Is it possible for Buddha to be God in Buddhism?

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I dont know much about Buddhism but I know that the main concern in Buddhism is a non theistic one concentrating mainly on human nature and action with those following it sometimes technically being atheists.I am not sure how “organized” it is as a religion.I know though that at times there are dieties and spirits in Buddhism but I have a feeling that varies depending on the region.Please correct me on that if I am wrong.Is it possible though in some forms of Buddhism to think of Buddha as God though?.
 
No. Buddhists do not believe that Buddha is a God, but that he achieved enlightenment.

They do not worship a creator, nor have any concept of one. Only that life is a continuous wheel, making then unmaking itself, and all that die simply become part of the cycle again, and when you die your lifeforce could be anything from a turnip to a camel. They believe there is no need for a creator, because the universe simply keeps remaking itself, and has been doing so for eternity, and has no beginning nor end - like an infinity symbol.

Buddhists have no concept of anything “other-worldly” like spirits either, by the way.
 
Buddhists are generally agnostic or atheist. Siddharta Gautama was an agnostic.
 
Buddhism is not incompatible with the idea of gods however, most Buddhist nations have adapted Buddhism to the religions which existed prior to its arrival (Hindu and Chinese gods in SE Asia for example). In Japan there is the belief that Buddha is Amatarasu Omikami (the chief diety). While Buddhism is completely incompatible with some religions, like Christianity or Islam, it can easily blend into others with only minor changes.
 
Having been a Buddhist, maybe I could explain just a little. Buddhists don’t think of Buddha as God. However, they do have the idea of gods, moreso in the Mahayana branch of Buddhism than in the Theravada branch.

The Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism in Japan is a Mahayana sect. It states that all you have to do to reach the Pure Land is to say this with full faith, once: “Namu Amida Butsu” which means (roughly) I believe in Amida Buddha. After that you say it as a prayer of sorts. Amida Buddha is the compassionate aspect of Buddha which I guess could be considered a god. There is a mythology associated with how Amida Buddha came into being but I can’t remember it now. So, the Pure Land is equivalent to Nirvana (“blowing-out”) or heaven. That’s specific to Jodo Shinshu.

In both branches of Buddhism the goal of Nirvana means no more suffering because of desire. The “blowing out” meaning of Nirvana means the blowing out of desire as one would blow out a flame on a candle. The human condition of desire is viewed as something harmful and something to be gotten rid of. That’s the purpose of meditation which Jodo Shinshu does not require. Also, the idea of trying to transcend dualism is present in order to reach Nirvana.

Anyhow, yes, there are concepts of spiritual beings, very much so. For example, Bodhisattvas are somewhat analogous to angels. They are beings “in training” who have almost made Buddhahood. (That’s not to say that real angels are in in training to become God; just that that’s how Buddhists view Bodhisattvas.) There are also many demons. And there is the idea of having many millions of Buddhas who have reached Nirvana; spiritual beings which could also be thought of as gods. There are quite a few who have names and that you could pray to in order to receive things.

The fat smiling Buddhas you see all over the place are representations of Maitreya Buddha, who is to be the next Buddha manifested in the world.
 
I dont know much about Buddhism but I know that the main concern in Buddhism is a non theistic one concentrating mainly on human nature and action with those following it sometimes technically being atheists.I am not sure how “organized” it is as a religion.I know though that at times there are dieties and spirits in Buddhism but I have a feeling that varies depending on the region.Please correct me on that if I am wrong.Is it possible though in some forms of Buddhism to think of Buddha as God though?.
Buddhism has many gods, but they are not important. Since Buddhism accepts reincarnation then all of us have spent lifetimes as gods; likewise all of us have spent lifetimes in the hells.

The Buddha lived in the Tushita Heaven before his last life on Earth, so at that point he was a god. The next Buddha, the Maitreya, is currently in the Tushita Heaven himself, awaiting his next and final birth on Earth.

