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Posted: December 25th, 2022
The question of whether Buddhism is a religion or philosophy has, for a long time, raised numerous debates among different groups of people. Even scholars cannot seem to agree on the matter. Some scholars, such as Thome Fang, a philosophy professor, believe that Buddhism is both a religion and philosophy, while others like Oujwang Jingwu, a theory professor, say that it is neither.
Buddhism is a form of faith that dates back more than 2500 years ago. It was founded by Siddharama Gautama, commonly referred to as the “Buddha,” which translates to as enlightened. One unique feature of Buddhism is that it does not acknowledge the existence of a deity but instead focuses on realizing full enlightenment and inner peace.
Buddhism as a Philosophy
Buddhism is regarded as a way of life or a lifestyle. But the belief system is not clear enough on the issue pertaining to the afterlife. Philosophy, on the other hand, is defined as the rational investigation of truths and principles of being, knowledge, and conduct. This definition warrants Buddhism to be a philosophy. Buddhism is built on the teachings of Buddha or else known as Dharma. Dharma translates to the ultimate truth or reality. Through these teachings, Buddha encourages followers to seek a deeper insight into the teachings to gain a better and unbiased understanding. Through one of the Suttas, the Buddha emphasizes that one should refrain from believing whatever their masters say without first investigating and understating because traditions and beliefs are not necessarily true. Buddhism also emphasizes practicing moral principles and not what a person knows or believes, just like philosophy.
Buddhism as a Religion
Surprisingly, most people around the world believe that Buddhism is a religion. The argument is that, like any other religion, Buddhism also has a philosophy, and when its teachings and beliefs are put in practice, it becomes a way of life. This means that one has to learn and understand the art, literature, and mythology associated with Buddhism, just like religion. And while the Buddha does not emphasize the issue of the afterlife, he still mentions the Thirty-One realms of existence, which supports the issue of rebirth after death. In his many sermons, the Buddha also makes numerous references to supernatural beings. The Buddha also addresses various issues in society that are also addressed by religion. For instance, Buddha questions the unfairness in life and goes ahead to address the matter by stating the law of Karma.
These are some of the arguments that people use when regarding Buddhism as either a philosophy or a religion. But in the end, it all comes down to how one defines religion and philosophy. The fact of the matter is that both sides have arguably solid points.
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