user23978: In western philosophy the distinction primarily goes like this:
Philosophy - The rational investigation of human reason.
Religion - Similar but has its basis in faith rather than 'rationality'.
What I was primarily wondering was, does Buddhism make the same kind of explicit distinctions like in western philosophy? Do they view philosophy and religion as the same thing? And, if so what do both Buddhist texts and contemporary scholars say about it.
Not asking whether Buddhism is a religion or a philosophy

user13709: The Buddha once spoke about a philosopher who talked about religions:

AN10.116:3.2: “Mendicants, do you remember this philosopher’s points?”

And the Buddha proceeds to point out the importance of principles in any discussion or lecture:

AN10.116:7.1: Another person rebuts and quashes principled and unprincipled statements with unprincipled statements. This delights an unprincipled assembly,
AN10.116:7.2: who make a dreadful racket:
AN10.116:7.3: ‘He’s a true philosopher! He’s a true philosopher!’

Without a careful discernment of principles, much can go astray:

AN10.116:8.1: Mendicants, you should know bad principles and good principles.

Principles are foundational. Rationality or faith that relies on bad principles is unsatisfactory and unskilled.
Buddhist principles include: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right immersion. The Buddha concludes quite rationally:

AN10.116:12.1: ‘You should know bad principles and good principles.

So perhaps we should all have faith in the rational application of good principles?

23978: <p>In western philosophy the distinction primarily goes like this:</p>
<p>Philosophy - The rational investigation of human reason.</p>
<p>Religion - Similar but has its basis in faith rather than 'rationality'.</p>
<p>What I was primarily wondering was, does Buddhism make the same kind of explicit distinctions like in western philosophy? Do they view philosophy and religion as the same thing? And, if so what do both Buddhist texts and contemporary scholars say about it.</p>
<p><strong>Not asking whether Buddhism is a religion or a philosophy</strong></p>
 13709: <p>The Buddha once spoke about a philosopher who talked about religions:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/an10.116/en/sujato#an10.116:3.2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">AN10.116:3.2</a>: “Mendicants, do you remember this philosopher’s points?”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And the Buddha proceeds to point out the importance of <em>principles</em> in any discussion or lecture:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/an10.116/en/sujato#an10.116:7.1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">AN10.116:7.1</a>: Another person rebuts and quashes principled and unprincipled statements with unprincipled statements. This delights an unprincipled assembly,<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/an10.116/en/sujato#an10.116:7.2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">AN10.116:7.2</a>: who make a dreadful racket:<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/an10.116/en/sujato#an10.116:7.3" rel="nofollow noreferrer">AN10.116:7.3</a>: ‘He’s a true philosopher! He’s a true philosopher!’</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Without a careful discernment of principles, much can go astray:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/an10.116/en/sujato#an10.116:8.1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">AN10.116:8.1</a>: Mendicants, you should know bad principles and good principles.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Principles are foundational. Rationality or faith that relies on bad principles is unsatisfactory and unskilled.</p>
<p>Buddhist principles include: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right immersion. The Buddha concludes quite rationally:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/an10.116/en/sujato#an10.116:12.1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">AN10.116:12.1</a>: ‘You should know bad principles and good principles.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So perhaps we should all have faith in the rational application of good principles?</p>
