Why Do Humans Need Religion? The Journey from Wonder to the Divine

Long ago, in a small temple, there was a little boy who always followed his mother around asking: "Mommy, what is this? Mommy, why is it like that?" Each time his mother answered, he asked again, without pause. Watching this scene, Master Thích Chân Quang once remarked:

Human beings are a troublesome species, full of questions. People always want to know the cause—why, why is it so.

Wondering is a natural part of human nature. And from those questions, religion was born. Let us explore this journey together.

Questions Without Answers

In ancient times, people lived in forests and caves. Their knowledge was still limited. They did not understand why it rained, why fire burned, why sickness and death came. Whenever they saw something strange, they searched for an explanation. But their knowledge was not enough. All they could do was ask questions and… find no answers. Master Thích Chân Quang shared:

One thing we can be sure of is that the knowledge of ancient times was never enough to explain all the phenomena in this life.

Because they could not answer, they attributed everything to heaven. Heaven created all beings, heaven made the rain and wind, heaven decided life and death. That was the only way to explain things and find peace of mind.

Humans Created the Divine

It is truly bitter to see that it was humans themselves who created the gods. And then they submitted to, feared, and worshipped the very things they had made. Master Thích Chân Quang said:

It was humans who created the divine, and then they claimed that the divine created humans.

This became even more powerful because people of every age are easily convinced. People today are no different; even many educated people still believe in new cults. This easy belief allowed theories of the divine to spread and become fixed.

Supernatural Phenomena — Real Happenings

Alongside theories about the divine, there were supernatural phenomena that people witnessed with their own eyes. Master Thích Chân Quang told of tribes that kept "household spirits" to guard their homes, of sorcerers who cast spells that made a girl leave her family to follow another, and of shamans with strange intuition. All these phenomena repeated themselves again and again, leading ancient people to believe firmly that an unseen world existed.

Because these phenomena were so undeniably real, people were compelled to conclude that clearly there was a spiritual world existing parallel to this material one.

Three Elements That Formed Religion

When people believed in the divine, they worried that if they did not make sacrifices and prayers, the god would become angry. Thus rituals came into being. From there, religion formed through three elements:

Theory — a system explaining human life and the universe.

Ritual — the way of showing reverence to the divine.

Community — those who believed and practiced.

Master Thích Chân Quang emphasized:

Once people believe in a god, they feel that since this god is so lofty, so powerful, if they are not respectful toward him, do not think of him, do not speak to him, do not pray, do not make offerings to him, things might not go well.

Buddhism is the same; it has a vast body of theory, rituals, and followers. But the difference is that we look at everything objectively.

Do Not Rush to Blame the Ancients

Today, looking back at theories of a creator god, we may call them superstition. But let us be compassionate. If we had lived in that era, we would have accepted them too. There were no other answers. Master Thích Chân Quang advised:

Never look back at old theories with ill will or contempt, thinking that you are better than they were. One should not be like that.

Understanding the origins of religion deepens our compassion toward the past. It also helps us treasure the teachings of the Buddha all the more—a path that does not rely on the divine, but on awakening and practice to attain liberation. Always keep your spirit of questioning, but bring it onto the path of practice so it may be transformed.