Why Buddha and not God? (89)
I normally wouldn't get into a thread like this but I like your question "Why Buddha and not God" makes sense to me. I don't believe in Buddha or God but if I had to choose one I would choose Buddha. Of course the next question would be Why.
I think for agnostics they have a problem with believing in something they cannot see. Even though Buddha might be a cult at least you can see someone while he does his sermons. He dresses funny and he sits on top of a mountain in Nepal, India and that's very different from believing that a man was nailed to a cross and rose from the dead three days later. Nepal alone would bring comfort being so high in the sky. Could it be that you would have a feeling of being closer to God? In essence you would be getting comfort from two different spirituals.
I don't think I've ever heard God's voice in a movie but I have heard Buddha's voice and it is calming as he speaks with a smile on his face. But then again, what is behind that smile. In today's world is Buddha's smile a scam?
I think for agnostics they have a problem with believing in something they cannot see. Even though Buddha might be a cult at least you can see someone while he does his sermons. He dresses funny and he sits on top of a mountain in Nepal, India and that's very different from believing that a man was nailed to a cross and rose from the dead three days later. Nepal alone would bring comfort being so high in the sky. Could it be that you would have a feeling of being closer to God? In essence you would be getting comfort from two different spirituals.
I don't think I've ever heard God's voice in a movie but I have heard Buddha's voice and it is calming as he speaks with a smile on his face. But then again, what is behind that smile. In today's world is Buddha's smile a scam?
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bodleing2: I found this on Quora and found it interesting.
Why do some people worship Buddha instead of God?
Not just SOME PEOPLE as you put it but almost a billion or so Buddhists go to refuge in the Buddha instead of a God as the Buddha’s teaching liberate you from suffering , whereas within Buddhism the belief in a God with a Capital G is considered a wrong view.
According to Buddhism all this world is a beginningless and endless chain or flow of causes and conditions/Hetu pravaha . Since there never was a beginning as that is logically not possible , there can be no Almighty God who created this universe in the beginning . It is maintained by the flow of the causes and condition not some God and parts of it end due to changes in causes and conditions not due to the whims of some God . To Buddhism, belief in a God is tantamount to Fatalism .
If God created this world and he’s supposed to be omnipotent then that God must be pretty Psychotic to creat so much suffering -does he enjoy watching this pandemic type suffering of those he created ? Or is he not omnipotent enough to create a Good and Happy Universe? Why does he Himself create ‘sick’ people and send them to hell , and that too according to some system eternal Hell? Does he enjoy that ? What kind of test is this , when He Himself creates incapable men , who are therefore incabable of being good and then curses these poor incapable “bad men” to eternal hell fire ?
Now for your question , the answer depends on what you mean by worship . If by worship you mean like worshipping of God to liberate you et al then no Buddhists don’t do that kind of worship to a Buddha . It is said the Buddha doesn’t wash away your sins with consecrated waters , nor does he take away the suffering of the world with his own hands ,nor will his realisation transfer onto others ,he liberates others by giving instructions on the true Dharma/Saddharma .
So we worship in the sense of gratitude and becoming beholden to his teachings . And that helps gain merit which helps on the path but YOU HAVE TO TREAD THE PATH YOURSELF .
So not “some people ‘ as you put it , but Buddhists do not worship a non-existent God who created the universe in the beginning and continues to hold it ( whatever that may mean ) but rather they Worship the Buddha for giving us the Dharma/Teachings that liberates us from suffering .
And the worship is not to go to any heaven but to gain merit which supports the PATH that liberates one from suffering . Some over modernistic Buddhist do not even like the words “worship the Buddha” but offering flowers et al to the Buddhas and Arhats and Bodhisatvas was prescribed by the Buddha himself . And normally people call that worship BUT with the difference I have delineated above .
He is charitable hence the term, Budda can you spare a dimeWhy do some people worship Buddha instead of God?
