Is atheism compatible with Buddhism?

[YankeyMCC]

9. I'm a practicing Zen student and remain atheist

in fact to my understanding the very idea of some sort of god or gods who judge and intervene in this world is contrary to at least one fundamental tenant of Buddhism, at least the Zen schools.

Some of the things that have kept me practicing with the sangha I sit with are things like the senior teachers saying things like "Don't believe me." "There's nothing magical about this."

Someone else here said Buddhism isn't something your believe it is something you do. That's pretty good, very much what one of the Zen masters from Japan, Dogen (widely considered the father of Japanese Soto Zen) taught.

That said there is faith involved and my own concept of what it means to be spiritual has evolved a good deal since practicing, still no where near in the direction of developing a belief in gods or supernatural things.

The Tibetan tradition and some other older schools around Asia have mixed with older religious traditions and hold many traditions that wouldn't be compatible to what most in the west would consider an atheist view, but there are other schools and traditions.

You might also check out "Buddhism without Beliefs" by Stephen Batchelor

I wouldn't take everything he says without examination but I found it helpful.