Is Buddha God?

[Martin]

the child molester??

Allegations of sexual molestation continue to dog Sai Baba

It doesn't sound like this character has anything to with Buddhism, so I don't understand why he would be seen as a reliable source of information about Buddhism.

 

[stvdv]

the child molester??

Allegations of sexual molestation continue to dog Sai Baba

No

 

[Hermit Philosopher]

Yes, it does matter if one is genuinely interested in understanding the teachings of a tradition, rather than just seeing it through the lens of another.
For example, "Divine perspective" sounds incongruous in a Buddhist context.

I meant, does it matter in regards to the question posted in OP, rather? Is it necessary in responding to whether Buddha is God, that is?

I hope that made more sense.


Humbly
Hermit

 

[syo]

Avatar? According to who?

Buddha is the ninth avatar of Lord Vishnu.

 

[Secret Chief]

Is Buddha God?

No. Or if he was, he died about 2,400 years ago.

 

[Martin]

Buddha is the ninth avatar of Lord Vishnu.

Not for a Buddhist, which is the more relevant perspective here.

 

[Starlight]

The question is a tricky one at several levels. First, there are various schools of thought as to his status ─ in all of them he's enlightened, in some of them he's enlightened and divine.

Second, in some versions, like Tibetan Buddhism, he's Boss God, and there's a day each year where a great pageant reenacts ─ or used to reenact ─ the old Tibetan gods acknowledging him as their overlord.

Third, when I was in Sri Lanka, I visited the Temple of the Buddha's Tooth at Kandi, and was astonished to find associated in the same precinct small shrines with houses of worship to various Hindu gods whom the worshiper consults for special needs like healing, childbirth, and so on, as though the Buddha were one end of the Hindu spectrum.

Fourth, in the West, the most popular versions of Buddhism are (according to my Buddhist friend) the atheistic ones, and these too have authentic Asian credentials.

So Buddhism is a big tent.

You are correct about this

 

[metis]

Is Buddha God?

No.

When asked about God, his supposed answer was that the question was irrelevant. Later, his followers tried to clarify why they thought Old Sid said this, and it generally is that we should live in the here & now, not the past.

Thus, Buddhism is considered to be non-theistic, which is no belief in a creator-God.

 

[Starlight]

No.

When asked about God, his supposed answer was that the question was irrelevant. Later, his followers tried to clarify why they thought Old Sid said this, and it generally is that we should live in the here & now, not the past.

Thus, Buddhism is considered to be non-theistic, which is no belief in a creator-God.

Buddism is not non-theistic. Buddism is agnostic about if a creator God exist. Buddha was agnostic about if a creator God exist or not.
And there are many different gods in buddism (gods who is not the creator).

So many buddists believe in a creator God and many buddists do not believe in a creator God. There are both theistic, agnostic and atheists buddists

 

[metis]

Buddism is not non-theistic. Buddism is agnostic about if a creator God exist. Buddha was agnostic about if a creator God exist or not.
And there are many different gods in buddism (gods who is not the creator).

I qualified "non-theistic" as having no belief in a "creator god", so "agnostic" obviously applies.

 

[Martin]

Buddism is not non-theistic. Buddism is agnostic about if a creator God exist. Buddha was agnostic about if a creator God exist or not.
And there are many different gods in buddism (gods who is not the creator).

So many buddists believe in a creator God and many buddists do not believe in a creator God. There are both theistic, agnostic and atheists buddists

I've never met or heard of a Buddhist who believed in a creator God.

 

[firedragon]

Buddism is not non-theistic. Buddism is agnostic about if a creator God exist. Buddha was agnostic about if a creator God exist or not.
And there are many different gods in buddism (gods who is not the creator).

So many buddists believe in a creator God and many buddists do not believe in a creator God. There are both theistic, agnostic and atheists buddists

True true.

 

[Secret Chief]

No.

When asked about God, his supposed answer was that the question was irrelevant. Later, his followers tried to clarify why they thought Old Sid said this, and it generally is that we should live in the here & now, not the past.

Thus, Buddhism is considered to be non-theistic, which is no belief in a creator-God.

Considering you are a non-Buddhist, you have a good handle on Old Sid.

 

[Secret Chief]

many buddists believe in a creator God

News to me. One reason for the appeal to me of Buddhism was the absence of a creator deity.

 

[metis]

Considering you are a non-Buddhist, you have a good handle on Old Sid.

Thank you.

BTW, I am now part way through Matthieu Ricards book on "Happiness" as he's my favorite author. Are you familiar with him by chance?

 

[Starlight]

News to me. One reason for the appeal to me of Buddhism was the absence of a creator deity.

Buddha was agnostic about if a creator God exist or not. So off course it is possible to be a Agnostic, Theist or Atheist buddist

 

[Aupmanyav]

No. He is definitely not a God. He said when he is dead, he will be gone, gone, completely gone, definitely completely gone; and even Brahma and Indra would search and not find him - 'Gate, Gate, Gate, paragate, para samgate'.
In later times, Buddhist and Hindus made him into a God.
I believe being named an avatara is a honor in Hinduism, something like a Nobel prize in religion and philosophy; or like the current highest Indian civil honor, "Bharat Ratna" (Jewel of India). So, Buddha basically was a "Jewel of India".

Buddha was a practical person. He never indulged in useless speculation. His main aim was to teach people how to avoid sorrow. He prohibited contemplation about useless things with 'Acinteyya'* (matters which should not be contemplated on because it helps in no way). - Acinteyya - Wikipedia

"Vaccha (Son), any of these views is a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. It is accompanied by suffering, distress, despair, and fever, and it does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation; to calm, direct knowledge, full Awakening, Unbinding.
Whoever speculates about these things will experience vexation and would go mad."

* That which is to be unavoidably accepted for explaining facts, but which cannot stand the scrutiny of logic. (Aup. adds: like the concepts of God and soul, heaven and hell, judgment and resurrection, rebirth and reincarnation).

 

[Secret Chief]

Buddha was agnostic about if a creator God exist or not. So off course it is possible to be a Agnostic, Theist or Atheist buddist

These Buddhists that believe in a creator deity....what is the name of it?

 

[Aupmanyav]

“And why are they undisclosed by me? Because they are not connected with the goal, are not fundamental to the holy life. They do not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, unbinding. That’s why they are undisclosed by me.

“And what is disclosed by me? ‘This is stress,’ is disclosed by me. ‘This is the origination of stress,’ is disclosed by me. ‘This is the cessation of stress,’ is disclosed by me. ‘This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress,’ is disclosed by me. And why are they disclosed by me? Because they are connected with the goal, are fundamental to the holy life. They lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, unbinding. That’s why they are disclosed by me."
MN 63 Cūḷa Māluṅkyovāda Sutta | The Shorter Exhortation to Māluṅkyaputta (Son of Māluṅkya, like ben or ibn Māluṅkya)

 

[Secret Chief]

Thank you.

BTW, I am now part way through Matthieu Ricards book on "Happiness" as he's my favorite author. Are you familiar with him by chance?

Haha, your memory is as bad as mine! - You contributed to my journal thread about him and another book of his: "The Monk and the Philosopher: A Father and Son Discuss the Meaning of Life"
- Secret Chief Buys A Book



(I read Happiness a long time ago. Heaven knows I'm miserable now)