Are Buddhist religious?

Buddhism is one of the world's largest religions and originated 2,500 years ago in India. Buddhists believe that the human life is one of suffering, and that meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and good behavior are the ways to achieve enlightenment, or nirvana.

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What religion type is Buddhism?

Buddhism is a non-theistic religion (no belief in a creator god), also considered a philosophy and a moral discipline, originating in India in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. It was founded by the sage Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha l. c. 563 - c.

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Is Buddhism both a religion?

Buddhism is both a Religion and a Philosophy. Buddhism is technically considered a religion, but it also shows a lot of similarities to philosophy. It was founded in ancient India by Siddartha Gautama who is the Buddha.

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Is Buddhism a religion or a way of living?

There are many philosophies and interpretations within Buddhism, making it a tolerant and evolving religion. Some scholars don't recognize Buddhism as an organized religion, but rather, a “way of life” or a “spiritual tradition.” Buddhism encourages its people to avoid self-indulgence but also self-denial.

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Do Buddhists believe in Jesus?

Some high level Buddhists have drawn analogies between Jesus and Buddhism, e.g. in 2001 the Dalai Lama stated that "Jesus Christ also lived previous lives", and added that "So, you see, he reached a high state, either as a Bodhisattva, or an enlightened person, through Buddhist practice or something like that." Thich ...

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Buddhism Explained

24 related questions found

What did Jesus say to Buddha?

CORVALLIS, Ore. - The religious philosopher Siddhartha Gautama - better known as Buddha - once said, "The faults of others are easier to see than one's own." Some 500 years later, Jesus uttered these words: "Why do you see the splinter in someone else's eye and never notice the log in your own?"

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Do Buddhists believe in God or heaven?

Buddhist teachings state that there are divine beings called devas (sometimes translated as 'gods') and other Buddhist deities, heavens, and rebirths in its doctrine of saṃsāra, or cyclical rebirth. Buddhism teaches that none of these gods is a creator or an eternal being, though they can live very long lives.

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Is Buddhism an atheist or not?

The Buddha did not claim to be in any way divine, nor does Buddhism involve the idea of a personal god. The Buddha suggested that it was fear that produced the religious impulse in humanity.

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What are the 3 main Buddhist beliefs?

Buddhism is a religion that is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. The main principles of this belief system are karma, rebirth, and impermanence. Buddhists believe that life is full of suffering, but that suffering can be overcome by attaining enlightenment.

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Who do Buddhists worship?

The focus of Buddhist worship is not God, but the Buddha. The word usually used to describe this worship is puja. Puja helps Buddhists to develop positive attitudes such as determination and joy, which make practicing the Dhamma (way of life) easier.

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What religion is closest to Buddhism?

Hinduism. Having both originated from the same place, Hinduism and Buddhism have shared India and influenced each other over centuries.

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Does Buddhism have a holy book?

The Tripitakas are considered as the Holy books of Buddhism. The collection of Buddha's teachings is called 'Tripitakas'. They are Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka, and Abhidhamma Pitaka.

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Where do Buddhists worship?

Buddhists worship at temples or monasteries, where they meditate and pray. Some also set up shrines at home to worship privately. Buddhists offer fresh flowers, lights, and lamps, or burn fragrant incense at shrines with images of the Buddha. These acts pay respect to the Buddha and make merit for the devotee.

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What do Buddhists call their religion?

Buddhism (/ˈbʊdɪzəm/ BUUD-ih-zəm, US also /ˈbuːd-/ BOOD-), also known as Buddha Dharma, and Dharmavinaya ( transl. "doctrines and disciplines"), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha.

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What are the 4 Buddhist truths?

The Four Noble Truths

They are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering. More simply put, suffering exists; it has a cause; it has an end; and it has a cause to bring about its end.

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What are the 5 Buddhist rules?

The Five Precepts
  • Refrain from taking life. Not killing any living being. ...
  • Refrain from taking what is not given. Not stealing from anyone.
  • Refrain from the misuse of the senses. Not having too much sensual pleasure. ...
  • Refrain from wrong speech. ...
  • Refrain from intoxicants that cloud the mind.

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What do Buddhists believe about death?

Generally, Buddhist teaching views life and death as a continuum, believing that consciousness (the spirit) continues after death and may be reborn. Death can be an opportunity for liberation from the cycle of life, death and rebirth.

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What are the 5 core Buddhist beliefs?

The precepts are commitments to abstain from killing living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and intoxication. Within the Buddhist doctrine, they are meant to develop mind and character to make progress on the path to enlightenment.

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Can you believe in god in Buddhism?

Buddhists do not believe in any kind of deity or god, although there are supernatural figures who can help or hinder people on the path towards enlightenment.

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Why do Buddhists not believe in god?

Buddhist teachings taught that the gods, though powerful to aid beings in their worldly life, were irrelevant for gaining enlightenment and spiritual development. No amount of devotion or praying to a god will bring Buddhist enlightenment. In fact, according to Buddhism, the gods themselves need to be enlightened.

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Do Buddhists believe in reincarnation?

What do I need to know? Buddhists recognise that there is a continuous cycle of life, death and rebirth. This cycle is known as samsara. The ultimate aim of Buddhist practice is to become free from samsara.

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Do Buddhists celebrate Christmas?

Contrary to popular belief, many Buddhists do participate in the holiday season. Among Asian American Buddhists, three-quarters celebrate Christmas. On Dec. 8, some Buddhists also observe Bodhi Day, which marks when the Buddha reached enlightenment.

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What is considered a sin in Buddhism?

The term “sin” does not have any special connotation in Buddhism, as it has in major theistic religions like Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. In all these religions, the general belief is that sins are individual actions which are contrary to the will of God or to the will of the Supreme Being.

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Can anyone be a Buddhist?

Any person can be a Buddhist. One does not have to be "born" into Buddhism, nor do one's parents have to be Buddhists. One can be of any race, country, socio-economic background, gender, etc. People wishing to identify themselves as Buddhists typically participate in a ceremony known as taking refuge in the Triple Gem.

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