BUDDHISM IS NOT A RELIGION

BUDDHISM IS NOT A RELIGION. It is meant to be self-actualisation through education and aims at humility. Webster's Dictionary, the definition of religion is as follows, "An organized system of beliefs, rites, and celebrations centered on a supernatural being power; belief pursued with devotion."

First, Buddha never preached of himself as a 'supernatural being' with special powers. The Buddha is simply a person who has reached Complete Understanding of the reality of life and the universe. Life refers to ourselves, and universe refers to our living environment. The Buddha taught that all beings possess the same ability within to reach Complete Understanding of themselves and their environment, and free themselves from all sufferings to attain utmost happiness. All beings can become Buddhas, and all beings and the Buddha are equal by nature. The Buddha is not a God, but a teacher, who teaches us the way to restore Wisdom and Understanding by conquering the greed, hatred, and ignorance which blind us at the present moment. The word 'Buddha' is a Sanskrit word, when translated it means, "Wisdom, Awareness/Understanding". Buddhism is His education to us, it is His teaching which shines the way to Buddhahood. 　　

Second, Buddhism is not a religion because 'belief' in the Buddha's teachings is not via blind faith. He constantly taught his followers not to blindly believe what he said, he wanted his followers to try the teachings and prove them for themselves. 　　

Third, Buddhism is not a religion because all the accompanying 'rites and celebrations' that you witness after his death are not necessary. The myths of the miracles that he performed are by laws of physics untenable and unprovable so we need not take any basis in it. The good thing is without these miracles, nothing is compromised since nothing was divine about Buddha and his actions in the first place.