What do Buddha's believe in instead of god?

Answer 1

The correct answer may be "nothing", but it IS a little bit more complicated.

For a Buddhist every human (and animals too) are equal and do have "the nature of a Buddha". That means everybody can be like Buddha, enlightened, helpful, strong, without pain and desire. There is no God who is responsible for our luck or punishment. It is the Buddhist himself, who has to care for his own future. If he is doing "good things" like helping others (and one self too), there will be good things be done to you. If he is doing "bad things" like killing, stealing, hurting, lying, ..., there will be one time bad things happen to him, like illness, trouble in life. It's difficult to explain, but we call it the "space" and mean everything, that exists, the community, all the people in an abstract meaning.

Just think of an example. If there is a group of people an you always say nasty things to them, they will do not really like you. In fact they will be nasty to you. But if you are friendly and do help others in trouble, then you will recvie some help when you need it. Now think of the group as of mankind (and all animals) and you have "the space".

Answer

To start with Buddhists believe in the Four Noble Truths

1. All life is suffering (Dukkha):

   All aspect of life are essentially unsatisfactory and cause some degree of suffering and pain. Now this ... is the noble truth of suffering: birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering;

2. Suffering has its origin in desire. This includes craving, seeking delight here and there, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination.
3. There is an end to suffering by extinguishing desire.
4. This cessation of suffering can be achieved by the Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

The Noble Eightfold Path has its elements divided into three basic categories as follows:

• Wisdom

1. Right view2. Right intention

• Ethical conduct

3. Right speech4. Right action5. Right livelihood

• Mental discipline

6. Right effort7. Right mindfulness8. Right concentration