Could a (highly advanced) robot reach enlightenment in Theravada Buddhism?

Theoretically speaking... as there is no belief in a soul, and one only needs to think and act accordingly to achieve enlightenment?
It's just a thought that came into my head... if robots got so advanced, could they actually fulfill a religion?!

I had a back flipping robot dog and it *found* itself in India.

: (

Er...
Why?
The robot being purely logical would see that all is not balanced and would not believe in this mindset...

human beings r 'highly advanced robots'

Would such a robot require initial programming?
Wouldn't that bias the outcome even if it were "successful" in thoughts and acts ?

"...only needs to think ..." -- IFF, at some point it was thinking and not just following programming. Or is that what we are all doing anyway? Regardless, it appears you are poking at just one small aspect of the Buddhist "modernization movement" (traditionalism)Smromoted by many (not just Theravada) followers.

Hmm.. i don't think so. Robot has no heart, they can't fulfill any religion. If human could make a robot that has a heart... that means human could make human. That's impossible. Just my opinion.

love your new pic anyway

By definition, a robot is a mechanical device. While it is conceivable
that such devices may become advanced enough to appear human,
it is unlikely that they would become sentient beings. This may be an
excellent theme for science fiction (or as some call it, 'speculative
fiction'), but at our current level of science, such a belief requires
faith. We all know that faith is not scientific.

Sentient beings have the ability to feel. Before they can reach
enlightenment, they must first feel that they are in a state of
suffering. Even a sophisticated mechanical device is not likely
to feel anything (in the emotional sense). Think of the android
Data in Star Trek - a totally logical being. Any emotion he shows
is completely artificial. Since he doesn't really suffer, he might
be considered enlightened - until he's turned off....

Robots could probably be programed to appear to follow
a religion. Many so-called religious people are either just
going through the motions or are brainwashed (programed).