The Buddhist religion begins with doctrines known as the Four Noble Truths*. The first noble truth is that human existence is unsatisfactoriness (dukkha), that is, 'things are not as they should be'. (Even the happiest of times will end and hence, they too are unsatisfactory.) And life is that way because we crave and cling to what are the impermanent things and ideas of this life.
One author suggests that dukkha is derived from the image of riding in a horse-drawn vehicle where an ungreased axle on one side of the buggy is causing occupants to become nauseous through its lack of proper movement. No wonder humans feel uneasy and even despair at times as they ride in the buggy of normal life!
However, the way out of this unsatisfactoriness of life exists which consists in the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path. You will note in the graphic presented that it is a series of eight 'rights'. Right (correct) 'view', 'intention', 'speech', 'action', 'livelihood', 'effort', 'mindfulness', 'concentration'.
Buddhism, it should be noted, is not just a series of doctrines nor is it a matter of believing certain things. Buddhism is a way-of-life, a practice for true living. Hence, great stress is laid upon the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path.
And the reason for why anyone would want to practice these things is to be liberated from dukkha through an enlightenment or 'an awakening' which means that one sees reality for what it really is.
Enlightenment means to be liberated from dukkha: but what does that liberation actually mean? What happens to the seeker who practises this way and experiences this awakening which liberates?
According to Buddhism, uninitiated people are 'asleep' in a trance of ignorance. Their ignorance revolves around their lack of knowing the nature of the things around them and knowing what they are.
Their ignorance is found in their lack of knowing that every thing around them is conditioned and dependent on some thing else with no thing being eternal or permanent. Every thing comes into existence for a time and then ceases to exist.
Although it's all right to use the sentence 'I am walking' with 'I' in it as 'a way of speaking' after enlightenment we realise that no 'I' exists as a permanent reality. So, Buddhist enlightenment (at least for many schools) is being awakened to the conditioned and dependent reality of the 'I'. When the 'I' is experienced in this way, dukkha is no longer suffered.
This 'awakening' is not primarily intellectual but achieved through the practice of the Eightfold Path.
The other clear difference is that Buddhists 'work out their own salvation'. (No god or higher power works on their behalf.) Buddhism requires diligent practice to achieve enlightenment.
That said, some parallels exist between some of the terms of Buddhism and the Christian faith.
Christians would say that the Bible teaches that those outside of Christ who are not disciples of his, live in the spiritual darkness that envelops the world (Eph 6.12). This darkness, however, is not primarily one of ignorance. It is one of sin.
Sin is a prideful defiance of God the creator centred in the human heart. Such defiance and infidelity alienates us from God; it means we live under the judgement of God.
To remain in this darkness under the judgement of God is to suffer eternal loss of one's life (Jn 3.16b); to receive Christ Jesus as Saviour is to be 'enlightened' (Acts 26.18; 2 Cor 4.6; Eph 1.18) as to Who Christ is and what His benefits to us are. To believe in Christ Jesus as Saviour is to be freed from the threat of God's future anger and punishment of all unrighteousness (e.g., Jn 3.36; Rom 1.18).
But this enlightenment does not come after a long (or short) effort of good works or right living to produce it. It comes by GRACE, the favour of God to those who deserve punishment.
Nevertheless, the operation of God's grace does not take place without an active believing (trusting) in Jesus as the Resurrected Lord (Rom 10.9). So, we are not passive in this process of salvation. For 'it is by grace you are/have been saved, through faith' (Eph 2.8a).
Second, they are now being freed from the power of sin. For now the Spirit of God is within them setting them apart for God. The Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (e.g., Jn 14.17) and leads us into all the truth (Jn 16.13) about themselves and the world.
One of the evil powers of the old sin nature is its ability to focus us on ourselves; the sin nature we are born with gets us to live life self-centredly, ego-centredly. We are turned in upon our selves. What are we to do about that? Well, firstly we ought to meditate on what God in Christ has done on the cross for us.
A central feature of the crucifixion of Christ was that the 'old man' of all believers was crucified with Christ (Rom 6.6) in order that 'the body of sin might be destroyed [rendered ineffective] that forthwith we should not serve sin' (Rom 6.6b).
