- Chapter 3
- Is it a Religion?
It is neither a religion in the sense in which that word is commonly understood, for it
is not "a system of faith and worship owing any allegiance to a supernatural
being."
Buddhism does not demand blind faith from its adherents. Here mere belief is dethroned
and is substituted by confidence based on knowledge, which, in Pali, is known as Saddha.
The confidence placed by a follower on the Buddha is like that of a sick person in a noted
physician, or a student in his teacher. A Buddhist seeks refuge in the Buddha because it
was He who discovered the Path of Deliverance.
A Buddhist does not seek refuge in the Buddha with the hope that he will be saved by
His personal purification. The Buddha gives no such guarantee. It is not within the power
of a Buddha to wash away the impurities of others. One could neither purify nor defile
another.
The Buddha, as Teacher, instructs us, but we ourselves are directly responsible for our
purification.
Although a Buddhist seeks refuge in the Buddha, he does not make any self-surrender.
Nor does a Buddhist sacrifice his freedom of thought by becoming a follower of the Buddha.
He can exercise his own free will and develop his knowledge even to the extent of becoming
a Buddha himself.
The starting point of Buddhism is reasoning or understanding, or, in other words, Samma-ditthi.
To the seekers of truth the Buddha says:
"Do not accept anything on (mere) hearsay -- (i.e., thinking that thus have we
heard it from a long time). Do not accept anything by mere tradition -- (i.e., thinking
that it has thus been handed down through many generations). Do not accept anything on
account of mere rumors -- (i.e., by believing what others say without any investigation).
Do not accept anything just because it accords with your scriptures. Do not accept
anything by mere suppositions. Do not accept anything by mere inference. Do not accept
anything by merely considering the reasons. Do not accept anything merely because it
agrees with your pre-conceived notions. Do not accept anything merely because it seems
acceptable -- (i.e., thinking that as the speaker seems to be a good person his words
should be accepted). Do not accept anything thinking that the ascetic is respected by us
(therefore it is right to accept his word).
"But when you know for yourselves -- these things are immoral, these things are
blameworthy, these things are censured by the wise, these things, when performed and
undertaken conduce to ruin and sorrow -- then indeed do you reject them.
"When you know for yourselves -- these things are moral, these things are
blameless, these things are praised by the wise, these things, when performed and
undertaken, conduce to well-being and happiness -- then do you live acting
accordingly."
These inspiring words of the Buddha still retain their original force and freshness.
Though there is no blind faith, one might argue whether there is no worshiping of
images etc., in Buddhism.
Buddhists do not worship an image expecting worldly or spiritual favors, but pay their
reverence to what it represents.
An understanding Buddhist, in offering flowers and incense to an image, designedly
makes himself feel that he is in the presence of the living Buddha and thereby gains
inspiration from His noble personality and breathes deep His boundless compassion. He
tries to follow His noble example.
The Bo-tree is also a symbol of Enlightenment. These external objects of reverence are
not absolutely necessary, but they are useful as they tend to concentrate one's attention.
An intellectual person could dispense with them as he could easily focus his attention and
visualize the Buddha.
For our own good, and out of gratitude, we pay such external respect but what the
Buddha expects from His disciple is not so much obeisance as the actual observance of His
Teachings. The Buddha says -- "He honors me best who practices my teaching
best." "He who sees the Dhamma sees me."
With regard to images, however, Count Kevserling remarks -- "I see nothing more
grand in this world than the image of the Buddha. It is an absolutely perfect embodiment
of spirituality in the visible domain."
Furthermore, it must be mentioned that there are not petitional or intercessory prayers
in Buddhism. However much we may pray to the Buddha we cannot be saved. The Buddha does
not grant favors to those who pray to Him. Instead of petitional prayers there is
meditation that leads to self-control, purification and enlightenment. Meditation is
neither a silent reverie nor keeping the mind blank. It is an active striving. It serves
as a tonic both to the heart and the mind. The Buddha not only speaks of the futility of
offering prayers but also disparages a slave mentality. A Buddhist should not pray to be
saved, but should rely on himself and win his freedom.
"Prayers take the character of private communications, selfish bargaining with
God. It seeks for objects of earthly ambitions and inflames the sense of self. Meditation
on the other hand is self-change." -- Sri Radhakrishnan.
In Buddhism there is not, as in most other religions, an Almighty God to be obeyed and
feared. The Buddha does not believe in a cosmic potentate, omniscient and omnipresent. In
Buddhism there are no divine revelations or divine messengers. A Buddhist is, therefore,
not subservient to any higher supernatural power which controls his destinies and which
arbitrarily rewards and punishes. Since Buddhists do not believe in revelations of a
divine being Buddhism does not claim the monopoly of truth and does not condemn any other
religion. But Buddhism recognizes the infinite latent possibilities of man and teaches
that man can gain deliverance from suffering by his own efforts independent of divine help
or mediating priests.
Buddhism cannot, therefore, strictly be called a religion because it is neither a
system of faith and worship, nor "the outward act or form by which men indicate their
recognition of the existence of a God or gods having power over their own destiny to whom
obedience, service, and honor are due."
If, by religion, is meant "a teaching which takes a view of life that is more than
superficial, a teaching which looks into life and not merely at it, a teaching which
furnishes men with a guide to conduct that is in accord with this its in-look, a teaching
which enables those who give it heed to face life with fortitude and death with
serenity," [*] or a system to get rid of the ills of life, then it is certainly a
religion of religions.
* [Bhikkhu Silacara]