| Buddhism is a teaching which has spread worldwide | | | | the group.For one attempting to provide a definition |
| absorbing the culture of each country it arrived in, | | | | of religion these practices would need to be |
| which has resulted in many expressions of Buddhism. | | | | described in a manner which did not exclude one |
| Each strand, no matter how varied in nature and | | | | religion from the definition. There needs to be one |
| practice, holds a common emphasis on the | | | | thing that is attributed to all religions, a common |
| impermanence of human life. The worldwide spread | | | | factor. For many, the common factor is God. |
| of Buddhism means that it is now practiced by over | | | | However, if we conclude that God is the focus of all |
| three hundred million people worldwide, and thus, is | | | | religion then much of the material found in Asia must |
| generally considered to be a world religion. However, | | | | be excluded because there is no God here, and |
| its authenticity as a religion has often come under | | | | occasionally not even Gods. From the perspective |
| scrutiny by intellectuals in the Western world. To | | | | that religion entails belief in a God, Buddhism is |
| explore whether Buddhism can in fact be counted as | | | | excluded from having the title of religion. Many |
| a religion we must acknowledge that the main | | | | outsiders to the Buddhist tradition may claim that the |
| problems arise when looking for a definition of what | | | | Buddha held some divinity and is elevated to a Godly |
| a religion is. Either, definitions have proved too narrow | | | | position, but the Buddha himself refused to be |
| excluding many belief systems which people believe | | | | regarded as divine. For the Buddha, humanity is here |
| are religious, or they become too broad which means | | | | to improve ourselves and achieve liberation rather |
| that any structure can be counted. When applying | | | | than worrying about ultimate questions. Buddhists |
| varying definitions of religion to Buddhism we come | | | | would argue that knowledge of a God or the afterlife |
| up with some very contradictory answers; some | | | | does not matter as neither help in the quest for |
| which say that Buddhism is simply a philosophy or | | | | nirvana. |
| teaching, whilst others will prove that it is in fact, a | | | | If Buddhism is not counted as a religion then what is |
| religion in practice.To determine whether Buddhism is | | | | it? Buddhism can be thought of as a way of life, a |
| a religion or not, we must also note that we, as | | | | philosophy, a psychology, a way of thinking through |
| Westerners will have different views and concepts | | | | which we can take responsibility for our present life |
| of religion to those practicing in the East. We must | | | | and lives.Like all major religions Buddhism contains a |
| ask the question, is it even possible for Westerners | | | | morality, rituals and behaviours, certain ethical values |
| to understand the religious life of Asia? What we | | | | and an origin of existence, yet because Buddhists do |
| view as Asian religion and religious activity is for most | | | | not believe in an all knowing creator God some claim |
| of the people practicing it a natural part of daily life; | | | | that Buddhism fails to be a religion. The large variety |
| our ideas and concepts vary so greatly that perhaps | | | | of definitions of religion shows that we can never |
| someone observing Buddhism from a Western | | | | give a solid, one answer description of what it is that |
| perspective may never truly grasp the religiosity of | | | | religion is and does. |