Five Things You Should Know About Buddhism
B. Friesen
1.) The Origins of Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama was born a prince into a wealthy Hindu
family around 560-480 B.C. He was destined to be a king in
Northern India. He was secure and comfortable. Then one day
Gautama stepped outside of his palace and was confronted
with suffering people. It repulsed and shocked him. Why the
suffering and pain? Driven, Gautama set out on a quest for
understanding. He abandoned his wife and son in what is
known as the “Great Renunciation”, to search for answers.
After six years of searching in vain, Gautama finally gave
up and sat under a bodhi tree; while meditating he received
his “Great Enlightenment”. He became The Buddha, “The
Enlightened One”. His message was for all, enlightenment had
begun with him.
Surely Buddha then should be considered; after all he has
received enlightenment, greater revelation. But wait, unlike
Buddha, who had a definite beginning and a definite end,
there is one who is the “ancient of days”, one who has no
beginning or ending, one who is truth and does not need
further enlightenment. His name is Jesus Christ, God.
Consider who He is and what He has done for us. He has no
equal. Isaiah 46:5 Colossians 1:15-20 John 1:9-14 John 1:17
John 17:3 John 20:31 Romans 1:4 Jude 1:25 Hebrews 13:8
Revelation 22:13
2.)
Buddhist Reincarnation or Rebirth
Reincarnation, or rebirth, for the Buddhist represents the
cycle of lives that a person goes through on earth in the
process of attaining Nirvana. It is the goal of rebirth to
finally earn enough good karma to reach the state of
Nirvana. Samasara is the cycle of rebirths and is
directly related to karma. Good karma is earned through
meditation, living a good life, and seeking enlightenment.
It is the constant struggle to perform and to be “good
enough”. After one is good enough, he escapes the never
ending cycle of rebirths and totally absorbs himself into
Nirvana, into the state of no desire or suffering.
Romans 3:23 states, “…all have sinned and fallen short of
the glory of God.” There is nothing good in and of
ourselves. Many have tried to attain to perfection but
without Christ it is impossible. Jesus alone is the way of
salvation. He alone can cleanse our hearts and lives from
the filth and defiling of our flesh. With great love He
spanned the gap between God and man and took on Himself our
sin. No longer must there be the intense struggle to perform
or live a good life. There no longer has to be a war against
good and bad karma. One simply must trust in what Jesus
Christ has accomplished and seek to serve Him. No works, no
laws or rules, and no personal merit, can save a man from
the consequences of his sin. Only the person and work of
Jesus Christ can rescue us. Acts 2: 38 1Corinthians 6:11
Romans 5:1 Romans 3:24 I Thessalonians 5:9 I Timothy 1:15
Galatians 3:26,28
3.)
Buddhist Karma and Nirvana
Salvation for the Buddhist is realized in Nirvana.
Nirvana is the point one reaches when the mind is freed from
all desires and suffering ceases. This absorption or
annihilation is the Buddhist heaven. Karma affects your
chances of attaining Nirvana. Karma is the belief of cause
and effect. One pays for his good or bad deeds done in this
lifetime or in previous ones. It is a personal battle and
one must not interfere with another individual’s karma. When
intellect is victorious over desire you will reach Nirvana.
No aid is given to the seeker; to attain Nirvana you must do
it alone.
The Bible proclaims that it is not by works of righteousness
that can be done but by His mercy and love He saves freely,
without discrimination, Titus 3:5. Jesus Christ offers
eternal life to those who believe in Him, not annihilation
or absorption into some metaphysical being. Romans 5:21
Romans 6:11, 23 Ephesians 2:6-7 Philippians 3:20 Confidence
can be placed in this hope of eternal life because Jesus
Christ Himself conquered death and rose from the grave. He
is not dead but alive! I Peter 1:3 shows that one can hope
in life that lasts forever because Jesus Himself is alive.
Romans 8:11 John 11:24 Acts 4:33.
4.)
Buddha’s Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path
Buddhism’s foundation, received by Buddha, is the “Four
Noble Truths”:
1. Life is suffering. 2. Suffering is caused by desire. 3.
The cessation of desire eliminates suffering. 4. The
stopping of desire which comes by following “The Middle Way”
between the extremes of sensuousness and asceticism.
The “Middle Way” is achieved by following the “Eightfold
Path” of morality and meditation– 1. Right View 2. Right
Resolve 3. Right Speech 4. Right Action 5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort 7. Right Concentration 8. Right Ecstasy
A singular absolute God is not adhered to in Buddhism. God
is everything and in everything. God becomes your own
self-control, self-renunciation of yourself, your victory
over desires. Intellect and mind is worshiped. One must
adhere rigidly to the rules and laws set forth or salvation
will not be realized.
In contrast, Jesus Christ is the highest form of knowledge
and truth. In Him one finds” everything that pertains to
life and godliness”. He is the one and only creator God as
we see in Hebrews 1:10. In Him all things are able to live
and breathe, Psalm 104:27-30. It is because of Jesus that
one can even think or reason! Christ does not require us
to observe a certain set of laws to obtain favor or
salvation, Romans 3:21-24 and Galatians 3:10-11. God, Jesus,
is not everything, but has all authority over
everything, Matthew 9:6 and Matthew 28:18.
5.) The Vehicles of Buddhism
The two vehicles, or doctrinal flavors, of Buddhism are
Theravada and Mahayana. Theravada is the “Little
Vehicle” and is the early form of Buddhism that offers
salvation only to monks. It is found primarily in Southeast
Asia. Mahayana is the “Great Vehicle” and is the Buddhism of
the masses; salvation is free to the sincere seeker.
Mahayana is widely accepted in the Orient and is gaining
ground and acceptance in the West. Some divisions of
Mahayana are Zen or other Meditation Sects. Both of these
branches of Buddhism are intensely dualistic. The battle is
fought against evil and evil desires. Good is what the
Buddhist strives for in his actions and life - Good and evil
- Light and dark. This is the battle of the Buddhist.
In Christ all can come to salvation on the basis of His
finished work (when He died on the cross) on our behalf.
There is no division, there is no certain sect or group of
people that are not free to hear and receive the message of
Christ. Believers in Christ are one unified body that
functions under the authority of Jesus Christ through the
illuminating work of the Holy Spirit. There is no longer a
battle against darkness because Jesus has brought the light
of the truth. In Christ, salvation is truly free. Salvation
does not result from anything that an individual can do but
simply trusting in what Christ has done for us. John 3:16
Galatians 3:28 Galatians 4:7 Ephesians 4:3 Romans 12:5
1Corinthians 12:12
Consider Christ. He is not a myth. He was not merely a good
man. He was not just a prophet. He was God. He is creator
and sustainer of the universe. He is the only true savior
and friend. 2 Peter 1:16 2 John 1:7 Jude 1:4
Carlson, Ron and Decker, ed. Fast Facts on False Teachings,
Harvest House, 1994.
Martin, Walter and Zacharias, Ravi, eds. The Kingdom of the
Cults, Bethany, 2003.
Langley, Myrtle. Religion, DK, 2005.
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