Hi Sensei Tony. What does God mean to you? This is Sheila.

Hi Sheila- I love your questions directness. You will often read that Buddhism does not have a God. Well, it all depends on how you define that term. Let me clarify how I understand it. For me, God is a verb that symbolizes ultimate reality or the emanating energy of Oneness. God is often portrayed as an erratic or judgmental being who can be angered or jealous, and in that sense I don’t. I believe that these views of God were a projected part of an evolving relationship to the ultimate. In other words, God does not change but our human understanding does. I talk about this at length in my series on the Bible, using the moniker, The Reverend T, given to me by one the editors of Lion’s Roar Magazine) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRnimQ4HTU8&list=PLaViD80xjX40_m7pkwhWZan5Qou5at9yD ).

In the Buddhist denominations, God (my usage) is called, “the all-creation king”, “the One Mind”, “Adi (Primordial) Buddha”, “Vairochana”, “Dharmadatu”, “Samantabhadra”, “Buddha Vajradhāra” and many more. And in Japanese Shin and some Zen denominations, they use the name, “Amida". The great Buddhist teacher, Peg Kennett (she wasn’t allergic to the word, God, either) used the expression “Cosmic Buddha” for the Eternal Emanating Energy of Oneness (which I like too).

But how do we heuristically define what some call, God? This is how the nature of God or the Cosmic Buddha is described in some of the myriad Buddhist scriptures (sutras):

• Cosmic Buddha as Ground: Means the Buddha Nature of all phenomena or “suchness” or the Groundless Ground and Source of all Being.

• Cosmic Buddha as Awareness: Means the self arising wisdom and compassion that is found in the heart of the “sugata” (Shakyamuni Buddha).

• Cosmic Buddha as Adamantine: Means the indestructible, penetrating power of The Buddhas representing the unique insight attained by those who have understood the Dharma. This wisdom is seen as transformative in achieving enlightenment and overcoming mental defilements.

• Cosmic Buddha as Teacher: Means that all Buddhas while manifesting in various bodies (kaya) lovingly promote the welfare of all sentient beings through sending forth countless emanations to all the distinct realms of those to be guided to liberation from suffering.

• Cosmic Buddha as Realization: Means the realization of one’s True Self or Nature. The path of Awakening or Enlightenment through which spiritual freedom and fullness is finally found.

So, as you can see, it’s not so much a question of whether I believe in God ( I would say, instead, “I know”), but how you interpret that very common word. I have found the admonition, “Be still and know (gnosis) that I Am” -very insightful.

For each of us on our spiritual path, we will come to a personal understanding that is both skillful and compassionate. I hope this helped.