Not just SOME PEOPLE as you put it but almost a billion or so Buddhists go to refuge in the Buddha instead of a God as the Buddha’s teaching liberate you from suffering , whereas within Buddhism the belief in a God with a Capital G is considered a wrong view.
According to Buddhism all this world is a beginningless and endless chain or flow of causes and conditions/Hetu pravaha . Since there never was a beginning as that is logically not possible , there can be no Almighty God who created this universe in the beginning . It is maintained by the flow of the causes and condition not some God and parts of it end due to changes in causes and conditions not due to the whims of some God . To Buddhism, belief in a God is tantamount to Fatalism .
If God created this world and he’s supposed to be omnipotent then that God must be pretty Psychotic to creat so much suffering -does he enjoy watching this pandemic type suffering of those he created ? Or is he not omnipotent enough to create a Good and Happy Universe? Why does he Himself create ‘sick’ people and send them to hell , and that too according to some system eternal Hell? Does he enjoy that ? What kind of test is this , when He Himself creates incapable men , who are therefore incabable of being good and then curses these poor incapable “bad men” to eternal hell fire ?
Now for your question , the answer depends on what you mean by worship . If by worship you mean like worshipping of God to liberate you et al then no Buddhists don’t do that kind of worship to a Buddha . It is said the Buddha doesn’t wash away your sins with consecrated waters , nor does he take away the suffering of the world with his own hands ,nor will his realisation transfer onto others ,he liberates others by giving instructions on the true Dharma/Saddharma .
So we worship in the sense of gratitude and becoming beholden to his teachings . And that helps gain merit which helps on the path but YOU HAVE TO TREAD THE PATH YOURSELF .
So not “some people ‘ as you put it , but Buddhists do not worship a non-existent God who created the universe in the beginning and continues to hold it ( whatever that may mean ) but rather they Worship the Buddha for giving us the Dharma/Teachings that liberates us from suffering .
And the worship is not to go to any heaven but to gain merit which supports the PATH that liberates one from suffering . Some over modernistic Buddhist do not even like the words “worship the Buddha” but offering flowers et al to the Buddhas and Arhats and Bodhisatvas was prescribed by the Buddha himself . And normally people call that worship BUT with the difference I have delineated above .
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secretagent09: I normally wouldn't get into a thread like this but I like your question "Why Buddha and not God" makes sense to me. I don't believe in Buddha or God but if I had to choose one I would choose Buddha. Of course the next question would be Why.
I think for agnostics they have a problem with believing in something they cannot see. Even though Buddha might be a cult at least you can see someone while he does his sermons. He dresses funny and he sits on top of a mountain in Nepal, India and that's very different from believing that a man was nailed to a cross and rose from the dead three days later. Nepal alone would bring comfort being so high in the sky. Could it be that you would have a feeling of being closer to God? In essence you would be getting comfort from two different spirituals.
I don't think I've ever heard God's voice in a movie but I have heard Buddha's voice and it is calming as he speaks with a smile on his face. But then again, what is behind that smile. In today's world is Buddha's smile a scam?
The existance of Shakyamuni Buddha is an historical fact. He was born around 560BC in the foothills of the Himalays. He was a prince, son of King Shuddhodana. He was named Prince Siddhartha and became very well educated mastering the arts and sciences of the day, including the art of war and other teachings. He had a sharp interllect and a powerful physique.I think for agnostics they have a problem with believing in something they cannot see. Even though Buddha might be a cult at least you can see someone while he does his sermons. He dresses funny and he sits on top of a mountain in Nepal, India and that's very different from believing that a man was nailed to a cross and rose from the dead three days later. Nepal alone would bring comfort being so high in the sky. Could it be that you would have a feeling of being closer to God? In essence you would be getting comfort from two different spirituals.
I don't think I've ever heard God's voice in a movie but I have heard Buddha's voice and it is calming as he speaks with a smile on his face. But then again, what is behind that smile. In today's world is Buddha's smile a scam?
At the age of 29 Siddhartha gave up all, including his family and newly born son to become a wandering yogi seeking the truth for all sentinent beings.
