Did the Buddha believe there were gods?

[sky]

Originally Posted by Tirisilex

Still you havent addressed the issue that the Buddha taught that there was a god realm.
That intense pride leads to being born as a god. That there was a danger to being born as a god.

You may find this helpful.

https://www.learnreligions.com/gods-in-buddhism-449762

[Maisy]

A belief in God's or a God seems so natural to me. We find ourselves in these bodies on this planet that is circling the sun and unseen forces like gravity keep us from flying off. We created none of this. Had nothing to do with any of it. Doctors try to figure out how this body works so they can help it stay healthy. Human kind is still studying the body and brain to try to figure out how it all works. Humans have still not figured out what creates consciousness and what is it exactly.

So faced with this crazy reality, a world and universe we are in that we did not create or make, it's natural to ask who did make all of this? What do they want of us? We don't know but we can assume they are much more advanced than us in every possible way, so are Godlike in comparison to us.

Like the brain is a biological machine scientists believe does a billion billion calculations per second. The brain has billions of neurons and perhaps trillions of glial cells, which can simultaneously perceive, interpret, store, analyze, and distribute. The human brain can also rewire itself, a feat formally known as neuroplasticity. Neurons can separate and reconnect with others and even change their basic properties. Who could code or program something that does a a billion billion calculations per second? No human could. And it a living machine, all done though biology and not software, which seems even harder to design I would think. Make one of the most advanced computers that exists, and do it with cells/chemicals such as carbon in a living creature. It's mind boggling. A God or God's existing seems reasonable faced with reality.

[kris]

What creates consciousness? This is a question that is inherently limiting since it is based on an unspoken assumption that there is something that creates consciousness. But humans are inquisitive. Thus, a proper question to ask, or wonder, which is free of any assumptions, is how consciousness arises. Any enquiry should not begin with assumptions.

[Catsquotl]

The question of god(s) is irrelevant to the noble eight fold path.
The Buddha has said on numerous occasion (according to scripture)that what he teaches is the 4 noble truths. Nothing less and nothing more.

These truths are to be understood, developed and realized so that we as a living being may be free from suffering. That is all.

Whether or not there is a god, a Self or no self. The Buddha did not answer these questions. He did speak about gods as beings that are still within the realm of rebirth. So an eternal god is not discussed by him as far as I am aware.
This does not mean that he did or did not believe in it.

Nibanna or nirvana is the only permanent, peaceful state. I don't think he said that that equaled God.

[Tirisilex]

The God realm
https://thubtenchodron.org/1992/09/d...upper-rebirth/

[Catsquotl]

Originally Posted by Tirisilex

The God realm
https://thubtenchodron.org/1992/09/d...upper-rebirth/

Ah, I see.

There seems to be a discrepancy between what the Buddha taught. And How cultures incorporated these teaching within their own religion.

Especially because the Buddha did not emphasize God or Gods in his teachings, But laid out a path that Humans could follow to its natural conclusion.
Makes for a very adaptable teaching. Fitting quite nicely with every idea mankind can have about the afterlife.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Tirisilex

The God realm
https://thubtenchodron.org/1992/09/d...upper-rebirth/

A very good humorous article from TC but it also has wisdom.....

[Maisy]

Originally Posted by sky

A very good humorous article from TC but it also has wisdom.....

"The gods and the demi-gods spend a lot of time fighting and quarreling. A lot of these fights are instigated by the demi-gods because they are so jealous."

Oh no I was hoping fighting and quarreling would end when I left the earth! I don't have a house and am poor and I was wondering if living arrangements would be more fair in the after life. My guess would be we end up in better places if we are better souls. Unlike earth where rich people get the better places to live regardless of what kind of people they are.

[Maisy]

The topics original question was "Did the Buddha believe there were gods?" I assume the Buddha asked about was the one that founded Buddhism. There is no doubt some schools of Buddhism believe in Gods, but I'm not sure about Buddha. I think his position was he refused to talk about the subject. So Buddha did not say there was a God and he did not say there was no God either.

My feeling is Buddha's practice was to live non-conceptually. So he only dealt with what was present to his senses and inner awareness. I think he did not let his mind go off into speculation on things we can not directly perceive.

I believe a bunch of his suttas talk about this. How wondering if something exists or not is just speculation.

The Buddha explains why he has left these speculative views undeclared (MN 63.8):

"Because it is unbeneficial, it does not belong to the fundamentals of the holy life, it does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana." Buddha

[Miss Hepburn]

My take ---the reason the demi-gods fight is because they have not hitched their wagon to God Himself.
They are looking at each other instead - creating jealousies.
When one focuses on God - everything is pretty clear.
Hope that was ok to say 'God' in a Buddhist section...I know some Buddhist friends believe in a Superior Power.