Buddhism: A religion?

[Thoreau]

Most Buddhists I know do not classify their beleifs as a religion, but rather a philosophy, ie a way of living.

However, many outsiders to Buddhism claim it as a religion, including that of the state and federal governments.

What do you think? Is Buddhism technically a religion or not?

And...

What classifies a belief structure as a religion?

And I beg of you, please only vote if you are familiar with Buddhism.

 

[spidergoat]

Yes and no. Alan Watts wrote a whole book on the subject, "Buddhism, the Religion of No Religion".

 

[Bishadi]

Most Buddhists I know do not classify their beleifs as a religion, but rather a philosophy, ie a way of living.

that is what most all religions claim to be.

However, many outsiders to Buddhism claim it as a religion, including that of the state and federal governments.

the us and them syndrom for some just a catagory to fit the 'philosophy' into.

What do you think? Is Buddhism technically a religion or not?

depends on if you follow the beliefs and rituals or the philosophy itself.

the philosophy promotes the growth of knowledge, the beliefs often impose the suppression of seeking.

What classifies a belief structure as a religion?

see above

And I beg of you, please only vote if you are familiar with Buddhism.

do you realize there are more diversions from hinduism (which buddha came from) than christian denominations?

you can't label that group as easily as someone who holds a 'creed' as law

 

[UltiTruth]

Just a branch of Hinduism, I think.

 

[Thoreau]

Hindu's believe in gods and goddesses. Buddhists do not. Isn't the belief in god(s) pretty much a requirement to be catagorized as a religion? Saying that Buddhism is like Hinduism is like saying Atheism is like Christianity.

 

[UltiTruth]

Hindu's believe in gods and goddesses. Buddhists do not. Isn't the belief in god(s) pretty much a requirement to be catagorized as a religion? Saying that Buddhism is like Hinduism is like saying Atheism is like Christianity.

Most Hindus and some buddhists believe Buddha is a god. For a Hindu, technically, anyone or anything born to do some good is a god. Buddha is seen as the 10th incarnation of Vishnu by many hindus.

And though buddhism is one of the larger sects, Hinduism has innumerable sects and branches, and whether a branch is big to be a religion by itself is subjective.

Also, budhism is not a brand new philosophy, but an extension of some ideas which existed within hinduism.

 

[Hapsburg]

Hindu's believe in gods and goddesses. Buddhists do not.

Incorrect. Buddhism itself takes no stance on the subject. Many Buddhists, however, are theists of various shades. Since many Buddhists also practise a native religion, like Shintoism or Chinese Folk Religion, many are in the animist or polytheist end of the spectrum. If Buddhism had not declined in India, most of them would probably be Hindu as well; of course, Hinduism itself is more of an umbrella term for various Vedic traditions and practices than a single religion.

Isn't the belief in god(s) pretty much a requirement to be categorized as a religion?

No, and that's a stupidly naive way of looking at the concept.

 

[S.A.M.]

Most Buddhists I know

Where did these Buddhists learn/adopt Buddhism?

Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents

http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html

1.Christianity: 2.1 billion
2. Islam: 1.5 billion
3. Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist: 1.1 billion
4. Hinduism: 900 million
5. Chinese traditional religion: 394 million
6. Buddhism: 376 million
7. primal-indigenous: 300 million
8. African Traditional & Diasporic: 100 million
9. Sikhism: 23 million
10. Juche: 19 million
11. Spiritism: 15 million
12. Judaism: 14 million
13. Baha'i: 7 million
14. Jainism: 4.2 million
15. Shinto: 4 million
16. Cao Dai: 4 million
17. Zoroastrianism: 2.6 million
18. Tenrikyo: 2 million
19. Neo-Paganism: 1 million
20. Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand
21. Rastafarianism: 600 thousand
22. Scientology: 500 thousand

 

[Doreen]

Most Buddhists I know do not classify their beleifs as a religion, but rather a philosophy, ie a way of living.

However, many outsiders to Buddhism claim it as a religion, including that of the state and federal governments.

What do you think? Is Buddhism technically a religion or not?

And...

What classifies a belief structure as a religion?

And I beg of you, please only vote if you are familiar with Buddhism.

'
Buddhism ain't nothing without a practitioner.

Once you have the practitioner in the picture, then you can see if it is a religion.

I mean look at Christians....
are they all religious?

No way.

 

[Bishadi]

Where did these Buddhists learn/adopt Buddhism?

Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents

http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html

1.Christianity: 2.1 billion

wow!

you actually believe that!

try confucianism!

from islam, christianity, buddhaism, taoism as well within the influences across the globe; that man has had one of the greatest impacts; the globe over

p/s... christianity is not the world's largest world religion! (maybe largest corruptor)

they have more confucian style adherants in china, than the US has in total population (times 2)

and confucius had more influence on Mohammed and Jesus, than the man made idea of a 'God' did! (nature is the true god, so that is not correct; but the man made god of 'immaculate conception'................ the god of the corrupt (away from the garden))