Fast forward around ten years of great sufferings, the Buddha emerged fully enlightened and began to teach the true nature of existance and how to end all suffering.
These teachings, (of which there are around 80, 000) are as relevant today as they were 2500 years ago. They give an amazing insight into human nature and have recently been acknowledged to have close correlations to quantum physics.
Buddha said many times, do not take my teachings on face value, test and try them for yourselves, see if they work for you.
This is a long way from the supposed word of an almighty God who demands you follw his words, or suffer eternal damnation.
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tomcatty: He is charitable hence the term, Budda can you spare a dime
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For me God as portrayed by religious dogma is just a story ...
I do believe in divinity beyond the constrains of the human mind. Only know a little about Buddhism and what I do know resonates with me ...
I do believe in divinity beyond the constrains of the human mind. Only know a little about Buddhism and what I do know resonates with me ...
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Selenite: For me God as portrayed by religious dogma is just a story ...
I do believe in divinity beyond the constrains of the human mind. Only know a little about Buddhism and what I do know resonates with me ...
I think even if a person is not religious, there's always an amount of wisdom and guidance for eveyone within Buddhist teachings.I do believe in divinity beyond the constrains of the human mind. Only know a little about Buddhism and what I do know resonates with me ...
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bodleing2: I think even if a person is not religious, there's always an amount of wisdom and guidance for eveyone within Buddhist teachings.
I would agree with you on that one------ This thread is Archived ------
bodleing2: I found this on Quora and found it interesting.
Why do some people worship Buddha instead of God?
Not just SOME PEOPLE as you put it but almost a billion or so Buddhists go to refuge in the Buddha instead of a God as the Buddha’s teaching liberate you from suffering , whereas within Buddhism the belief in a God with a Capital G is considered a wrong view.
I'm just going to focus on your first paragraph my darling mountain climber Why do some people worship Buddha instead of God?
Not just SOME PEOPLE as you put it but almost a billion or so Buddhists go to refuge in the Buddha instead of a God as the Buddha’s teaching liberate you from suffering , whereas within Buddhism the belief in a God with a Capital G is considered a wrong view.
Particularly, "liberate you from suffering".We (I use the word generically) pray to God when someone is terminally ill hoping that God will heal the sickness. I know He can't because He isn't real in my mind but there is something comforting when we pray.
There is a better chance for Buddha to heal that illness because He is healing our minds so that our body will also heal ..... sometimes.
What I'm saying is that going to the refuge would probably heal our minds while being surrounded by the beauty of the Nepal mountains, the essence of smoke in the air most likely something that is drugging us. I would imagine that there is peace and quiet on top of that mountain which relieves our stress level. Don't we all know that stress has a big factor in our bodies illness.
Right now I have an immense amount of stress in my life since my son-in-law's cancer has come back after multiple surgeries. I could pray to God to heal him but it's cancer! Rarely is there a cure for cancer. So instead of praying to God maybe I should watch a YouTube video of Buddha and hope that He will give me a message for peace.
But it won't liberate my son-in-law from suffering 
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secretagent09: I'm just going to focus on your first paragraph my darling mountain climber Particularly, "liberate you from suffering".
We (I use the word generically) pray to God when someone is terminally ill hoping that God will heal the sickness. I know He can't because He isn't real in my mind but there is something comforting when we pray.
There is a better chance for Buddha to heal that illness because He is healing our minds so that our body will also heal ..... sometimes.
What I'm saying is that going to the refuge would probably heal our minds while being surrounded by the beauty of the Nepal mountains, the essence of smoke in the air most likely something that is drugging us. I would imagine that there is peace and quiet on top of that mountain which relieves our stress level. Don't we all know that stress has a big factor in our bodies illness.
