Okay, lemme explain first before I get death threats:bugeye:. We were studying Asia in world history a few weeks ago, and we basically studied China and India back to back.
Buddhism came about because Buddha (born a regular person into royalty, forget his real name at the moment) stepped outside of his palace one day and saw suffering. He wanted to seek the reason humans suffer, and eventually became enlightened, earning the name "Buddha."
China sprouted a philosophy known as Confucianism. From http://www.religioustolerance.org/confuciu.htm : Confucianism does not contain all of the elements of some other religions, like Christianity and Islam. It is primarily an ethical system to which rituals at important times during one's lifetime have been added.
Now, from what you know about Buddhism and what you know about Confucianism: Are the structures similar enough that Confucianism (and maybe more philosophies) should be religions, or should Buddhism be considered a philosophy more than a religion.
Note: Neither of these have a god.
Second note: I only included Confucianism because thats what I know most about. Feel free to compare Buddhism to other philosophies.
Buddhism came about because Buddha (born a regular person into royalty, forget his real name at the moment) stepped outside of his palace one day and saw suffering. He wanted to seek the reason humans suffer, and eventually became enlightened, earning the name "Buddha."
China sprouted a philosophy known as Confucianism. From http://www.religioustolerance.org/confuciu.htm : Confucianism does not contain all of the elements of some other religions, like Christianity and Islam. It is primarily an ethical system to which rituals at important times during one's lifetime have been added.
Now, from what you know about Buddhism and what you know about Confucianism: Are the structures similar enough that Confucianism (and maybe more philosophies) should be religions, or should Buddhism be considered a philosophy more than a religion.
Note: Neither of these have a god.
Second note: I only included Confucianism because thats what I know most about. Feel free to compare Buddhism to other philosophies.