Buddhism is often described as an atheistic religion because it does not advocate the existence of a creator god or a supreme being overseeing the universe. This view stems from the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha, whose insights form the core of Buddhist philosophy.
Origins of Buddhist Nontheism
Siddhartha Gautama is often called by the short name Buddha after achieving enlightenment, who understood the nature of suffering and the path to liberation from it.
His teachings emphasize personal responsibility and the potential for each individual to achieve enlightenment through his or her own efforts without dependence on an external deity, or rather, without one. Some supreme being blesses or guides – even himself.
He said this clearly while preaching his last words before entering Nirvana: “For the past 49 years, I have not preached a single word… You should light your own torch and go.” – In the Avatamsaka Sutra.
This shows us that Buddha’s approach was very practical and focused on understanding the mind and phenomena, staying away from speculative metaphysics including the concept of a creator god.
Concept of God in Buddhism
Although Buddhism does not support the concept of a creator god (blessing or punishing), it also does not explicitly deny the existence of spiritual beings. Early Buddhist texts refer to various deities and celestial bodies that were part of the Indian religious landscape of the time. They are called Devas, Heavenly People, people who live in higher energy levels, higher realms than humans.
However, these beings are also considered to be trapped in Samsara – subject to reincarnation and suffering as they exhaust their blessings, and are therefore not supreme or divine in the way that a deity would be creator god is often understood in theistic religions.
The Role of Deities in Buddhism
In Buddhist cosmology, gods exist but they do not play a saving role; Their powers are limited and they are not the ultimate source of refuge for Buddhists. Instead, the focus is on the Dharma (Buddha’s teachings) and the Sangha (community of practitioners) as the means to achieve enlightenment.
For example, in Tibetan Buddhism and some schools of Mahayana Buddhism, there are many deities and bodhisattvas to whom practitioners can devote themselves, but these figures are considered role models, or aid in the spiritual journey of the student rather than the gods controlling human destiny.
But what about Buddha? Is he considered a god? The term Buddha has many meanings and the core meaning as explained in Buddhist philosophy is the primordial nature of the universe. Buddha is not a person or an object but the wisdom that pervades the universe. Buddha is the original “knowing” without distinction like our “knowing”. Because our “knowledge” of things and phenomena is through the lens of subjective thinking – not the core truth. Therefore, Buddha is not a creator god like the concept of God in theistic religions.
Nirvana: The Ultimate Reality
One could say that the closest concept to a ‘god’ in Buddhism is Nirvana – a state of ultimate peace and liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Nirvana is described in transcendent terms and is considered the ultimate goal of Buddhist practice.
However, it is not a deity but a state of being achieved through practicing the path guided by the Buddha. Descriptions of Nirvana often parallel attributes associated with God in other religions, such as eternity, happiness, and peace, but it remains essentially a non-theistic concept.
Conclusion
In short, Buddhism is an atheistic religion and advocates developing the individual’s capacity for enlightenment without needing blessings from a divine creator. The Buddha’s teachings encourage followers to look within themselves for liberation and truth, advocating the path of mindfulness, ethical behavior and wisdom as means to achieve ultimate liberation from suffering. This approach puts Buddhism at odds with most world religions, where practices largely revolve around invoking salvation from others to solving their problems rather than solving them yourself.