Right now I have an immense amount of stress in my life since my son-in-law's cancer has come back after multiple surgeries. I could pray to God to heal him but it's cancer! Rarely is there a cure for cancer. So instead of praying to God maybe I should watch a YouTube video of Buddha and hope that He will give me a message for peace. But it won't liberate my son-in-law from suffering
I'm so sorry to hear about your son-in-law, it must be a very difficult time for him and those around him. We (I use the word generically) pray to God when someone is terminally ill hoping that God will heal the sickness. I know He can't because He isn't real in my mind but there is something comforting when we pray.
There is a better chance for Buddha to heal that illness because He is healing our minds so that our body will also heal ..... sometimes.
What I'm saying is that going to the refuge would probably heal our minds while being surrounded by the beauty of the Nepal mountains, the essence of smoke in the air most likely something that is drugging us. I would imagine that there is peace and quiet on top of that mountain which relieves our stress level. Don't we all know that stress has a big factor in our bodies illness.
Right now I have an immense amount of stress in my life since my son-in-law's cancer has come back after multiple surgeries. I could pray to God to heal him but it's cancer! Rarely is there a cure for cancer. So instead of praying to God maybe I should watch a YouTube video of Buddha and hope that He will give me a message for peace. But it won't liberate my son-in-law from suffering
When Buddha talked about suffering he wasnt talking about physical suffering. There's the old saying...in life pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.
Buddha noticed when he was a young Prince that most suffering came from a state of mind, he realised that by changing our minds we could ease and even eliminate our suffering.
It took him almost ten years of isolation and personal suffering to become fully realised and aware which led to his enlightenment.
He gave us the path of dharma, a way out of our suffering if followed as a way of life.
Of course to follow this path takes great commitment but as I said ealier, even taking on any Buddhist teachings can give rewards. It doesnt really have to be all or nothing.
Taking refuge dosnt refer to going to a place, it means to identify and take refuge, or identify with the three jewels...
Buddha....The Teacher
Dharma....The Teachings
Sangha.....The Buddhist Community.
All are welcome at any Buddhist centre regardless of beliefs or intentions.
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bodleing2: I found this on Quora and found it interesting.
Why do some people worship Buddha instead of God?
Not just SOME PEOPLE as you put it but almost a billion or so Buddhists go to refuge in the Buddha instead of a God as the Buddha’s teaching liberate you from suffering , whereas within Buddhism the belief in a God with a Capital G is considered a wrong view.
According to Buddhism all this world is a beginningless and endless chain or flow of causes and conditions/Hetu pravaha . Since there never was a beginning as that is logically not possible , there can be no Almighty God who created this universe in the beginning . It is maintained by the flow of the causes and condition not some God and parts of it end due to changes in causes and conditions not due to the whims of some God . To Buddhism, belief in a God is tantamount to Fatalism .
If God created this world and he’s supposed to be omnipotent then that God must be pretty Psychotic to creat so much suffering -does he enjoy watching this pandemic type suffering of those he created ? Or is he not omnipotent enough to create a Good and Happy Universe? Why does he Himself create ‘sick’ people and send them to hell , and that too according to some system eternal Hell? Does he enjoy that ? What kind of test is this , when He Himself creates incapable men , who are therefore incabable of being good and then curses these poor incapable “bad men” to eternal hell fire ?
Now for your question , the answer depends on what you mean by worship . If by worship you mean like worshipping of God to liberate you et al then no Buddhists don’t do that kind of worship to a Buddha . It is said the Buddha doesn’t wash away your sins with consecrated waters , nor does he take away the suffering of the world with his own hands ,nor will his realisation transfer onto others ,he liberates others by giving instructions on the true Dharma/Saddharma .
So we worship in the sense of gratitude and becoming beholden to his teachings . And that helps gain merit which helps on the path but YOU HAVE TO TREAD THE PATH YOURSELF .
So not “some people ‘ as you put it , but Buddhists do not worship a non-existent God who created the universe in the beginning and continues to hold it ( whatever that may mean ) but rather they Worship the Buddha for giving us the Dharma/Teachings that liberates us from suffering .
