Buddhism has nearly 488 million followers worldwide, representing nearly 7% of the total world population, making it one of the largest religions followed in the world. What started in India and spread across Asia as wildfire has now made it across the world. Many practitioners debate whether Buddhism can be truly regarded as a religion because it does not particularly worship any single (or plural) deity or god. Rather it simply focuses on being “enlightened” (the word “Budhha” means “enlightened one”).
This form of enlightenment is what every Buddhist hopes to achieve through morality, meditation, and wisdom. At its core, Buddhism is often regarded by many as a spiritual practice instead of a religious one.
In this post, we will be discussing all of this and much more: how Buddhism and spirituality interlink, what practices are used by Buddhists to promote spiritual well-being, and why is it so popular?
Buddhism as a Religion
Buddhism is often regarded as a spiritual tradition and interestingly, a religion as well. However, it is fundamentally different from other religions practiced around the world. For once, it does not believe in the concept of a Creator or a God; it is more of moral philosophy to help pursue wisdom and knowledge and spiritual wellbeing for our own salvation through self-effort. In this way, all individuals can practice Buddhism if they wish to attain “enlightenment” or “nirvana” – the final stage of Buddhism.
Brief History
How did Buddhism come about as a religion?
It all started around the sixth century BC when Buddha Siddhartha Guatama went on his quest for enlightenment. He left his life of luxury when he encountered an old man, a sick man, and a corpse for the first time; this ignited in him the spark to undertake his journey. He realized that human life is suffering and instead led a life of meditation and traveling until he settled on “the Middle Way” – a unique balance. To achieve this unique balance, you must avoid indulging in one extreme or the other and adopt a life of balance without complete indulgence or complete deprivation.
One day seated under a Bodhi tree in his state of meditation, he reached enlightenment, and soon after, he was regarded as the Buddha, and his teachings spread across the lands.
After he passed away, the followers of Guatama organized Buddha’s teachings which became the foundation of Buddhism as a religion.
Religious vs. Spiritual
Now that we understand the roots of Buddhism, we must now understand the difference between what it is to be religious and what it is to be spiritual. Do you know that while 31% of Americans identify themselves as either spiritual or religious, a staggering 18% still identify themselves as spiritual? This is because many younger, educated, and open-minded individuals are looking for something that is not too organized but instead helps them connect to the world around them. They believe that there is more to life than that which appears on the surface.
Since Buddhism as a religion is more linked to realization and experience rather than one divine authority, it is incredibly suited to those who do not consider themselves particularly religious but instead are spiritual.
Do You Need to be Religious to be Spiritual?
The significant difference between what we regard as religious is that it establishes a set of organized beliefs and practices for all to follow equally. On the other hand, spirituality is a more individual practice that does not need to have a concrete set of beliefs but instead it is related to your sense of peace and purpose.
Moreover, you need not be religious to maintain spiritualism, but many religions regard spiritualism as a part of faith. It’s interesting to note that those who are spiritual but not religious (SBNR) still tend to affiliate themselves with one type of organized belief; perhaps these differences aren’t as wide as they seem.
Why is Buddhism So Popular?
This brings us to our next debate, understanding why Buddhism has spread so rapidly since its inception back in the 6th century. One reason it has spread so wide is that its teachings were simple and taught to all individuals equally. Unlike most organized religions, it focused more on personal spiritual development, the study of life, inner peace, and the elimination of suffering. It has you believe that you and everyone around you has the potential to reach nirvana. Meditation, for example, is the core essence of Buddhism, focusing on experience and realization instead of institutions and divine authority.
How Does Buddhism and Spirituality Interlink?
As mentioned earlier, religious practices and spiritual practices overlap in many areas of the world. Being spiritual is more acceptable than being religious for most. Spiritualism is progressive; it is not limited to one school of thought or belief system but is free for contemplation and search. Buddhism is a unique religion that can somehow be more closely linked to spiritualism than other religions. This is because Buddhism itself focuses on the incremental spiritual progress you make throughout your life until you reach a higher state of being.
Buddhism also says that one must avoid focusing solely on the spirit or the soul because the mind, body, and soul are not separate; they are intertwined and are constantly changing. This means that change is one of the core teachings of Buddhism, and the body is a symbol of impermanence. The real focus it gives is to why we must experience suffering. We must leave our attachments to the material world; forgo lust, hatred, ignorance, and delusion to eliminate the root of suffering. This can be done through meditation and the study of Buddhism.
The Concept of Body and Spirit in Buddhism
Before we discuss the Buddhist teachings for inner peace and meditation practices, we must further discuss the concept of body and spirit in Buddhism. The term “Spirit” is not used in Buddhism. When the Buddha was questioned about the life force (the spirit), he responded that he did not hold these views. This is because we don’t understand the existence of these things.
Instead, Buddhism has regarded the body and mind or spirit as one. It does not dismiss the existence of the essence of humanity but rather dismisses the concept of a permanent independent entity. Your “self” or “soul” is timely, not eternal, and will dissipate at death.
Buddhist Teachings for Internal Peace
Buddhism regards inner peace as a link to your mental wellness. According to Buddhism, Buddha attained his inner peace through meditation. The concept is to overcome sufferings and restlessness, which are in the form of mental defilements. This is a similar concept to spiritualism and healing, where you must focus on eliminating the negative that is clouding your mind. And yes, this does not depend on your physical wellbeing. You can be healthy and still have challenging thoughts, feelings and emotions that make it difficult to navigate life. Buddhism seeks to uproot this very suffering.
To do this, you must practice mindfulness thinking and action to heal yourself through your own experience. Meditation is a widely used tool in Buddhism to train one’s mind; it teaches us to not hold onto the past or dwell too much on the future, but instead live here now where we can experience peace. When you can achieve mental “equanimity” or peace of mind, only then can you be happy and achieve a state of bliss and wellbeing.
Meditation in Buddhism
For Buddhists, meditation is used to promote overall wellbeing and inner peace. It is one of the three core pieces of training used by Buddhists as a part of the “threefold path.”
- First, you must learn ethics and train yourself for the basics of spiritual development.
- Next, you must meditate. When you learn to live ethically, you can make way for a clear consciousness and a more sound meditation process.
- Meditation essentially prepares you for the third step, where you understand the true nature of your life, where you develop wisdom.
Meditation in Buddhism is used to take control of your mind and body as a whole; you must become peaceful and focused. When you establish control, you can stop your mind from rushing into a stream of thoughts. Meditation here relies on the meditator’s own breathing. You must sit in a comfortable position and simply concentrate on your own breathing. Don’t focus on the right way or the wrong way; simply focus on breathing. Do not separate yourself from your breathing practice; just be aware of that around you. You can then un-root your attachment to that which causes suffering, your greed, lust, ego, hatred, and ignorance for a better, simpler, more enlightened living.
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