Question Most schools of Buddhism do not accept a creator God (although they do accept Devas). Whereas a Christian will say, Christ tells us to love our enemies, accept God's grace and thereby forgive others, this gives us meaning in creation. Or, Jews believe God exist, that God is Good, that His creation is therefore good, and so, we should be good to His creation (the people, the animals, even the earth itself) and this grants meaning. Buddhism believe in ending suffering and compassion but without a believe in God, what then is the purpose of creation? I hope this question isn't too metaphysical. Thank you
Answer Hello Marc,
Not only Christians and Jews believe in one or more gods 'out there'. In Advayavada Buddhism we do not and we find the challenge and enjoyment of wondrous existence here and now very meaningful and rewarding. It is indisputable that the Buddha did not believe in Brahman (God, transcendent and immutable Absolute) or in the atman or atta (soul, immortal self) and taught that man suffers because he does not understand and accept that all things in life are instead utterly changeable and transitory; if the Buddha had ever expressed belief in Brahman and the atman or atta, such a fact would have been unequivocally recorded in History. Man is prone to suffering (duhkha, dukkha) quite simply because he wrongly strives after and tries to hold on to things, concepts and situations which he believes to be permanent, but are not. This is also the essence of Advayavada Buddhism.
