Gotama, as it is spelled in Digha Nikaya, was concerned with ending suffering. His teaching has no room for the gods to help a person is realising nibbaba ('nirvana' in Sanskrit). The existence of heaven and hell are not his concern. All of this does not mean that Gotama denies the existence of gods, heaven and hell. If atheism means denial of the existence of gods, then Gotama was not an atheist; and Buddhism not an atheistic religion.
In the 16th Sutta of the Digha Nikaya, called Mahaparinibbana Sutta: The Great Passing (The Buddha's Last Days), an account relating to the gods takes place. Gotama was almost at the end of his life. Just then when Upavana was standing near to him, fanning the dying Gotama, Gotama asked him to move aside. Ananda, Gotama's close disciple, asked the Lord why this was done. Gotama said, Ananda, the devas from ten world-spheres have gathered to see the Tathagata... attain final Nibbana" Gotama continued saying that the devas (gods) are complaining that their vision is being blocked by the monk standing in front of the Lord. Upon inquiring what kind of gods have come, Gotama said that sky-devas, earth-devas and devas who are free from craving are there.
Traditional Buddhism also believes that a person can be reborn in Hell or in the world of hungry ghost or the asuras (demons) or peerless devas etc. Considering this sort of beliefs, it is not correct to label Buddhism as an atheistic religion.
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