fcuk

is it possible to be both buddhist and atheist at the same time? i have always counted myself as an atheist but have lately been reading some buddhist stuff and find myself agreeing with a lot of it.

does this make me a weak atheist?

Seraphim

The answer (at least from my point of view) is Nope.

Buddhism is approaching issues (like living as a person, in a society and Metaphysical issues) in a more logical manner (ask, answer, think and ask again). This is why Buddhism is considered Teaching and not Religion.

In religion, most of the time, a person who is into it is forced to accept a issue as something preset and he or she doesn't have to think about it more, just follow. Islam is the strictest of them all.

You can be an Atheist without becoming a Buddhist just because some of what said in Buddhism made sense and you don't have to worry about losing your Atheist point of views.

Demosthenes

When Buddhism is distilled from all the traditions and idea accumulated over the millennia, you get a highly atheistic philosophy as apparently was originally taught by Buddha. It's during the passage of the years that Buddhism gained its current traditions which blurs the line between atheistism and theistism.

dostf

- of course if you don't agree with what the buddha said or claimed to be, you have some problems, not unlike any other religion
- as for the "logic" of buddism......as flawed as any other "teaching" or "religion" however one decribes it
- "some stuff" from most religions sounds good, but does not excuse the rest that is not so reasonable

- one could be an atheist and a buddist i suppose, as it is more of an ethical, mystical, moral teaching-----although with all the statues of buddha around it is questionable how far the "worshipping" aspect has become part of buddhist doctrine

Be seeing you...

Living Dead Chipmunk

Methinks dostf knows absolutely nothing about Buddhism.

Seraphim

"- "some stuff" from most religions sounds good, but does not excuse the rest that is not so reasonable"

My reply : learn what been told, ask around, get the answer, think about it and ask around more. That's how you learn. In the end, there is only two choice - You accept or you don't. I don't understand how anyone could accept one concept while closing his eyes toward another all in the same principle/teachings. The word "Swiss Chess" does come to my mind.

"Methinks dostf knows absolutely nothing about Buddhism. "

My rely : Learn if you wish, never mind if you don't want.

Answerer

If anyone believe that religious(or non) identity is very important to he or she, then I don't think he or she understand anything significant in Buddhism teaching.

dostf

Living Dead Chipmunk:

- Methinks he knows not everything but enough to discount it as a "way to truth" or "enlightenment" though.......
- Now let's go back to suffering this life due to our desires and have a nice day!!!!

Be seeing you...

Ramen

fcuk,

Hope this quote helps answer your question...

"Do not accept anything simply
Because it has been said
By your teacher,
Or because it has been written
In your sacred books,
Or because it has been
Believed by many,
Or because it has been
Handed down by your
Ancestors.
Accept and live only
According to what will enable
You to see truth face to face.

~Buddha"

lugotorix

Yes, it is not only possible, but IMHO is the most logical position. I was raised as a Pentecostal (ie extreme fundy) Christian and deconverted in my early teens. I became and remain an atheist. A little later I started reading Buddhist literature. It struck a chord in me and I kept reading. I've been a practicing lay Buddhist ever since. It appealed to me because it seemed to get to the heart of human spirituality, without all the mumbo-jumbo of other religions and without requiring you to "believe six impossible things before breakfast."

No, it makes you a spiritually-inclined atheist, part of a minority within a minority. Then again, many of the Buddhists I've met were non-religious before they started Buddhist practice. As I stated before, I think being an atheist Buddhist is the most logical of the various positions. The choices are:

• atheist -- Buddhism's "3 marks of existence" (impermanence, non-self, and suffering) that are shared by all things of this world can't be reconciled with an eternal Creator.
• agnostic -- we can't know whether or not there's a God . Unfortunately, this goes against Buddhist teaching; in the Brahmajala Sutra, the Buddha lists belief in a supreme being as one of the erroneous views that keep beings trapped in the round of suffering. He was pretty adamant about it being a wrong view.
• wishy-washy -- Buddhism's Nirvana and the God of other religions are pointing to the same reality. Also problematic, given the two issues above.
• theist -- since Buddhism doesn't specifically have a supreme being, one can stay a Christian or observant Jew and still practice Buddhism. There are several people who have published books that support this view -- a Catholic priest and Zen sensei named Robert Kennedy, and Sylvia Boorstein (who wrote a book about practicing both Judaism and Buddhism titled Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist). I don't think you can adhere to this view without extreme mental sloppiness, apathy, or ignorance of real Buddhism. <a href="http://vajra.us/gus_oil_and_water.html" target="_blank">Here is a web page</a> that details the fundamental problems of this stance better than I can.

So basically, from the Buddhist standpoint, there is no problem being an atheist; and I think that from an atheist standpoint, there isn't a problem being a Buddhist either. There is the question of how you approach the supernatural elements in the Buddhist traditions, but since different Buddhists' reactions have ranged from total unquestioning acceptance to total skepticism, those elements aren't a major sticking point.

lugotorix

(edited to fix url and formatting)

[ December 09, 2002: Message edited by: lugotorix ]
(and edited to clarify a point)

[ December 09, 2002: Message edited by: lugotorix ]</p>