The 'old man' is our old self, the one under the power of the 'world, the flesh and the devil' who was operating before God's regenerating grace re-birthed us. The cross dealt with that person and its deeds (Gal 5.19-24) at Calvary 2000 years ago (Rom 6.11).
But, although the old self was 'crucified with Christ', Christians must also put the old self's deeds to death (Rom 8.13). We do this by taking off the old self daily as if we were removing an old coat. Further to that, the disciplines of prayer, bible reading and fasting should be planed.
Finally, we will be one day saved from the presence of sin itself when they go to be with Christ (2 Cor 5.1-8) who is seated at God's right hand (Rom 8.34; Heb 12.2).
Paul said that for him 'to live was Christ and to die was gain' (Phil 1.21) and the context suggests that Paul wants to glorify, honour and make known the name of Christ whether he (Paul) is alive or dead (Phil 1.20). Serving Christ Jesus is all Paul cares about (2 Cor 5.15, 20).
Good works are a feature of the Christian life because Christians follow the One who himself, 'went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil' (Acts 10.38). See also Titus 2.14, 3.8, 14.
In speaking with Buddhists from mainland China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Burma, they will often present as people who are endeavouring to do good works towards their goal of enlightenment. Some may not even have much knowledge of their religion and what it teaches, being more nominal Buddhists.
They will tend to major, therefore, on 'ethics' and 'morals'. Of course, that emphasis itself can provide a contact-point for speaking to them about the gospel.
As we know, just good works in themselves cannot secure true enlightenment according to the Christian revelation. Only trusting in Jesus who died to redeem us from our sin nature can do that.
*A form of 'Four Noble Truths' can be observed in all religions after a fashion. The first describes the present alienated state of mankind; the second, the cause; the third the hope of a way out; and the last the way out itself. Of course, distinctive religions propose different content for the 'noble truths' and more importantly, a conflicting but definitive notions of the source for their assured knowledge.
One author suggests that dukkha is derived from the image of riding in a horse-drawn vehicle where an ungreased axle on one side of the buggy is causing occupants to become nauseous through its lack of proper movement. No wonder humans feel uneasy and even despair at times as they ride in the buggy of normal life!
Buddhism, it should be noted, is not just a series of doctrines nor is it a matter of believing certain things. Buddhism is a way-of-life, a practice for true living. Hence, great stress is laid upon the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path.
And the reason for why anyone would want to practice these things is to be liberated from dukkha through an enlightenment or 'an awakening' which means that one sees reality for what it really is.
Enlightenment as Liberation from Dukkha
When the Buddha started to wander around India shortly after his enlightenment, he encountered several men who recognized him to be a very extraordinary being. They asked him: "Are you a god?" "No," he replied. "Are you a reincarnation of god?" "No," he replied."Are you a wizard, then?" "No." "Well, are you a man?" "No." "So what are you?" They asked, being very perplexed. Buddha simply replied: "I am awake." Buddha means “the awakened one.” How to awaken is all he taught.-Buddhist teaching
Enlightenment means to be liberated from dukkha: but what does that liberation actually mean? What happens to the seeker who practises this way and experiences this awakening which liberates?
According to Buddhism, uninitiated people are 'asleep' in a trance of ignorance. Their ignorance revolves around their lack of knowing the nature of the things around them and knowing what they are.
Their ignorance is found in their lack of knowing that every thing around them is conditioned and dependent on some thing else with no thing being eternal or permanent. Every thing comes into existence for a time and then ceases to exist.
Buddhist Liberation means Losing the 'I'
And what about us? Buddha said that we too are conditioned and dependent; we do not have immortal or eternal souls or selves.Although it's all right to use the sentence 'I am walking' with 'I' in it as 'a way of speaking' after enlightenment we realise that no 'I' exists as a permanent reality. So, Buddhist enlightenment (at least for many schools) is being awakened to the conditioned and dependent reality of the 'I'. When the 'I' is experienced in this way, dukkha is no longer suffered.
