What is Buddhism?

[SunWuKong]

A religion
B psychology
C philosophy
D yogic practice
E path to the supernatural
F other
G all the above
H none of the above
I combinations of the above
?????

[SunWuKong]

LOL no one will to take a stand?

[marting]

It's an English word.

[明安 Myoan]

Religion.

[Lucas Oliveira]

Doctrine of the Buddha

ism

noun
1.
a distinctive doctrine, theory, system, or practice:
This is the age of isms.

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/ism

[SunWuKong]

I ask because i frequently hear "this is Buddhism" and "that isn't Buddhism" - and because i vote for G. All the Above.

I prefer to call my practice a "Buddhist Practice" as opposed to saying "I am a Buddhist" because I'm a monotheistic unitarian christian yogi as well. Anyway looks like the thread is failing...

[PadmaVonSamba]

"Buddhism" can refer to two things:
1. Buddha's teachings (the Buddhadharma).
The essence of the Buddha's teachings is
the perfect and complete liberation from the suffering that results from one's clinging to the experience of a self.

2.The institutions of lineage which have formalized the preservation of the teachings over the past 2500 years.
That includes everything from rituals to robes to various practices.

It's a philosophy in that it can be understood intellectually
It's a religion in that it can be experienced intuitively
It can also be a very expensive hobby for some.

.
.
.

[Kim O'Hara]

I ask because i frequently hear "this is Buddhism" and "that isn't Buddhism" - and because i vote for G. All the Above.

I think "G. All the Above" is the best answer out of the options you offered us but, really, Buddhism doesn't align neatly with any of our Western paradigms. That's why you hear so many conflicting definitions, none of them quite correct.
As an institution it aligns very closely with our notion of a religion, but as a field of study it's all over the place. (Thanks, PvS, for suggesting that distinction.)


Kim

[Simon E.]

Buddh-ism is just another peg to hang our hats on. Another identity to define ourselves by.

Buddhadharma however, is the means to liberation from samsara.

[catmoon]

It's a religion, but not a theistic one. You might want to look at a little book from Oxford University Press titled "Buddhism" by Damien Keown.

He really tears the question to bits, lays out all the parts on the table, organizes them and comes to a conclusive answer.

[Tiago Simões]

I don't understood why people have a hard time calling Buddhism a religion. I think we cary some preconceptions about religion itself.

Wiki:

There is no scholarly consensus over what precisely constitutes a religion. It may be defined as a cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, world views, texts, sanctified places, prophesies, ethics, or organizations, that relate humanity to the supernatural, transcendental, or spiritual.

[明安 Myoan]

Buddhism offers salvation for oneself and others. That is, complete, transcendental freedom from all sufferings and the perfect realization of innate qualities of compassion and wisdom. This clearly puts it in the realm of religion to me.

[SunWuKong]

I don't understood why people have a hard time calling Buddhism a religion. I think we cary some preconceptions about religion itself.

Wiki:

There is no scholarly consensus over what precisely constitutes a religion. It may be defined as a cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, world views, texts, sanctified places, prophesies, ethics, or organizations, that relate humanity to the supernatural, transcendental, or spiritual.

See here, one definition of "religion" that Buddhism neatly fits into. Personally I accept the supernatural, transcendental, and spiritual, so it's a fit. I am aware that there are explanations as to why it isn't a religion, but they just seem like... explanations.

Buddhism, particularly Mahayana, it closely allied with several schools of belief in India. Vedanta in particular. Also yoga accepts the concept of God, but in a very limited way, God is only a part of the consciousness available for human awareness, outside that there's no God in the world. Buddha comes very close to this when he discusses Brahman with a member of the Brahman caste in one of the suttas. I think it is a true statement that Buddhism does not teach belief in a God, it is atheistic, but in a limited way. To outright say "Buddhism is not religion" is not a clear statement of fact.

[SunWuKong]

It's a religion, but not a theistic one. You might want to look at a little book from Oxford University Press titled "Buddhism" by Damien Keown.

He really tears the question to bits, lays out all the parts on the table, organizes them and comes to a conclusive answer.

Thanks, theres a PDF for that!
http://dl4a.org/uploads/pdf/Buddhism%20 ... 0Keown.pdf