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Tyrel S. Jensen
Humanities 2300
Joel Van Zanten
22 March 2011
Philosophy is Thinking--Religion is Doing
In a world full of different ideas, people are always seeking to categorize what they find.
This can become a bit confusing when it comes to complex ideas, especially if they are in the
theological or philosophical realm. One particular argument has arisen from this kind of
confusion regarding the beliefs and practices of Buddhism.
Because Buddhist teachings do not focus on a creator deity, or anyone who they revere
under a title such as “God”, some claim that it is not actually a religion, but would be better
considered as a philosophy. I think that this statement originates from individuals with a narrow
view of the Buddhist tradition. Perhaps they are familiar only with the westernized Zen Buddhist
sect and how it is practiced by some here in America. I imagine that most Buddhists around the
globe would not disagree with the opinion that Buddhism is a philosophy but would be quick to
add that it is much more than just a philosophy. It is a philosophy that shapes the way believers
live their life, a philosophy that influences their decisions and affects everything they do. At the
core of this philosophy is a belief that those who put the teachings of the Buddha into practice
will achieve something that will allow them to transcend this reality, leaving it behind to be a
part of a more enlightened existence. Would this not be comparable to the goal of almost all
religions? Because of this and many other facets that meet the criteria of what I believe a
religion is intended to be, I believe that Buddhism is not only a philosophy, but most certainly is
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a religion as well. However, in order to be certain about this, we must first examine what the
word religion actually means and see if Buddhism stands up to the criteria.
The word religion comes from the Latin roots re, which means again, and ligare, which is
to connect, bind or yoke. This means that the literal meaning of this word is to again connect or
bind to. It has a connotation of reestablishing something that was lost or altered by binding us
again to something. A more simple interpretation might be to say that religion is something that
binds us to a certain way of living or doing things in hopes of connecting to the ultimate reality,
or as Buddhists refer to it, Nirvana.
Among the fundamentals of Buddhist doctrine is the eightfold path or the middle way.
The eightfold path was taught by the Buddha as a prescribed set of motives or actions that are
supposed to end suffering and allow the faithful practitioner to achieve a state of enlightenment;
or in other words, to reach Nirvana. To reach this condition and follow the Buddha one must
actually live and act according to the eightfold path. This doctrine is one very clear way that
Buddhism meets the definition of religion that we have discussed. This is illustrated by the act
of binding (ligare) themselves to this prescribed course of action set forth by the Buddha that
they may again connect (re-ligare) with the transcendent reality known as Nirvana.
Those who practice the teachings of the Buddha are not only meeting the core definition
of religion by binding themselves to certain teachings, they are also connected with others who
are striving to live those same teachings in their community. In this same way they are also
connected to fellow followers of the Buddha around the entire world. They are connected or
bound to the teachings, to the community, and to the world of believers. This provides just a few
more examples of how Buddhism stands up to the root definition of religion and its meaning to
again connect.
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Have you ever wondered how we know whether or not something is considered sacred?
Well, this is something that religion will tell you. Religions all around the world provide
explanations of what is and isn’t sacred. They each have things that are sacred in varying
categories such sacred places, sacred beings, sacred texts, and sacred actions or rituals. This is
another characteristic of religion. Religion is something that must help us understand what is
sacred and what is profane in the world. Does Buddhism fulfill this requirement?
Let us first consider a sacred place. In Bodh Gaya India, a temple has been erected in the
place where the tree at which Siddhartha Gautama sat and attained enlightenment, thereby
becoming the Buddha. It is here that Buddhists lay flowers at the base of the Bodhi Tree and
burn incense in a form of reflective worship. This is a sacred place to many who follow the
Bhudda.
While there is not a focus on a creator God, the Buddha is most definitely sacred to his
followers. Some even consider him a savior. This is especially true within the Jingtu or pureland Buddhist sect. The Jingtu tradition teaches that it is only through the devotion and worship
of Amitabha Buddha that one may reach the Western Paradise where they will be able to focus
on and prepare for enlightenment. But even outside of the pure-land Buddhist tradition, in
almost any home of a practicing Buddhist you may find a statue or a picture or something else
that commemorates the Buddha. This is because he is considered a sacred being. There are also
beings called Bodhisattvas that are sacred. These are beings who have achieved Nirvana but
have stayed behind to help others to attain enlightenment.
There are a myriad of sacred writings to found within Buddhism. However, the most
commonly referred to scriptures that they have is the Tripitaka or the “three baskets”. The
Tripitaka contains stories from the life of the Buddha as remembered and written down by some
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of his early disciples. These writings are honored and considered sacred to Buddhists, just like
other scriptures are considered sacred to other religions around the world.
As you can see, although Buddhism is not as strongly focused on a devotional
relationship to a deity than some other traditions, it is still indeed a religion. First, it measures up
to the basic root meaning of the word. Second, it dictates what is and is not considered sacred.
There may be some who learn the teachings of the Buddha and do not practice them. To these
lackadaisical free thinkers I would only call Buddhism a part of their philosophy. But to anyone
who takes any philosophy and lives their life according to its teachings in hopes of achieving a
prescribed result, this is religion. And that certainly applies to Buddhism. It is in the actual
carrying out of a belief or philosophy through action that makes it something that can shape
individuals, communities, and the world. That is something that we can call religion.
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