You are right that Buddhism concentrates on our actions:To avoid all evil,
to cultivate good,
and to cleanse one’s mind -
this is the teaching of the Buddhas.

– Dhammapada 14:5
rossum
 
I dont know much about Buddhism but I know that the main concern in Buddhism is a non theistic one concentrating mainly on human nature and action with those following it sometimes technically being atheists.I am not sure how “organized” it is as a religion.I know though that at times there are dieties and spirits in Buddhism but I have a feeling that varies depending on the region.Please correct me on that if I am wrong.Is it possible though in some forms of Buddhism to think of Buddha as God though?.
I have attended the “Dharma Center” with friends…The “Infinite” and “Eternal” is “assumed”…the sacredness of life…the “holiness” of life and with it that “First Principle” is not focused upon…if God exists…and many of the Buddhists I know believe God does exist…they believe once one reaches “Enlightenment”…the questions of “Does God exist” and “What is the nature of God” is a non-issue.

For my Buddhist friends, Buddhism is about how one lives one’s life in response to that “assumption”.
 
Rossum, yes, I forgot about Tusita Heaven and its inhabitants; also about the teaching you cited from the Dhammapada. Something I thought of after I posted the first time was that in Dharma school they would say that there are many ways to get to Tokyo. But you all arrive there just the same. That means that all religions try to get to heaven or attain Nirvana etc. but you all end up at the same place. Also, as an aside, in the US the Jodo Shinshu sect is represented by Buddhist Churches of America. There are temples scattered about the country. It’s been around for about 100 years or so, and in its name, Churches was chosen to make it more palatable to Western folks. All that to say that there was and has been an effort to sort of close the gap between Buddhist and Christian ideologies.
 
I have attended the “Dharma Center” with friends…The “Infinite” and “Eternal” is “assumed”…the sacredness of life…the “holiness” of life and with it that “First Principle” is not focused upon…if God exists…and many of the Buddhists I know believe God does exist…they believe once one reaches “Enlightenment”…the questions of “Does God exist” and “What is the nature of God” is a non-issue.

For my Buddhist friends, Buddhism is about how one lives one’s life in response to that “assumption”.
Hi Publisher: That sounds about right. I know lots of people of different faiths who practice Buddhist meditation techniques and principles of right living. It seems to be that it dovetails nicely into just about any religion. I think it even reflects a higher path for these people because can make God experiential rather than a concept. I also know people who are formally Buddhist but believe in God. While I am not Buddhist myself, many from my faith do recognize the Gautama Buddha as an incarnation of God in human form. Many do not. Then again, I believe everyone and everything is - it’s just a matter of what level of realization of this a given being has.

Your friend
Sufjon
 
All that to say that there was and has been an effort to sort of close the gap between Buddhist and Christian ideologies.
When Christianity was being persecuted in Japan the Christians did the opposite, they adopted Kannon/Avalokita as a version of the Virgin Mary to allow them a secret Christian symbol that would pass for Buddhist.



The picture is taken from Kakure Kirishitan.

rossum
 
This is commonly mistaken for a “God, or Goddess”, but it referes to those who have broken free of the “Matrix”, and seeks to help others break free of the Matrix. If anything, the movie Matrix covers many topics of Buddism, sans Serenity in Sultury leathers shooting at Agent Smiths.

Morpheus, would be a Boddhisava, trying to convince Neo, that “There is no spoon”, or “Is this air you think you’re breathing?”. and that humanity is suffering because of their attachment to materialism or this world of illusionary “Internet”. There are many religions such as the Aztech one that claims the after life is just a crazy ghost fun house, full of mechanical wacky robots, And Shiva’s having a very very baddd night mare, dreaming all this up.

On Click, Sandler’s character (forgot his name), lives in an illusion, where he is given a remote control, that goes haywire and fastforward his life. It can mute conversations, fastforward, change colour. He discovers he has edited much of his life away.

And Shakespear claims that “Life is just a stage”.
Those who realise this, and can break free from this wodden set and snap out of actor/ess role, or realise that life is just a silly funhouse, reaches the state of “enlightenment” or cosmic awareness, and frees themselves from staring over and over again in differnt roles (reincarnation).

