Reverence, Not Worship
Q: Buddha taught that one should investigate the truth for him/herself. Why then, do followers of Buddha look to him for direction, while it is clear that Buddha did not want to be looked upon as a "god" since the notion of a "god" is foreign to the teachings of Buddha? A: I think you are confusing venerating and listening to the good counsel of a teacher with worshiping a deity. The Buddha did indeed say that we should investigate the truth, and he provided us with many avenues that assist us in our investigation. The Buddha was the source of many wonderful teachings that lead to liberation, but even on his deathbed he insisted that each one of us should confirm these teachings for ourselves instead of taking his absolute word for it. Since the Buddha had such boundless compassion to teach us the Dharma, we revere him for doing so and we study and practice his teachings assiduously; but although we look to him for direction, we do not expect that he's going to bestow anything upon us It's for us and us alone to try out, test, investigate and apply the Buddha's teachings. There's nothing inconsistent about looking to an Enlightened teacher for guidance, but the real test comes when we decide whether we're going to DO anything with this guidance. For a Buddhist, not using the teachings to gain liberation for ourselves and others is like having a generous person give you a road map and then not bothering to use it; the map may be useful, but it won't magically transport you to the destination unless you make up your mind to actually go there. |