Is Buddhism A Religion Or A Philosophy?

Every major world religion, if lived properly, functions as a life-philosophy. Yes, religions offer systems of belief—which typically include specific doctrines, canonical books, rites or sacraments, often dietary laws, and they frequently incorporate the wearing of specific articles of symbolic clothing. However, beyond each of those common components, a religion that is impactful necessarily must influence the day-to-day life of the practitioner; and that is where religion and philosophy merge. In this regard, Buddhism is no different.

From its origins, in the 6th century BCE, Buddhism has taught certain theological principles, about God, the afterlife, the meaning and purpose of life, and even what constitutes karma promoting (or sinful) behavior. However, beyond each of those religious components, Buddhism has always taught how one should live and think. It has strongly encouraged its practitioners to question the lenses through which they see the world; to cast off “maya” (i.e., “illusion” or false beliefs)—and to see things as they really are. For Buddhism, it is not enough to simply “believe” the doctrinal teachings of the Buddha, Sidhartha Gautama. Rather, Buddhism emphasizes that enlightenment requires both belief in true principles (or doctrines) and the practice of true behaviors (or one’s Buddhism-influenced life-philosophy).

Of course, one might argue that certain denominations of Buddhism are more philosophical and others more religious.

For example, there are three main branches of Buddhism—Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana, each with sub-denominations within. However, how each denomination practices its religion, and what each believes about God or even the purpose of life, is not the same. Buddhism manifests remarkable diversity, based on the denomination practiced, the location in which one lives, and even the family one was reared in. Thus, the Theravada tradition, for instance, is largely non-theistic, not teaching about, emphasizing, or encouraging belief in a god (or gods). The Mahayana and Vajrayana denominations, on the other hand, tend to believe in, venerate, appeal to, and worship, a variety of divine beings. While no mainstream Buddhist denominations traditionally speak of a “Creator God,” there are beings (like Vajrapāṇi, Mañjuśrī, or Avalokiteśvara) which certain Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhists perceived as divine and which are treated as gods. Thus, many assume that Theravada Buddhism is more of a “philosophy” while Mahayana and Vajrayana are more akin to “religions.” However, this dichotomy is a false one, in that each has “doctrine” about God (or the gods), a theology about the purpose of life, a teaching about the need to shed karma (often seen as the equivalent of “negative accountability” or sin), a place for and purpose of rites or rituals, various orders of monasticism, the use of temples, etc. Thus, none of the denominations can be said to be solely “philosophical” in nature. Each major denomination of Buddhism manifests all the components one might typically expect to find in a religion. Yes, Theravada Buddhists argue that one should not appeal to the “gods” for help, because they are not able to intervene. Nonetheless, note that they still have a doctrine about what the gods are, what they do, and what their roles are. Thus, even the most seemingly philosophical branches of Buddhism also operate based on foundational theological beliefs.

Similarly, like any life-philosophy (or truly functional religion), Buddhism influences the day-to-day life of the practitioner. Indeed, whereas many religions might influence certain aspects of the daily life of the believer, Buddhism—because of its foundational doctrine of “mindfulness”—is designed to influence every minute of every day of the life of the practitioner; assuming the believer is fully engaged in the teachings and practices of his or her faith tradition.

So, yes, Buddhism is a religion, in the proper sense of the word; and it is also a life-philosophy, or philosophical approach to traversing mortality. However, technically speaking, the Buddha himself would most likely have been very uncomfortable with bifurcating these two. For Sidhartha, Buddhism needed to be both religious and philosophical. Indeed, upon his enlightenment, he discovered what he called the “eight-fold middle path.” That “path” taught that enlightenment and the attainment of Nirvana can only be achieved by avoiding extremes. There is a “middle path” which leads to the truth, to enlightenment, to the end of reincarnation, and to heaven (or “Nirvana”). And, for the Buddha, that “middle path” would almost certainly require that a Buddhist live both the religion of Buddhism and the philosophical lifestyle taught by Buddhism. Any other approach risks an imbalance in the pursuit, which would certainly prevent the achievement of life’s ultimate goal of enlightenment and Nirvana.