Is Buddhism a Religion?

The answer I have consistently heard is “no”. Many describe Buddhism as a way of life, with meditation gaining popularity in the 21st century among Entrepreneurs, Executives, and western communities, in a bid to navigate the ever-increasing demands of contemporary life. 

Although most of the western world considers Buddhism as a philosophy, whenever I go to Sri Lanka and visit a temple, I enter into a place that very much resembles a church or a mosque, enshrining inanimate objects of significance and revered by people who look like worshipers. Upon conversing with these worshipers, you soon learn that their view of Buddhism is much like a belief system, revealed a long time ago by someone who is idealised like a god and whose passing away has led to their revelations being interpreted like theology. 

I like to characterise myself as a logical thinker, and this is why the question of religion is something that has always fascinated me. When you distill the purpose of religion into a single fact, it is supposed to be the answer to humans' search for meaning in their lives. It is this curiosity that is considered dangerous - what if people think there is no reason for living or consequences for their actions? Through this idea is how I believe religions were formed and as word spread of these “answers”, they were translated and transcribed differently which has led to differences between the religions we see today. 

This inherent purpose is where I believe Buddhism differs from other religions. The Buddha taught us a method rather than a belief. Buddhism isn't something to believe in, rather it is something to do. His texts don’t speak of big revelations about the universe or esoteric facts that provide meaning to life - instead, they provide us with a set of tools to begin our journey into gaining the same realisations the Buddha had. He challenged us to find the reason for suffering, how to let go of its source, and finally, how to realise its cessation. This is commonly known as the four noble truths, which are at the core of the Buddha’s enlightenment and teachings.

What I like about this perspective on Buddhism is that it is inherently scientific. We are given a set of practices and asked to solve a problem - humankinds' search for true happiness and meaning. Most religions aim to help individuals by providing a reason - a simple answer that can miraculously save them. They are reaching for consolation. Buddhism on the other hand should not be viewed through the same lens. The commonality between Atheists and Buddhists is their acceptance that the universe is devoid of reason and meaning, however, it is not their reluctance or disinterest that leads to their agnostic stance but rather their recognition of “I do not know”. The metaphor that resonates with the Buddha’s teaching is that of existential confrontation rather than consolation. This confrontation is what truly leads each human's journey as they attempt to peel away layer by layer the mysteries of their existence, either by affirming it as something or denying it as nothing.

Shortly before the Buddha’s passing away, he refused requests from his disciples to appoint a successor, telling his followers to find their own salvation with diligence. Since then, this agnostic dimension to Buddhism has slowly eroded, leading to Buddhism becoming more institutionalized as a religion in the eastern world and its teachings being uncritically accepted as doctrine verbatim.

In the end, it doesn’t matter whether Buddhism is a religion or not, what matters is the individual's journey to realisation. My challenge to anyone reading is to use the tools and teachings in the Dhamma to search for their own meaning, but never forget to keep questioning.