Some friends say Buddhism is not a religion, it is a philosophy, it is a way of life. What's your
point of view ?

Fr_Chuck

A religion should be a way of life,

ashley19

yes Buddhism is a religion its also a way of life and a philosophy as are all religions

macksmom

Yes it is a religion...the reason most people think it's not is because Buddhism does not fit the usual definition of a religion...it does not recongnize a "supreme creator". Most people say Buddhism is a philosphy, or way of life, because we focus on forming the mind, focusing on the self, for the ultimate goal of enlightenment, not for a "supreme being". But it is a religion, as any formed set of beliefs is, it just varies in beliefs as all other religions do.

nicespringgirl

Does it matter if you are interested in what it teaches you?
Gautama Buddha was the founder of what we know as Buddhism, a spiritual tradition that is recognized throughout the world as one of compassion, peace, and understanding.
He is not considered a "GOD".

Thomas1970

Though Buddhism has acquired many religious trappings over the centuries -- implements and rituals -- it was never expounded as such by Gautama Buddha. Neither did he consider his teachings a "philosophy" of sorts. They are most accurately described by practitioners as "skillful means" or a unity of "wisdom" and "emptiness."
The best analogy often used is that of a raft to cross a swift-flowing river. The teachings are a vehicle to ferry us to the far shore of enlightenment -- a state beyond dualistic conceptions. Once we reach that shore, we send the raft back for the benefit of others, as only a fool would continue on with the raft tied to his back. Upon attaining enlightenment, we no longer need the benefit of words as our guide. We have perfection of wisdom, something Buddhism believes is already at the core of every being, simply obscured by our false comprehensions and limited views.
There is also a very apt Zen parable about a devout meditator. One day his teacher took a seat in front of him and began polishing a floor tile. Distracted by the seeming absurdity of the act, the student broke his focus to inquire of the master's act. The master stated he was attempting to make a mirror. Outraged the student said, "You can't make a mirror by polishing a tile!" His teacher replied, "You can't become a Buddha through meditation!"
The point of this story is, that as long as we have strong attachment to anything, be it concepts, teachings or methods, enlightenment is scarcely possible. The myriad methods of Buddhism are meant to be treated as reverential signposts along a guided path.

nicespringgirl

I prefer to call it "wisdom".

Athos

Buddhism is not a religion in the generally accepted sense of the word. It is a psychology - a way of looking at or understanding life. Some Buddhism, over the years, has degenerated into a kind of religion, but original Buddhism grappled with the difficulties of ordinary life and never claimed a 'god".

Of course, much depends on your definition of "religion". All religions are psychologies, but not all psychologies are religions.