On Nov 14, 2016 |
CeoMYN:#Buddhafan |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by justlove91(m): 5:12pm On Nov 14, 2016 |
4kings:How?? |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by 4kings: 5:27pm On Nov 14, 2016 |
justlove91:Pantheism has to do with identifying the universe and its components with God. Buddhism concept of Supreme Knowledge has to do with reaching the God-self. The concept of Buddhism is complex, so it is not easy to just place a label on it. But it identifies a higher reality which atheist don't. |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by hahn(m): 5:37pm On Nov 14, 2016 |
4kings: This "higher reality" is more or less a product of wishful thinking and exists only in the imagination of those who believe in it |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by 4kings: 5:52pm On Nov 14, 2016 |
hahn:This has not been disproved objectively like religion. Ever heard of Chi, placebo effect, Quantum Mechanics of the human brain, kundalini and the likes? The "higher reality" i'm referring to here, does not necessarily mean Spiritual or Supernatural in a religious sense, but has to do with Knowledge and reaction of certain events just like Gnosticism. |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by justlove91(m): 6:09pm On Nov 14, 2016 |
4kings:To me the message of Buddha is very simple which is simply how to end humans psychological suffering. To be able to maintain an inner peace or stillness irrespective of what is happening outside is what enlightenment is. And I don't understand all this connecting with a higher self of a thing. I don't believe Buddha is a kind of supernatural being because he is enlightened. |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by Nobody: 6:22pm On Nov 14, 2016 |
justlove91:ThumbsUp |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by hahn(m): 9:26pm On Nov 14, 2016 |
4kings: The concept of "higher" is a religious one. Everything can be proven by natural laws. It just depends on how many natural laws you are aware of |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by Anas09: 9:52pm On Nov 14, 2016 |
justlove91:But u r an atheist at heart? |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by justlove91(m): 10:55pm On Nov 14, 2016 |
Anas09:If you like that label, but am sure you know an atheist is not necessarily a materialist. |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by 4kings: 7:38am On Nov 15, 2016 |
justlove91:I did not say Buddha is a supernatural being. Buddhist and Pantheist don't believe in God, but are of the idea that a "pervasive energy" is what structures this universe, and tapping into it in the right way result in happiness, basically "the Mystic Logic" or "Mother Nature". But there differ in some ways, like incorporating samsara, lesser angelic beings(Devas), karma and so on |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by 4kings: 8:11am On Nov 15, 2016 |
hahn:sure, everything can be proven by laws. but "higher" here just means, "not perceived by mainstream norms". |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by hahn(m): 8:50am On Nov 15, 2016 |
4kings: "Higher" here means "something we don't understand" |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by 4kings: 9:02am On Nov 15, 2016 |
hahn:Exactly. |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by hahn(m): 9:03am On Nov 15, 2016 |
4kings: So, if I equate "higher" with my poop then I would be right, right? |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by 4kings: 9:05am On Nov 15, 2016 |
hahn:I'm sure you aren't getting the context, or you just intend to ridicule it no matter what. |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by hahn(m): 9:08am On Nov 15, 2016 |
4kings: I am only telling you how I feel about the concept. Anything can fit into the concept of "higher" power. Some people see owls and say they are witches. Their "assumptions" are so real to them and if one says otherwise you will be asked to "disprove" it. Just like when I say my poop is proof of higher power. Can you prove it is not? Do you now understand? |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by 4kings: 9:18am On Nov 15, 2016 |
hahn:Ok, now you are not even getting it. Why not do research on Chi energy, before you come again to engage me. |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by KingEbukasBlog(m): 9:23am On Nov 15, 2016 |
. |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by Immorttal: 9:54am On Nov 15, 2016 |
i love Buddhism. the fastest growing way of life. 1 Like |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by hahn(m): 9:59am On Nov 15, 2016 |
4kings: Hmm. Chi energy |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by justlove91(m): 8:27pm On Nov 15, 2016 |
4kings: |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by justlove91(m): 8:29pm On Nov 15, 2016 |
Immorttal:You're on point |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by Seun(m): 4:10pm On Nov 17, 2016 |
Does anyone here know what Buddhism is about? I understand Christianity and even Islam, but Buddhism seems to be difficult to understand. |
Re: Buddha Is An Atheist And So Are Buddhists by hahn(m): 4:12pm On Nov 17, 2016 |
Seun: Ask Uncle Google |
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