Post 5: What Everybody Ought to Know about Religion
Buddhism - A Religion?
This is the fifth post to help you understand world events and our neighbors.
I am taking Cultural Literacy for Religion: Everything the Well-Educated Person Should Know, by Professor Mark Berkson of Hamine University. It is one of The Great Courses. I’m going to give you my take on what I’m learning in a series of posts. I will continue to look for how our spirituality or lack thereof improves our lives.
A Buddhist told me that Buddhism is not a religion. I replied that sitting in meditation, hoping to achieve enlightenment, seems like religion to me.
Professor Berkson starts the lesson on Buddhism by stating “When most of us think of religion, we think of a God or gods, a divinely revealed text, and the concept of an eternal soul. Buddhism explicitly rejects these elements. For this reason, Buddhism challenges our very notion of what a religion is. Learning about Buddhism, therefore, expands our understanding of religion and the forms it can take.”
As with many religions, Buddhism has many different varieties. What do they have in common?
They start with the story of Siddhartha Gautama. He was born a prince. At the age of 29, he left the palace and witnessed suffering for the first time. He saw an old person, a sick person, and a corpse.
You are born. You suffer. You die. You are reborn. The cycle is called samsara. The cycle is maintained by the law of karma - the law of cause and effect. The goal is to become liberated from samsara.
On his journey from the palace, in addition to the three encounters mentioned, he saw a renunciate - a person seeking liberation from samsara. Siddhartha decided to become a renunciate and seek liberation from samsara. Eventually, he finds a way out. He is “awakened” and achieves enlightenment. Buddhist teachings help you find a way out of samsara.
There are Four Noble Truths. Here they are from ChatGPT:
Life has suffering (Dukkha):
Everyone experiences pain, sadness, or dissatisfaction in life — things like getting sick, losing loved ones, or feeling unfulfilled.Suffering comes from craving (Samudaya):
The cause of suffering is our desire for things to be different — wanting pleasure, avoiding pain, or clinging to things we like.There is a way to end suffering (Nirodha):
If we let go of craving and attachment, we can stop suffering and find peace.The way to end suffering is the Eightfold Path (Magga):
By living wisely, ethically, and mindfully through the Eightfold Path, we can overcome suffering and reach enlightenment.
Here is the Eightfold Path from ChatGPT:
Right View – Understand the Four Noble Truths and see life clearly.
Right Intention – Think with kindness and let go of harmful desires.
Right Speech – Speak truthfully and kindly; avoid lying or hurting others with words.
Right Action – Act in ways that don’t harm others (like not killing or stealing).
Right Livelihood – Choose a job that doesn't hurt people or animals.
Right Effort – Work to develop good qualities and let go of bad ones.
Right Mindfulness – Be aware of your thoughts, feelings, and actions in the present moment.
Right Concentration – Practice meditation to calm the mind and gain insight.
My Thoughts
I believe you will find contradictions in nearly every religion. If there is no soul or self, there is nothing to be reborn. It would seem to me that the entire religion is based on a misconception.
Can you experience an ultimate reality? I think you can. Buddhism has that in common with Hinduism.