And the worship is not to go to any heaven but to gain merit which supports the PATH that liberates one from suffering . Some over modernistic Buddhist do not even like the words “worship the Buddha” but offering flowers et al to the Buddhas and Arhats and Bodhisatvas was prescribed by the Buddha himself . And normally people call that worship BUT with the difference I have delineated above .
I wonder why I think that Herman Hesse created Siddhartha in his published book about the spiritual journey of self-discovery of a man he named Siddhartha during the time of the Gautam Buddha.Why do some people worship Buddha instead of God?
Not just SOME PEOPLE as you put it but almost a billion or so Buddhists go to refuge in the Buddha instead of a God as the Buddha’s teaching liberate you from suffering , whereas within Buddhism the belief in a God with a Capital G is considered a wrong view.
According to Buddhism all this world is a beginningless and endless chain or flow of causes and conditions/Hetu pravaha . Since there never was a beginning as that is logically not possible , there can be no Almighty God who created this universe in the beginning . It is maintained by the flow of the causes and condition not some God and parts of it end due to changes in causes and conditions not due to the whims of some God . To Buddhism, belief in a God is tantamount to Fatalism .
If God created this world and he’s supposed to be omnipotent then that God must be pretty Psychotic to creat so much suffering -does he enjoy watching this pandemic type suffering of those he created ? Or is he not omnipotent enough to create a Good and Happy Universe? Why does he Himself create ‘sick’ people and send them to hell , and that too according to some system eternal Hell? Does he enjoy that ? What kind of test is this , when He Himself creates incapable men , who are therefore incabable of being good and then curses these poor incapable “bad men” to eternal hell fire ?
Now for your question , the answer depends on what you mean by worship . If by worship you mean like worshipping of God to liberate you et al then no Buddhists don’t do that kind of worship to a Buddha . It is said the Buddha doesn’t wash away your sins with consecrated waters , nor does he take away the suffering of the world with his own hands ,nor will his realisation transfer onto others ,he liberates others by giving instructions on the true Dharma/Saddharma .
So we worship in the sense of gratitude and becoming beholden to his teachings . And that helps gain merit which helps on the path but YOU HAVE TO TREAD THE PATH YOURSELF .
So not “some people ‘ as you put it , but Buddhists do not worship a non-existent God who created the universe in the beginning and continues to hold it ( whatever that may mean ) but rather they Worship the Buddha for giving us the Dharma/Teachings that liberates us from suffering .
And the worship is not to go to any heaven but to gain merit which supports the PATH that liberates one from suffering . Some over modernistic Buddhist do not even like the words “worship the Buddha” but offering flowers et al to the Buddhas and Arhats and Bodhisatvas was prescribed by the Buddha himself . And normally people call that worship BUT with the difference I have delineated above .
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galrads: I wonder why I think that Herman Hesse created Siddhartha in his published book about the spiritual journey of self-discovery of a man he named Siddhartha during the time of the Gautam Buddha.
Buddahs' name before his renunciation was Siddhartha Gautam, prince of Kapilavastu. Siddah- artha means acheived- what was searched for.In the book Buddha was referred to as Gotama.
It's a great little novel though....
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bodleing2: Buddahs' name before his renunciation was Siddhartha Gautam, prince of Kapilavastu. Siddah- artha means acheived- what was searched for.
In the book Buddha was referred to as Gotama.
It's a great little novel though....
Thanks. I’ve read Hesse’s Siddhartha more than a few times. My room mate way back in college threw it at me saying check this out. In the book Buddha was referred to as Gotama.
It's a great little novel though....
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tomcatty: He is charitable hence the term, Budda can you spare a dime
Haven't you ever heard of inflation?? 
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galrads: Thanks. I’ve read Hesse’s Siddhartha more than a few times. My room mate way back in college threw it at me saying check this out.
That's a bit like how I came across it. Maybe it's time to dig it out and give it another read.
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"Buddha noticed when he was a young Prince that most suffering came from a state of mind, he realised that by changing our minds we could ease and even eliminate our suffering."
