by 
kreelix
ANSWERS: 8
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It is more of a philosophy than a religion. That is why a lot of people like to keep their religion but seek inspiration from Buddhism.
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It is a religion. It is quite philosophical, But it is definately a religion. All Religions are Philosphies, but not all philosophies are religions.
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Buddhism is not a religion, they don't pray to any diety, what they seek to do, is to go within themselves to find peace and enlightenment through mediation. Buddhists believe in the power of the here and now.
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Maybe you are asking the wrong question- If a philosophy turns into a religion, but nobody is around to hear the announcement, did the announcement ever happen? And so is the religion still a philosophy? But what is the sound of one man making an announcement anyway? Hmm... I had better meditate over this...
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In Japan, the native religion, Shintoism, blended with Buddism without much conflict. In modern times, many young Japanese do not know the differences between them. In many older Japanese homes, you will find both a Buddist Altar (Butsudan) and an Shinto Shrine (Kamidana). Both are a way of life and thinking, without aggression and need to convert others, respect for the elderly and nature. Buddism is also ancestor worship. Is it a religion?
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I consider it more a lifestyle.
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Well I'm not impartial... I've been practicing Zen Buddhism for a number of years... but I definitely consider it to be a religion. Of course, there are philosophical aspects to it, just as there are with all religions. But if you only see the philosophy part, you don't really "get it". Buddhism is about practical spiritual development -- making ordinary lives richer, ordinary people more compassionate and wiser, healing ordinary relationships and traumas, and ending ordinary suffering. It's not about ivory tower thinking and abstractions, it's very much about "what works and what doesn't work". I don't know of any category except "religion" which fits something that is (a) about spiritual development and (b) has some regular structure and form. Buddhism has psychological aspects to it, but it's certainly not psychotherapy. It has philosophical aspects to it, but its certainly not abstract theory. All categories are "fuzzy" in real life, so you can make a case for reclassifying Buddhism, but it seems to me that the best fit is "religion".
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