Buddhist Pluralism and the Concept of God

Abstract

This research aims to study the attitude of Buddhism within the conceptual framework of religious pluralism towards the concept of God in the Tipitaka by focusing on the analysis of narratives concerning the confrontation between Buddhism and Brahmins’ concept of God in the Tripitaka. The study finds that the Brahmins’ concept of God in the Tripitaka is that of a monotheistic God. The Buddhist doctrines cannot accept the Brahmins’ concept of God, but it does not appear to be a straightforward rejection of it. Words of the Buddha in the Tripitaka merely point out that no person has ever been able to examine the concept of God through the senses. As for the caste system and sacrifice, these Brahmin doctrines are directly related to the concept of God. Buddhism does not overturn the doctrines of caste system and sacrifice, but deconstructs them by converting from divine system of classes and rituals to ethical actions as well as natural and political processes. Nevertheless, the attitude of Buddhism towards Brahmins’ concept of God is not sufficient for affirming that Buddhism does not have a religious pluralist outlook because Buddhism maintains that the ultimate truth is objective, thereby opening up possibilities for other religions to discover it. However, Buddhism does not accept that the teachings of all religions are all equally true.