Is Buddhism a religion?
佛教是宗教吗？
The word “religion” came from the West. If defining Buddhism by way of the meaning of religion, Buddhism cannot be deemed exactly a religion as the word “religion” connotes the recognition of a supernatural power or powers as the creator and governor of the universe, which Buddhism dissents. Some in the West do not see Buddhism as religion because of this. Those learned and respectable Buddhist practitioners in the past also held the same opinion. I too do not see Buddhism fit the Western definition of “religion” as Buddhism has never acknowledged the existence of the Creator.
“宗教”这个词是从西方传来的，如果从宗教的英文单词religion本身的涵义来解释的话，则佛教也不能算是宗教，因为religion的字义中含有承认上帝存在的意思，西方有些人不认为佛教是宗教，就是由于佛教不承认造物主的存在。而过去佛教的一些高僧大德也持有同样的看法，说佛教不是宗教。我认为佛教也不是西方人所下定义的“宗教”，因为佛教向来都不承认上帝的存在。
Then, what exactly is Buddhism?
既然如此，那么，佛教究竟为何呢？