I believe this to be very true Bod but you can't teach an 'ol dog new tricks meaning me. I am not easy person to relax, to let my mind go.
I've often thought about looking into mindfulness but I don't know if it would relate to what Buddha teaches.
Thank you for your responses.
I believe this to be very true Bod but you can't teach an 'ol dog new tricks meaning me. I am not easy person to relax, to let my mind go.
I've often thought about looking into mindfulness but I don't know if it would relate to what Buddha teaches.
Thank you for your responses.
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I have a ceramic Buddha my Mom left behind when she died.. She didn't let that fat sum bisch miss any meals, obviously... 
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secretagent09: "Buddha noticed when he was a young Prince that most suffering came from a state of mind, he realised that by changing our minds we could ease and even eliminate our suffering."
I believe this to be very true Bod but you can't teach an 'ol dog new tricks meaning me. I am not easy person to relax, to let my mind go.
I've often thought about looking into mindfulness but I don't know if it would relate to what Buddha teaches.
Thank you for your responses.
Mindfulness is taken from Buddhist teachings, it relates very much.I believe this to be very true Bod but you can't teach an 'ol dog new tricks meaning me. I am not easy person to relax, to let my mind go.
I've often thought about looking into mindfulness but I don't know if it would relate to what Buddha teaches.
Thank you for your responses.
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bodleing2: Mindfulness is taken from Buddhist teachings, it relates very much.
Good to know. Now I'm more interested.
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mikey4691: I have a ceramic Buddha my Mom left behind when she died.. She didn't let that fat sum bisch miss any meals, obviously...
It's funny how quite often Buddha is depicted as somewhat overweight. In fact he was quite lithe and athletic for most of his life.------ This thread is Archived ------
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Why do some people worship Buddha instead of God?
Not just SOME PEOPLE as you put it but almost a billion or so Buddhists go to refuge in the Buddha instead of a God as the Buddha’s teaching liberate you from suffering , whereas within Buddhism the belief in a God with a Capital G is considered a wrong view.
According to Buddhism all this world is a beginningless and endless chain or flow of causes and conditions/Hetu pravaha . Since there never was a beginning as that is logically not possible , there can be no Almighty God who created this universe in the beginning . It is maintained by the flow of the causes and condition not some God and parts of it end due to changes in causes and conditions not due to the whims of some God . To Buddhism, belief in a God is tantamount to Fatalism .
If God created this world and he’s supposed to be omnipotent then that God must be pretty Psychotic to creat so much suffering -does he enjoy watching this pandemic type suffering of those he created ? Or is he not omnipotent enough to create a Good and Happy Universe? Why does he Himself create ‘sick’ people and send them to hell , and that too according to some system eternal Hell? Does he enjoy that ? What kind of test is this , when He Himself creates incapable men , who are therefore incabable of being good and then curses these poor incapable “bad men” to eternal hell fire ?
Now for your question , the answer depends on what you mean by worship . If by worship you mean like worshipping of God to liberate you et al then no Buddhists don’t do that kind of worship to a Buddha . It is said the Buddha doesn’t wash away your sins with consecrated waters , nor does he take away the suffering of the world with his own hands ,nor will his realisation transfer onto others ,he liberates others by giving instructions on the true Dharma/Saddharma .
So we worship in the sense of gratitude and becoming beholden to his teachings . And that helps gain merit which helps on the path but YOU HAVE TO TREAD THE PATH YOURSELF .
So not “some people ‘ as you put it , but Buddhists do not worship a non-existent God who created the universe in the beginning and continues to hold it ( whatever that may mean ) but rather they Worship the Buddha for giving us the Dharma/Teachings that liberates us from suffering .
And the worship is not to go to any heaven but to gain merit which supports the PATH that liberates one from suffering . Some over modernistic Buddhist do not even like the words “worship the Buddha” but offering flowers et al to the Buddhas and Arhats and Bodhisatvas was prescribed by the Buddha himself . And normally people call that worship BUT with the difference I have delineated above .