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Rkiew
Malaysia
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Buddhism is an Education, Not A Religion
Webster’s Dictionary defines religion as, "An organized system of beliefs, rites
and celebrations centered on a supernatural being power; belief pursued with
devotion." Buddhism is not a religion because, first, the Buddha is not a
"supernatural being power." The Buddha is simply a person who has reached
Complete Understanding of the reality of life and the universe. Life refers to
us and universe refers to our living environment. The Buddha taught that all
beings possess the same ability within to reach Complete Understanding of
themselves and their environment and to free themselves from all sufferings,
thus attaining utmost happiness. All beings can become Buddhas and all beings
and the Buddha are equal in nature. The Buddha is not a God, but a teacher, who
teaches us the way to restore Wisdom and Understanding by conquering the greed,
anger and ignorance which blind us at the present moment. Buddha is a Sanskrit
word meaning, "Wisdom, Awareness/Understanding." We call the founder of
Buddhism, Buddha Shakyamuni, the "Original Teacher." He has attained Complete
Understanding and Wisdom of life and the universe. Buddhism is his education to
us; it is his teaching that shines the way to Buddhahood.
Second, Buddhism is not a religion because "belief" in the Buddha’s teachings is
not blind belief, blind faith and far from superstition. Buddha Shakyamuni
taught us not to blindly believe what he told us, he wants us to try the
teachings and prove them for ourselves. The Buddha wants us to know not merely
believe. The Buddha’s teachings flow from his own experience of the way to
understand the true reality of life and the universe, and show us a path of our
own to experience the truth for ourselves. This is much like a good friend
telling us of his trip to Europe, the sights he has seen, and the way to go
there to see for ourselves. The Buddha uses a perfectly scientific way of
showing us reality in its true form.
Third, Buddhism is not a religion because all the "rites and celebrations" are
not centered on a supernatural being, but rather on the people attending the
assemblies. The ceremonies and celebrations in Buddhism all serve an educational
purpose, a reminder of the Buddha’s teachings and encouragement to all students
who practice them. For example, the Thousand Buddhas Repentance Ceremony
practiced during Chinese New Year is to help the participants cultivate a humble
heart and respect for others. The point of all "ceremonies" is to help others
awaken from delusion and return to Wisdom and Understanding.
Finally, Buddhism is not a religion because the "devotion" used in Buddhism is
not one based on emotion, but one based on reason. Students of the Buddha are
dedicated to their practice of maintaining Purity of Mind because this practice
brings true happiness and to helping others and society attain complete
understanding and wisdom. Only through complete understanding and wisdom can we
realize our true selves and living environment. The Buddha’s education is truly
not a religion but an education, teaching us the way to break through ignorance
and arrive at a perfect understanding of ourselves and everything around us. Our
goal is True Happiness.
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