Buddhism: Philosophy or Religion?
Buddhists Differ on the Meaning and Definition of Buddhist Tradition
Oct 5, 2009
Buddhism is an Eastern religion, but Buddhism is also considered a philosophy, because there's much more to Buddhism than meeting in a church and praying.
Buddhism involves all facets of life. While other religious traditions are meant to include all life activities as well, they often fail to actively address that issue in the way that these issues are addressed in Buddhism.
What Does Buddhism Teach?
The Buddha teaches that, in order to reach enlightenment, a person has to shun all material objects. That includes ties with relatives and friends. The seeker of enlightenment must also be aware that the human senses are deceptive.
Being alone, in both body and mind, is the only way to reach true enlightenment for the Buddhist. There is generally no mention of any god in Buddhism, which is why some view it as a philosophy as opposed to a religious teaching.
There is a strict, prescribed path that must be followed. Despite this, the respect that the Buddhist individuals have for others is still very strong, and the way that they shun material issues stops them from being greedy, envious, covetous, or having other "traits" that would be seen as undesirable in many people. Since this is the case, they are very able to show a great deal of respect toward their fellow human beings.
The main point of the Buddhist teachings is elimination of suffering. The material world is all suffering, since people are constantly afraid of things such as death, disease, and old age. The only way to be free from all of this suffering is to work toward a total, deep, inner calm. The Buddhists believe this calm can be achieved, and after it has been, the one who achieves it, when he dies, will not be reincarnated again. They say that this person will gain a blessed calm and he will be reborn no more.
While rebirth is generally thought to be a religious issue, the calmness and lack of fear and suffering that Buddhists work toward tie into philosophy more strongly than religion. Plato, for example, also contemplated human nature and the issues behind truth, justice, and peace.
How Do Buddhists Attain Enlightenment?
Buddhists meditate by, among other things, keeping to the self, both physically and in the mind. It is said that the body has to go into seclusion first, because it makes the detachment of the mind easier. Although meditation is not the same thing as prayer, devout Buddhists are clearly shunning the everyday things in the search for something more meaningful, just as both philosophers and religious advocates have done for centuries.
The contemplation and relaxation that often accompanies Buddhism makes many of these people very calm and tranquil. They look at things from the larger picture, and they do not worry too much about small things, because they are convinced that these things will sort out in the end.
The Buddhist would usually rather examine a scenario from many different angles before they actually make a decision about what the best thing is to do in any given circumstance. This opinion of tranquilly and examination — both of the self and others — helps the Buddhist to show respect to society that they might not otherwise have felt comfortable with.
No definitive stance is available on whether Buddhism is completely a religion or completely a philosophy, as it seems to mix traits from both of those areas. However it's classified, Buddhism brings peace and joy and tranquility to its followers, which is something that they value and are willing to take the time to seek out. That makes it beneficial to those who follow it, regardless of how it's classified.
