Buddhism is a teaching which has spread worldwide absorbing the culture of each country it arrived in, which has resulted in many expressions of Buddhism. The worldwide spread of Buddhism means that it is now practiced by over three hundred million people worldwide, and thus, is generally considered to be a world religion. However, its authenticity as a religion has often come under scrutiny by intellectuals in the Western world. To explore whether Buddhism can in fact be counted as a religion we must acknowledge that the main problems arise when looking for a definition of what a religion is. When applying varying definitions of religion to Buddhism we come up with some very contradictory answers; some which say that Buddhism is simply a philosophy or teaching, whilst others will prove that it is in fact, a religion in practice.

To determine whether Buddhism is a religion or not, we must also note that we, as Westerners will have different views and concepts of religion to those practicing in the East. We must ask the question, is it even possible for Westerners to understand the religious life of Asia? What we view as Asian religion and religious activity is for most of the people practicing it a natural part of daily life; our ideas and concepts vary so greatly that perhaps someone observing Buddhism from a Western perspective may never truly grasp the religiosity of the group.

For one attempting to provide a definition of religion these practices would need to be described in a manner which did not exclude one religion from the definition. There needs to be one thing that is attributed to all religions, a common factor. For many, the common factor is God. However, if we conclude that God is the focus of all religion then much of the material found in Asia must be excluded because there is no God here, and occasionally not even Gods. From the perspective that religion entails belief in a God, Buddhism is excluded from having the title of religion. Many outsiders to the Buddhist tradition may claim that the Buddha held some divinity and is elevated to a Godly position, but the Buddha himself refused to be regarded as divine. For the Buddha, humanity is here to improve ourselves and achieve liberation rather than worrying about ultimate questions. Buddhists would argue that knowledge of a God or the afterlife does not matter as neither help in the quest for nirvana.
If Buddhism is not counted as a religion then what is it? Buddhism can be thought of as a way of life, a philosophy, a psychology, a way of thinking through which we can take responsibility for our present life and lives.

Like all major religions Buddhism contains a morality, rituals and behaviours, certain ethical values and an origin of existence, yet because Buddhists do not believe in an all knowing creator God some claim that Buddhism fails to be a religion. The large variety of definitions of religion shows that we can never give a solid, one answer description of what it is that religion is and does.

One thing must remember that previously Buddhism has many names such as the Buddha’s teaching or message, or the Buddha’s way or the path of attainment. Although the religious status of Buddhism has come under constant attack, we could argue that the questioning is in fact, not necessary. To the Buddhist, their beliefs are essentially a philosophy by which individuals can attain release from the world of karma and rebirth. Knowing whether or not Buddhism is a religion or not cannot lead to salvation, only through practice and understanding can one be led to a happiness which is not transient.

Buddhism is also known as Buddha Dharma or Dhamma, which means roughly the “”teachings of the Awakened One”" in Sanskrit and Pali, languages of ancient Buddhist texts. Buddhism began around the 5th century BCE with the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, commonly referred to as “”the Buddha”".

India, during the lifetime of Gautama Buddha was “in a state of religious ferment,” it was a period during which the authority of The Vedas was in doubt; this was significant as The Vedas were central to Hinduism. Therefore, scepticism regarding their authority was seen as scepticism regarding the Hindu religion itself. The Buddha addressed what he perceived to be the shortcomings of Hinduism; he rejected the inequitable nature of the caste system and preached instead that all beings were equal; by doing this he challenged the supremacy of the Brahmins. It is also interesting to note that Buddhism was the first

“Religion” to indoctrinate women into its religious order or sangha. The Buddha also held the superstitious nature of Hinduism in disdain, as Spears says, “He (Buddha) was an opponent of the priesthood, magic and sacrifice.” Buddha advocated rightful conduct over spells and charms. This line of thought held particular resonance with members of the middle class, who were growing increasingly critical of the aristocratic privilege bestowed upon Brahmin priests. The priests, in turn maintained their stronghold over Hinduism by way of performing rituals, which were often in the form of spells and sacrifice. Buddha’s open rejection of Hinduism was highly inflammatory, especially to the Brahmins. However, Buddha’s message of equality for all strongly appealed to the lower castes within Hindu society. Thus, the egalitarian nature of Buddhism, as well as its renunciation of Hindu ritualism and Brahmanism contributed to its success.

The Buddha rejected the idea of man’s salvation being reliant upon an external force or being such as God. In this sense, Buddhism is not a religion, but rather a philosophy. The early Buddhist sects were either atheistic or agnostic. The atheists believed it was “man, who created God in his own image,” whilst the agnostics believed that the search for and contemplation of God was “an exercise in futility.” Both of these beliefs were in stark contrast to Hinduism’s worship of a pantheon of Gods. Buddha championed the benefits of meditation and reflective practises over prayer, ritual fasting and sacrifices. Buddha’s philosophy taught that salvation lay in one’s own hands. This belief was certainly a revelation to low caste Hindus, who had been brought up to believe that their only hope was to observe the laws of dharma (duty to one’s caste) in order to be reborn into a higher position in the next life. The importance stressed on dharma effectively immobilised lower caste Hindus into a lifetime of servitude and oppression, it also served to perpetuate the hegemonic nature of Indian society. Buddha’s teachings liberated lower caste Hindus. For the first time they were given a feeling of control over their own lives, in the sense that salvation was attainable through a course of right conduct and action rather than adherence to rules made by those in power. Thus Buddhism gained support by espousing the virtues of freedom for all beings, and by preaching that salvation was attainable inside oneself.

As well as placing emphasis on the attainability of salvation, Buddhism also stressed a great deal of importance on the accessibility of its teachings. It was for this reason alone that The Buddha preached in Pali, the then common language of the Gangetic Plain. Spears- “Buddha was an opponent of hiding the truth in the mystery of a strange language and unintelligible books…his message was for all equally…” Therefore, a factor crucial to determining the success of Buddhism in India was the level of its accessibility, particularly to the common man who had long been deprived of religious or philosophical education, accessibility also fostered a sense of inclusiveness.

Buddhism’s success in India lay in its attempts to be tolerant of, yet distinct from Hinduism. Therefore, the early success of Buddhism in India can be attributed to its egalitarian, accessible and peaceful nature, it’s addressing of the social tensions of the day and the support and promulgation it received under several rulers. The social atmosphere of the time was calling for reform, and for many this reform was to be found in Buddhism.