Would it be accurate to say...

[PVE1]

that Buddhism is the only "religion" to actively deny God? I cannot think of any other religion that flat out denies Him. Of course, there are the neo-pagan religions. Does this help or hinder the possibilities of "universal peace"? Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Baha'i's, etc. all have God in common, so there will always be ground to build on. Is "Buddhist Atheism" only big in the West? Do Buddhists acknowledge a God in the East?

 

[Riverwolf]

that Buddhism is the only "religion" to actively deny God? I cannot think of any other religion that flat out denies Him. Of course, there are the neo-pagan religions. Does this help or hinder the possibilities of "universal peace"? Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Baha'i's, etc. all have God in common, so there will always be ground to build on. Is "Buddhist Atheism" only big in the West? Do Buddhists acknowledge a God in the East?

Actually, I don't think the Buddha ever denied God. The teaching is "I never said that there is a God, nor did I say there isn't one. It's not important." Though, I would imagine different schools would differ on this matter.

Not to mention, many Buddhist sects are very much theistic, with the Buddha placed at the top.

Jainism, on the other hand, is outright atheistic.

 

[PVE1]

Every Western Buddhist I've encountered has been Atheist. I think in most cases, they come from Christian families, get frustrated with the religion and deny God. However, they still feel the need to meet their spiritual needs. When they find out Buddhism isn't related to God, they jump at it.

 

[Breathe]

that Buddhism is the only "religion" to actively deny God?

No, because there's no evidence Buddha denied God. Only conjecture and things attributed to him. I've been practising Buddhism since 13. I didn't believe in God when I first started practising Buddhism, but I did begin believing in God during my time as a Buddhist (private thing, between me and God). I saw no problems with it.

Neither did any of those with whom I would hang out, nor the idea of a soul. Even some of the monks I spoke to believed, others were a little more agnostic, when I spoke to a white, Zen monk, he said he believed in God.

I cannot think of any other religion that flat out denies Him.

Jainism.

And with Buddhism, only some texts deny God, and there are several problems:

What is the concept of God that Buddha denied? He denied the supremacy of Brahma, for example. But so does modern Hinduism. There are some scriptures that deny the existence of God, but it's deciding whether or not that text is something the Buddha said that is difficult. If we restrict the idea of God to something like the literal, Biblical interpretation of God, sure - Buddha denied that. I deny that. That doesn't mean I'm an atheist, right?

However, it's worth noting that some Buddhist sects seem to be rather similar to Jainism, so I'm not sure.

Is "Buddhist Atheism" only big in the West?

It's more big in the West than the East. I never met a Buddhist atheist until I was trying out Christianity.

Atheistic Buddhism is becoming more and more popular, as is a more nihilistic Buddhism.

I actually think to some extent it's a result of Theravada prominence and the WBSC's Basic Points Unifying the Theravada and Mahayana ecumenical statement's statement that rejected a creator and ruler God- but I don't believe in a "creator and ruler" God. That doesn't mean I don't believe in a form of God.

However, what about Vajrayana's Adi-Buddha?

Quote the almighty wiki: the "Primordial Buddha." The term refers to a self-emanating, self-originating Buddha, present before anything else existed <<snip>> Adi-Buddha is better compared to the abstracted forces of Brahman, Ayn Sof or Arche rather than a personal creator God in the mold of Yahweh or Ishvara. Also, Adi-Buddha is not said to be the creator, but the originator of all things. Adi-Buddha is a deity in an Emanationist sense. - Adi-Buddha - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Do Buddhists acknowledge a God in the East?

Almost every Buddhist I met did. I spent a lot of time around Buddhists from China, Japan, even Korea. Also Thailand, Nepal, India and once or twice met a few Sri Lankan Buddhists - so I knew people who followed Vajrayana, Mahayana, and Theravada, Hell, even some Zen followers. I knew a Thai guy who went to the Thai Erawan shrine of Thailand (a shrine to Brahma) regularly.

Every Western Buddhist I've encountered has been Atheist. I think in most cases, they come from Christian families, get frustrated with the religion and deny God.

Western Buddhists.

Mostly they are from Christian families, yeah. However, I deny the existence of that concept of God. That wouldn't even be a God to me if there was such a entity.







I think the main problem is what is meant by "God". Buddhism certainly has its devas, bodhisattvas, its Buddhas, the Primordial Buddha, Five Dhyani Buddhas, dharmapalas, dakinis and yidams. There is even "Mahakala", whose name is suspiciously similar to one of the traits of Shiva with the same roles.

Hell, Japanese Buddhism even has Indra (Taishakuten), Kubera (Bishamonten), Saraswati (Benzaiten) and Brahma (Bonten). Considering Hinduism never went to Japan, how did it get there? Through Buddhism, obviously.

So why couldn't I believe in God and be Buddhist? Lol.

 

[ConfusedKuri]

From what I gathered Buddha was agnostic, but most Buddhists strongly lean towards Atheism.

 

[sublime001]

Buddhism is about creating a balance of life being all beings. They do not deny the existence of God nor do they insist on one, it's more about harnessing one's "good side" to achieve enlightenment and at the same time, helping others achieve the same. Many people mistake religion with idol worship, existence of supreme beings etc, buts that's not the case. Religion is about faith in a particular way of life which can also include idol worship.