Because Buddah Sidgatama, was a member of the Brhaman caste in Hindu society, he had to rely on Hindu concepts of Karma, Rama and other religious concepts, which then crosses the Hymilias, ie Tibet, Nepal, Skkim, into China, then to Japan, Thailand-Indo ares Which intermigled with their beliefs. Notably manifesting into Savior-esses such as Gyan Yin, (for thse Catholics in China and Macau).

Buddah claims that life, all this stuff material stuff the computer we’re using, this internet that contains photos, and images of the material world is merely a bunch of ones and zeros and Goto commands. Or this camera that’s stairing at me captures my voice, my receeding hair, my eye colour, my physical existance. Is just data. Buddah Statues, and worshiping Buddah would really fustrate him, because his first teaching, is life sucks (is suffering), the root cause of suffering is our love for ones and zeros of the illusionary physical world, the love for country, money (mammon), sexual relationships, COVETING more stuff, and more stuff. 3, to remove ourselves from this world of stuff, by focusing on harnessing the power of the mind removes us from stuff. Yoda the Jedi said it best "Grieve not for those who have returned to the living force, adventure excitement a Jedi has no need.

This is why monks and nuns have taken a vow of poverty. To remove themselves from distracting “Stuff”, But with the “Force”, buddhist believe that they just disappear, returning to the cosmic world of cosmos, But Christians and other such religions believe they go on and on throgh eternity.

I personally like my world of stuff,not to the sickness of a Mammon worshiper, but I do like creature comforts I like having an identity, rather not being egoless, formless mass of cosmic data. But if it helps Billions of Asians and whoever else find solace. Then it works. Who am I to deny them?

But watch Matrix with this in mind. There is no spoon, there are no buildings, and life is one big internet VR program, controlled my a master computer AI, the archetect, trying to get rid of buggy programing (the Ghosts, Agent Smiths), view our bodies and our minds, as a Virus addled computer bunch of code, requiring constant McAffee programings, through very very clever malcious programers using Trojan files (Temptation, and USUALLY doing bad stuff on the internet, looking up you know what, downloading music or free movies), but know that there is a very fustrated but PATIENT, bunch of programs 24 hour tech support who are willing to keep on working with you the user, to get rid of them.(repention and confession). And soon your PC will resemble a guilt free Mac Book.

Then the Wacozoski brothers had to mess it all up with putting in the Mechs and other mindless action movie garbage. Like Cyberpunk movies relied on intelligence and classy artsy stuff to get their point across (Bladerunner for instance), But the audience needs a leather clad girl with uzis, jumping all over the place, (Trinity was a cool character mind you), and need all the rocket launchers and swat soldiers getting thrown around like rag dolls. Where the essense was the conversations of Neo and Morphus… Talking about being the so called “one”, (because in Buddism, as Bob Marley says “Emancipate yourself from Mental slavery, none but you can free your mind”, to eat the Red pill (make the conscience choice to leave Satan (a money grubbing Hollywood mogul offering your ego all the power the world, to be king of this planet (if you go ALL the way). As I live in China now, and look at the Party Members I feel sorrow for them (despite them making me live in a freezing apartment night after night, with freezing numb typing fingers).

Or you can, free your mind, you find you live in a Morlock like cave, but at least your thoughts are your own, your mind is yours. Now with Christianity, or spritual based religions, you free your heart AND your mind. your mind will just turn to sand, but your heart, your true self, your unactor-ress ego self your orginal identification is free. Sure it’s not perfect and it’s seriously damaged, this is understandable, you’re the thespian but you always always always have a medical staff helping you rehab. Or you can be thespian who doesn’t need rehab and stays alive.

So no Buddah can’t become a God, his mind has already returned to cosmic oneness databank. (Nirvana) he is just ones an zeros. but unvirused ones and zeros. IF Buddhism is correct.
 
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