Being a ‘not-quite-Buddhist theist’

Buddhism is a tradition that set itself decidedly against theism, with the development of complex arguments against the existence of God. I propose that the metaphysical conclusions reached by some schools in the Mahayana tradition present a vision of reality that, with some apparently small modific...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Rooney, James Dominic (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Cambridge Univ. Press 2022
In: Religious studies
Year: 2022, Volume: 58, Issue: 4, Pages: 787-800
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Mahayana / Hua yan / Theism / Causality
IxTheo Classification:AB Philosophy of religion; criticism of religion; atheism
BL Buddhism
NBC Doctrine of God
Further subjects:B Pantheism
B Buddhism
B Huayan
B Causality
B God
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Summary:Buddhism is a tradition that set itself decidedly against theism, with the development of complex arguments against the existence of God. I propose that the metaphysical conclusions reached by some schools in the Mahayana tradition present a vision of reality that, with some apparently small modification, would ground an argument for the existence of God. This argument involves explanation in terms of natures rather than causal agency. Yet I conclude not only that the Buddhist becomes a theist in embracing such explanations as legitimate, but also ipso facto abandons their metaphysical project and ceases to be a Buddhist.
ISSN:1469-901X
Contains:Enthalten in: Religious studies
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1017/S0034412521000391