Buddhism is Atheist

Text on Atheism and Secularism

Pages on Buddhism

Cultural Religion Versus Scholarly Religion

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... is a very simple look at the statement "Buddhism is atheistic". People question this statement from time to time, so here is a series of quotes and references supporting the general claim that Buddhism is not a theistic religion. "Cultural Religion Versus Scholarly Religion" by Vexen Crabtree (2005) explains how it is normal for a religion to be officially one thing, but for the grassroot masses to have variant beliefs and practices.

• "Buddhism" by Christmas Humphreys (1954). C.H. was President of the Buddhist Society, London, from its foundation in 1924 until its Silver Jubilee in 1954. On page 79 under title "No God, No Soul" he writes "As between the theist and atheist positions, Buddhism is atheist".

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  In the prominent book, "The Varieties of Religious Experience", William James says "there are systems of thought which the world usually calls religious, and yet which do not positively assume a God. Buddhism is in this case. Popularly, of course, the Buddha himself stands in place of a God; but in strictness the Buddhistic system is atheistic". 1901-1902. [James, p50. More info and quotes on this book]

• Moojen Momen writes in "The Phenomenon of Religion", 1999, that the worship of deities has continued in many forms of Buddhism despite Western scholars thinking that, because of their texts, Buddhism was atheistic (p53) [More on this book].

• Edward Conze states in "Buddhist Scriptures" that what are sometimes referred to as 'gods' in Buddhist texts are merely 'enlightened beings', and not what the West means by the word "god". [Conze, p221]

Buddhist theology does not rely on or need Gods, nor do Buddhist ethics or teachings involve Gods, which is probably why many scholars consider Buddhism to be atheistic rather than theistic. In reality it may be closer to agnostic, but it is certainly untrue to say that it is out and out theistic.