Understanding Buddhism in 2 minutes

Let’s get started with the question ‘Is Buddhism a religion?’

Whether Buddhism is a religion or not may vary depending on how we use the term “religion”.

Most people define Myanmar as a country of Buddhism but there are a lot of people who are still misunderstanding what Buddhism is. Do you consider yourself a Buddhist? As long as you worship God, you are not a Buddhist. You may have a question for me ‘Are you serious?’. We need to make sure that we understand well what is God and Lord and other things concerning Religion. I am ready for your inquiry.

1. God and Lord — God is a word used to refer to a supreme being and considered as a creator of the universe and the whole society including human beings, animals, and other things we are facing now. In Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, God plays a vital role in their way of life. The Term ‘Lord’ is typically used to address a superior or authoritative figure. Eg. ‘Lord’ is used to refer to Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the ruler of creation in Christianity. There is Lord Shiva in Hinduism.
2. Defining Religion — According to Oxford Dictionary, Religion is defined as ‘Belief in or acknowledgment of some superhuman power or powers (esp. a god or gods) which is typically manifested in obedience, reverence, and worship’. There is no necessity to engage in the worship of Lord Buddha, as Siddhartha Gautama was a human being, akin to ourselves, without any extraordinary or superhuman abilities. So we refer to Siddhartha Gautama as Lord Buddha, rather than God Buddha.
3. Correct Way of Worshiping in Buddhism — The concept of worship is different from other religions. Buddhists only should worship to thank the Buddha for giving them a way of life. We ought not to engage in worship with the intention of seeking personal gain from supernatural powers. We should embrace and follow the teachings of Buddhism due to its profound philosophies and wisdom, rather than seeking supernatural powers or relying on external forces.