What do Buddhists believe in? Does Buddhism say everything is an illusion? For Buddhist, are all other people just an illusion (philosophical zombies)? For example, when I talk to a Buddhist, he thinks I'm a philosophical zombie without minds,feeling,emotions? It turns out that all people in the world believe that other people have consciousness besides the Buddhism?I don't think this is true, so I want to clarify thanks
Buddhism teaches what is commonly called the human life form is comprised of five aggregates (SN 22.48; SN 22.22), namely, body, feelings (of pleasantness, unpleasantness &amp; in-between), perceptions, mental formations (such as emotions &amp; thinking) and consciousness via the six senses.
Buddhism teaches what is commonly called &quot;the self&quot; is merely a product of thinking and conditioning (SN 22.81) and is not ultimately real and is merely the manifesting of suffering (SN 5.10). Therefore, Buddhism teaches the five aggregates are &quot;not-self&quot; (&quot;anatta&quot;; SN 22.59).
Buddhism says anatta (not-self) is only the true nature of things but is also the understanding that leads to the ending of suffering because, according to the 1st Noble Truth (SN 56.11) all suffering is caused by the mind possessively clinging/attaching to things (the five aggregates; SN 56.11), both internally &amp; externally, as &quot;I&quot;, &quot;me&quot;, &quot;mine&quot; and &quot;self&quot; (SN 22.1).
The sole purpose of the Buddhist teachings is to mitigate and end suffering (MN 22 paragraph 56). Here, it is taught nothing whatsoever should be attached to (as &quot;I&quot; &amp; &quot;mine&quot;; MN 37).
In Hinduism, when it is taught &quot;everything is an illusion&quot;, the purpose of this teaching is also to end suffering and made the mind feel more free &amp; unattached.
In summary, Buddhism believes if you can live according to the Noble Eightfold Path you can live a life that is free from suffering.