Can an atheist follow Buddhism?

[Alice_1]

I'm also a Christian. But I study the Vedic scriptures. In Krsna consciousness, I understood the nature of the soul and the way to God.

[Rain95]

Originally Posted by Deidre

I just logically don't believe anymore in a higher power, but in my heart, I feel that we are all connected, somehow...some way.

The problem with that word "God" is it carries such a heavy weight of thousands of years of cultural significance and superstition. But the truth is, that word can be defined and interpreted in many ways. But yea we all know the "big way" it is defined, as some kind of supernatural authority figure (usually male) telling us what we need to do or else.

With that fear based horrible image of what God is, I sure can see why people would say the heck with that, I will be an atheist.

Atheism is not really a rejection of God, it is a rejection of what mankind has turned God into, what they have created as their God.

As far as Buddhism, it doesn't really concern itself with if there is a God or not. It is focused on eliminating self caused suffering, and becoming a more loving selfless compassionate person.

I read that book, Journey of Souls, awhile back, that is a book where people are hypnotized and then are able to recall their memories of times between lives, anyway I remember a few people (souls) were asked about God and they said we don't use that word because it carries too much baggage. They said they say "the source."

They feel this connection with each other and feel this source of love, but yea that word "God" has become so merged with this authority figure concept it is probably best to discard it unless one holds a better concept about what it means or is. I myself just say the source, and even here, to me it is us, like how drops make an ocean, all of us in totality is the source.

I have other ideas about the source but they are very complex and would take forever to try to explain. What you said about how we are all connected relates to it. We are all connected and are in fact the same thing, or we all make up the same thing, which to me is the source or God. Like how Jesus said we are "children of God." We in fact create all the time, that's our eternal pastime. Here on earth we create our lives out of which we have been given.

We basically are the source in essence, we have aspects of it, the totality. Like how a drop of ocean water has the qualities of the whole ocean. So we create, we love, we have compassion, but ours is all wrapped up in these lower physical energies, like this animal body we are currently merged with. To me that is what Buddhism is about. Learning what we are and what we are not. Then not identifying or giving attention to the things we are not. What we are is loving content awareness, non-judgemental, calm, which creates no conflict within or without.

[mosaicmind]

Hi Deirdre,
I have a book recommendation for you. Check out "After Buddhism: Rethinking the Dharma for a Secular Age" by Stephen Batchelor, and also Batchelor's other book, "Confessions of a Buddhist Atheist". I was raised Buddhist in the American Mahayana tradition (mostly Zen and some Tibetan), and now identify as non-religious (or an atheist). You don't have to know a lot about Buddhism to appreciate Batchelor's views, but a basic understanding is helpful. Anyway, good luck on your path!
-Grace

[Alice_1]

I think that you should continue to study Buddhism and soon everything will change in your heart.

[Universal.Vibe]

I'm a spiritual agnostic I think.
(as in I don't think the physical world alone is enough to explain life)

And my opinion on buddhism is that it is a flawed religion just like any other, however I feel the people who created it made some pretty good observations about the universe that might not be bang on but are not completely baseless either.

I personally take religions in general with a pinch of salt and I feel this was they all have something of worth, but I can't see any one religion as being even remotely perfect as we as a species still have a ways to go.

[Samana]

Originally Posted by Deidre

Hello, I'm hopeful of gaining some insight from you on something I've wondered about for a time. I grew up in a Christian home as a kid, then about five years ago, I left Christianity and eventually identified as an atheist. My grandmother died about a year later, and my world sort of fell apart. She meant a lot to me. I started exploring Buddhism, Islam and eventually came back to Christianity a little over a year ago. But, it never really felt like it was something I should have done. I think I returned to it because I was sad and grieving over the loss of my grandmother. Fast forward to now, and I'm leaning towards atheism, again.

My question for you is...can one be an atheist, and also adhere to some Buddhism principles? I've heard of spiritual atheism, I'm just wondering if that is really possible? I just logically don't believe anymore in a higher power, but in my heart, I feel that we are all connected, somehow...some way.

Buddhism is very logical and also helps emotionally. Just wondering your thoughts on this.

Hi Deidre,

Non- superstitious Secular Buddhism might be of interest to you. There are a series of short videos on You Tube by a guy called Doug Smith of the Secular Buddhist Association which are worth watching. This one is called "What is Secular Buddhism?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtRk...re693AvHWrk-Kp

_/|\_

[Ahriman]

An atheist can follow Buddhism. The atheistic Buddhist's goal would be self-annihilation.

[Untersberg56]

The question paramount to us all is: "What path should I follow for my salvation?"

The real question therefore is not "Is there God?" but "Do I believe that there is existence after death for me"?

Pure Land Buddhism like all Mahayana schools requires first and foremost that one develops the Bodhi Mind: the aspiration to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings until the end of time.

This statement shows that the Christian concept of Heaven is not logical. If you developed the Bodhi Mind, and arrived at the gates of Heaven, you would naturally decline to enter until such time as every member of suffering humanity had entered before you.

According to Pure Land teaching, you will be reborn there if every morning and evening you make your vow for rebirth in the Pure Land by reciting the name of the goddess figure Kuan Shih Yin with utmost sincerity. When Faith arises we are definitely assured of Enlightenment. The grade of rebirth depends upon whether one's practice is deep or shallow."

Kuan Shih Yin also appears "in all lands and realms" and is therefore another aspect of Compassion so close to the concept of the Virgin Mary as Redemptrix that one may be interchangeable with the other.

(Source: Letters from Pure Land Patriarch Yin Kuang, 1992)