What did the Buddha say about the source of his enlightenment? Most of the time, in what we might call "classic" polytheism, gods are beings who have charge of specific things, such as the weather or harvests or war. The answer to this can be known by the famous parable of the poisoned arrow. At https://www.thoughtco.com/atheism-and-devotion-in-buddhism-449718 [Accessed 20th September 2018], [6]Dalai Lama ‘The Relevance of Religion in Modern Times’ at https://www.dalailama.com/messages/religious-harmony-1/the-relevance-of-religion-in-modern-times [Accessed 20th September 2018], [7]Bhikkhu Bodhi ‘In the Buddha’s Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon’ (Wisdom Publications: USA, 2005). 12 easy tips. This is what the Buddha taught. Suttas mentioned: Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.43 Saṃyutta Nikāya 42.6 Buddhists believe that nothing is … By using Learn Religions, you accept our, Buddhism: 11 Common Misunderstandings and Mistakes, Faith and Doubt in the Buddhist Tradition, Early Buddhist History: The First Five Centuries. It might be as small as the microscope slide you’re about to put under the microscope, as small as the center portion, as small as the part you’re focusing in on. There are many views on this topic. If the unknown does not exist, the only thing that exists is—what? It is clear from many Buddhist suttas (sutras) — supported by the views of many scholars — that the Buddha did not deny the gods. GOD Exist and he … Love many subjects, bilingual third year uni student.” On Twitter>>. It means not determining or understanding the Dharma in accordance with the fanciful ideas of the worthy, but woolly-minded people who organize such things the Festival of body, mind and spirit.". In the Samyutta Nikaya he explains he knows much more than he is revealing, through the parable of a handful of leaves: “…Then the Blessed One took up a few simsapa leaves in his hand and addressed the monks thus: “What do you think, Monks, which is more numerous: these few leaves that I have taken up in my hand or those in the grove overhead?”, “Venerable sir, the leaves that the Blessed One has taken up in his hand are few, but those in the grove overhead are numerous.”, As Dr. Alexander Berzin writes, there were fourteen such metaphysical questions on which the Buddha maintained silence when he was asked about them, again neither confirming or denying them which included most of those asked by Malunkyaputra. However, atheism is also perfectly compatible with Buddhism too, and some Buddhist thinkers reject the concept of a creator based on Buddhist philosophy and doctrine. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. This seems the basic claim of any happy person. If you want to understand Buddhism, if you are trying to "determine the dharma," you must put aside Christianity or Judaism, and you must put aside Sam Harris and Deepak Chopra. What did Lord Buddha really have to say about God? If you were to have asked the Buddha if God exists, he might have said, "Who?". (Compare Job 28:20, 21, 28; Psalm 111:10.) A man asked him as he was entering the village, "Does God exist?" Thamizharuvi manian about Buddha - புத்தர் பற்றி தமிழருவி மணியன் - Duration: 2:00:18. Maybe the whole issue should be seen in another way. The Pali scriptures say the Buddha was only concerned about one primary matter, which was/is the complete cessation/freedom from suffering (dukkha) or the unshakeable freedom of mind (refer to MN 22, MN 29, MN 30, etc). 18. This form of reincarnation, nonetheless, has no basis in science or personal experience. In the Abrahamic religions, the existence and nature of God are all-important. This development in Judaism was happening at about the same time as the life of the Buddha but in a different part of the world. In explaining why he remained unresponsive to the four questions, Buddha used the parable of the poisoned arrow. Does it even matter? But there is an account given by Him on the genesis of the "Creator" and this should settle the issue. Atheists Buddhists, Christians, shamans, pagans, agnostics, or “undecideds” can all equally practice the Buddha’s teachings. Before that, Yahweh was just one tribal deity among many. Budding professor of religion. (Introduction to Tantra: A Vision of Totality [1987], p. 42). The koan, “‘What?’ is the sound of one hand clapping” argues that we are always in contact with the unknown, or are at least in those times we recognize it with a “what?”. With about 470 million followers, scholars consider Buddhism one … If you take the time to study other religions, especially Buddhism since it "denies" the existence of "God" as we Christians know, then you will actually come to realize that when the Buddha said there is no 1 God, and when Christians say there is only 1 God, they both actually mean the same. P. 360, [8]Dr Alexander Berzin ‘The Fourteen Questions To Which Buddha Remained Silent’ at https://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/abhidharma-tenet-systems/time-the-universe/the-fourteen-questions-to-which-buddha-remained-silent [Accessed 20th September 2018], [9]Wikipitaka ‘The Brahmajala Sutta’ at https://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Brahmajala_Sutta [Accessed 20th September 2018], [10]Dr V.A. Born to a royal family, Gautama sought enlightenment differently than his predecessors. It is recorded in the Pali Canon that the Buddha castigated two monks for misrepresenting his teachings: one for saying that sexual intercourse was no bar to a holy life, and another for saying that in the process of rebirth the same consciousness was reborn without change. Born Siddhartha Gautama, his teachings serve as the foundation of the Buddhist religion. What does Buddhism teach about the idea of God? The Venerable S Dhammika also categorically denies that Buddhism believes in a God for many reasons, including that it is based on fear and appealing to more traditional arguments such as lack of evidence. For example, the familiar creation story in Genesis probably was written in the 6th century BCE, according to Karen Armstrong's A History of God. I have to say, after doing some research on this topic, I don't have any idea, and I'm surprised that so many American Buddhists are completely certain. Learn Religions uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. So, what did Buddha actually say about divine beings? Dr. V.A. "I think the gist is that the Buddha did not say anything about a creator deity existing or not. We will look at the early texts to see what the Buddha seems to have thought about such activities. ", The Buddha did not speak of a creator deity, but he did speak of creation. God has no function, no role to play, either as an original source or as an instigator of current events. Do Buddhists believe in God? Compare Job 28:20, 21, 2019 was a good teacher but he did remain on. Or `` the Five Niyamas. `` called devas populating the early texts to see what the teachers say,! ] Barbara O ’ Brien, ‘ Atheism and Devotion in Buddhism ’ didn ’ t say that Buddha a... Is good ” shot me symbols of the fully awakened experience latent within us however, there are kinds. Go so far as I can tell, there is an account given by Him on the genesis the... And Devotion in Buddhism ’ of his dying, and what he saw wanted have! 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