How Buddhism differs from other religions
- Part 7 -

Thangjam Sanjoo Singh *

Wat (Buddhist Temple) from Thailand - 2016

Why was religion introduced?

Religious belief is the invention of a wise statesman to restrain men from secret and hidden vices. —Critias, uncle of Plato

The time when God takes a rest

People doubt, if God indeed has enough time to rest or sleep, because he has to keep a constant eye on them to see if they are up to create violence or not.

Some people say that they pray to God, which would be the time he could take the opportunity to relax, knowing that people have no chance to create violence while praying.

The origin of religion

When the concept of God or divinity was imbued into the human, religion sprang up in the world.

How we behave in front of God

Before God we are all equally wise- equally foolish. I believe the following story will explain more clearly in support of the above quotation.

Pastor and taxi driver in heaven

One day, a pastor travelling in a taxi realised that the driver was driving recklessly. The pastor very became worried about his safety and kept praying to God. But the stubborn driver continued to recklessly and thereby cause an accident. As a result, both of them died on the spot. They had the opportunity to go heaven. However, when they reached heaven, the pastor was stopped by the person in charge and was asked to wait outside. The taxi driver instead was warmly welcomed.

This caused the pastor to become angry and he argued, “it is very unfair. I have been preaching about God for a long time, whereas this taxi driver had never worked for God. How can he entered heaven before me?”

To this, the person in charged explained, “Yes, we know that, but what we wish to evaluate is the outcome. When you were preaching, the congregation, lost interest and fell asleep. But in the case of the taxi driver, he encouraged all his passengers to remember God and to pray whilst he was driving. Thus, he earned more credit than you.”

Do not cling to cling to one view
O Bhikhus, even this view – Dharma
Which is so pure and clear,
If you cling to it, if you fondle it.
If you are attached to it.
Then you do not understand.
That the teaching is similar to a raft,
Which is for crossing over and
Not for getting hold of.
—Buddha

The religion of the future

If there were any religion that would cope with the modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism because it has all the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future. It transcends a personal god, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both natural and the spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as meaningful unity.

Everything is interdependent

World depends on God and God depends on world. All are interdependent. — Prof. Whitehead

When is religion important?

A man who put aside his religion because he is busy in society is like one taking off his shoes because he is about to walk upon thorns.

Why is religion important to man?

Human beings do not know what to do, with their lives and how to use it properly. Religion gives them the answer.

Religion and divine nature

The religious way of life is the cultivation of human qualities and when life is purified it is called divine power. However, it is essential to maintain human dignity and also give credit to human intelligence.

Life without religion is like a ship without anchor or navigator.

Experience of the divine in man

Religion is not a set of doctrines but it is experience. And religious experience is based on the realisation of the presence of the divine in man. — Dr. Radhakrishnan

Buddhism is for human needs

From Buddhist point of view, religion is not something that has come down from heaven to fulfil a divine purpose, but something that has grown up on earth to satisfy the deepest of human needs: peace, happiness and liberation.

Buddhism is a joyful religion

Buddhism is quite opposed to the melancholic, sorrowful, penitent and gloomy attitude of mind, which is considered a hindrance to the realisation of Truth.

On the other hand, it is interesting to remember here that joy is one of the seven ‘Factors of Illumination’. The essential qualities to be cultivated for the realisation of the Nirvana.

To know a real religious way of life, the Buddha said that indulging in
– Prayers,
– mantras,
– penances,
– hymns or songs,
– charms,
– incantations and invocations and animal sacrifices to please the gods,
– fasting to death,
– not taking medicines when sick, sleeping on hard ground,
– burning and cutting or of poking of bodies as punishments for complete silence without talking are not religious practices to get rid of problems and sufferings or to wash away the bad karma (sins) committed. Some people resort to supernatural powers to overcome their problems. But nobody knows just how far they can succeed through such beliefs and practices. But the Buddha did say that one can gain true salvation only by leading a respectable, noble and harmless pure life. Sometimes, the idea of supernatural beings may arouse to certain extent the power of the action in man but it also brings spiritual decay.

It brings:
– Dependence,
– fear and superstition

It degenerates into horrible belief in the natural weakness of the man.

We do only window-shopping

If we neglect our intellectual ability and believe in rites, rituals, ceremonies and dogmas, we no longer seek the truth but engage in window-shopping.

Humanistic religion

The Buddha Dharma is humanistic in its basis. It is not a teaching about ghosts (spirits) or gods.

Buddhism is for brotherhood

It is not to be an organisation for converting those of other faiths, but a brotherhood of mind and heart ready to help those, who had been inspired by the teachings of the Buddha and who wanted to put it into practise as human beings.
—Anagarika Govinda

To be continued....