What is buddhism exactly?

[JackShephard]

Sorry, I wasn't sure where this should have gone. So I posted here since religion seems to be a hot topic here.

My question is, what exactly do Buddhists believe? Do they actually worship Buddha as a deity or is it that the just follow in his teachings? What are the principals of Buddhism?

[Amnesiac]

Buddhism is an extremely diverse religion that has many different "schools", all of which follow the basic teachings of reaching enlightenment via the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path, yet diverge on the specifics of Buddhist literature and spirituality versus secularism.

For reference, I'll paste the Four Noble Truths below. Please note that these are contemporary interpretations and not a direct translation of Buddha's writing.

1. Life means suffering.
2. The origin of suffering is attachment.
3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.
4. The Noble Eightfold Path leads to the cessation of suffering.

You can read about the Noble Eightfold Path here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eightfold_Path). It's basically the Buddhist reccomendations (not: not commandments) on how to reach enlightenment through proper ethics, wisdom and concentration.

Buddhists, generally, do not believe in a deity or "higher power". Think of Buddhism not as a religion in the contemporary sense, but as more of a set of philosophical ideals. Buddhism emphasizes that life is full of suffering, and that attachment, craving, and general "giving a fuck" is the cause of this. Because we are so invested in the material world and everything that goes on around us, we become easily frustrated and disillusioned. The only way to "escape" from this suffering is to better oneself; to attain enlightenment by making yourself an overall kinder, brighter and more earnest individual. Worldly attachments are dangerous, and developing the ability to let go and take your focus off of the world around you is monumentally important to becoming more enlightened. This is where meditation comes in – through daily meditation, you can develop the ability to clear your mind completely of intrusive and unnecessary thoughts. It's a method which is designed to make you more alert and focused in your daily life. When you meditate, you're supposed to become as still as possible, both physically (sitting with crossed legs, with a straight back and level head) and mentally – it's all about becoming less emotionally attached to what's around you and the stresses and distractions that clog your thought process.

These are the very central tenants of Buddhism. Nowhere in this system are there godly commandments, arbitrary moral codes on things such as homosexuality and women, or creation myths. This is why Buddhism is often viewed as one of the few "religions" that is entirely friendly to science, even accepting of it – Buddha himself acknowledged that belief in reincarnation, which many Buddhists hold to be true, could easily be false, and that it doesn't affect his teachings in the first place. That's why a belief in rebirth and karma aren't required to follow the teachings of Buddha.

For the most part, Buddha is not worshiped as a deity in the mainstream schools of thought. For example, in Theravada Buddhism, which you'll find mostly in Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand and Cambodia, there's more of a secular angle. Theravada is more focused on meditation and the aleviation of suffering in one's current life. In contrast, many other Buddhist schools, such as Mahayana (which is found more in South and East Asia) have incorporated their own "spiritual" views of buddhas, such as Bodhisattvas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva), and align themselves more with the reincarnation and otherworldly parts of Buddhism.

The Theravada vehicle teaches a comparatively rational view of the universe, while the Mahayana vehicle tends to present a more metaphysical vision, including (among other concepts) the notion of absolute qualities and bodhisattva powers that exist on a universal rather than human scale. (Essential Buddhism, p.45)

Buddha himself never claimed to be a god, yet never denied the existence of one either. Really, Buddhism has no position on deities, because it is not concerned with them. Gods have little to nothing to do with the basics of Buddhism, which focus on you, the individual, and what you can do to better your own life. While some schools of Buddhism and Buddhist cosmology may delve more into the spiritual philosophy and mythology that has developed since the culture's formation, ultimately, that isn't really relevant unless you're truly interested in it.