| It is often argued that Buddhism is not a religion | | | | dynamic tradition, it didn't remain written in stone. It kept |
| because they don't believe in a supreme creator god. | | | | evolving over time. Mahayana Buddhism is the largest |
| But, is it really like that? What did the Buddha say? The | | | | branch of Buddhism, and it changes completely the |
| Buddha was a man like you and me, he didn't claim to | | | | teachings and beliefs that could be considered |
| be a god, nor he wanted to be worshiped like one. | | | | traditional. They also add many scriptures to what are |
| Anyway, after his death, many followers started to | | | | considered the canonical ones. |
| worship him and objects associated with him to get | | | | The Mahayana is a reform movement that introduced |
| favor. This is one of the ironies of Buddhism, the man | | | | many changes. The most important of them is the |
| taught not to worship is worshiped. | | | | belief that we have to rely in the power of some kind |
| Buddhism is seen by many as a philosophy. These | | | | of deity to attain salvation. If this sounds strange to you |
| people have to know, however, that the majority of | | | | in a discussion about Buddhism, keep reading, you |
| people who call themselves Buddhists practice it as a | | | | might have many things to learn. What are these |
| religion. They worship statues that represent greater | | | | deities? They aren't the Hindu gods, they are |
| powers and make rituals to get good karma. That is | | | | considered much more powerful than them. They are |
| religion. But, why do they do that? Didn't the Buddha | | | | called celestial bodhisattvas and Buddhas. |
| teach self-reliance to achieve Nirvana? | | | | What are they? You could say that they are |
| The Buddha taught about suffering and how to | | | | advanced practitioners of the Path. They live in the |
| overcome it relying only in ourselves. Well, that is at | | | | heavens because they attained a degree of |
| least according to the traditional and conservative | | | | enlightenment and power. From there, they can help us |
| view. We have to remember that Buddhism is a | | | | as if they were gods. |