This 'awakening' is not primarily intellectual but achieved through the practice of the Eightfold Path.
A Christian Pathway
One thing that sets Buddhism and Christianity apart is the theistic basis of Christianity. Only a surface reading of Buddhist material is needed to realise that no god is talked about who is related to creaturely existence in any way. Whereas, in the Christian faith, God is the Father, Almighty, who made heaven and earth and who is met in Jesus Christ, his only Son in the power of the Holy Spirit.The other clear difference is that Buddhists 'work out their own salvation'. (No god or higher power works on their behalf.) Buddhism requires diligent practice to achieve enlightenment.
That said, some parallels exist between some of the terms of Buddhism and the Christian faith.
Christians would say that the Bible teaches that those outside of Christ who are not disciples of his, live in the spiritual darkness that envelops the world (Eph 6.12). This darkness, however, is not primarily one of ignorance. It is one of sin.
Sin is a prideful defiance of God the creator centred in the human heart. Such defiance and infidelity alienates us from God; it means we live under the judgement of God.
To remain in this darkness under the judgement of God is to suffer eternal loss of one's life (Jn 3.16b); to receive Christ Jesus as Saviour is to be 'enlightened' (Acts 26.18; 2 Cor 4.6; Eph 1.18) as to Who Christ is and what His benefits to us are. To believe in Christ Jesus as Saviour is to be freed from the threat of God's future anger and punishment of all unrighteousness (e.g., Jn 3.36; Rom 1.18).
But this enlightenment does not come after a long (or short) effort of good works or right living to produce it. It comes by GRACE, the favour of God to those who deserve punishment.
Nevertheless, the operation of God's grace does not take place without an active believing (trusting) in Jesus as the Resurrected Lord (Rom 10.9). So, we are not passive in this process of salvation. For 'it is by grace you are/have been saved, through faith' (Eph 2.8a).
Christianity as Liberation from Sin
To believe/trust in Christ is to be set free from the penalty of death which is the eternal consequence of sin (Rom 6.23). The consequences of past sins -reaping what has been sown- may still be experienced but not the eternal punishment for their sin.Second, they are now being freed from the power of sin. For now the Spirit of God is within them setting them apart for God. The Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (e.g., Jn 14.17) and leads us into all the truth (Jn 16.13) about themselves and the world.
One of the evil powers of the old sin nature is its ability to focus us on ourselves; the sin nature we are born with gets us to live life self-centredly, ego-centredly. We are turned in upon our selves. What are we to do about that? Well, firstly we ought to meditate on what God in Christ has done on the cross for us.
A central feature of the crucifixion of Christ was that the 'old man' of all believers was crucified with Christ (Rom 6.6) in order that 'the body of sin might be destroyed [rendered ineffective] that forthwith we should not serve sin' (Rom 6.6b).
The 'old man' is our old self, the one under the power of the 'world, the flesh and the devil' who was operating before God's regenerating grace re-birthed us. The cross dealt with that person and its deeds (Gal 5.19-24) at Calvary 2000 years ago (Rom 6.11).
But, although the old self was 'crucified with Christ', Christians must also put the old self's deeds to death (Rom 8.13). We do this by taking off the old self daily as if we were removing an old coat. Further to that, the disciplines of prayer, bible reading and fasting should be planed.
Finally, we will be one day saved from the presence of sin itself when they go to be with Christ (2 Cor 5.1-8) who is seated at God's right hand (Rom 8.34; Heb 12.2).
Liberation for Good Works
Corresponding to the putting to the death of the old nature, we are to 'put on the new nature' (Col 3.10, 12) as if we are putting on a new garment.Paul said that for him 'to live was Christ and to die was gain' (Phil 1.21) and the context suggests that Paul wants to glorify, honour and make known the name of Christ whether he (Paul) is alive or dead (Phil 1.20). Serving Christ Jesus is all Paul cares about (2 Cor 5.15, 20).
Good works are a feature of the Christian life because Christians follow the One who himself, 'went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil' (Acts 10.38). See also Titus 2.14, 3.8, 14.
Conclusion
Although knowing something about Buddhism is helpful in presenting Jesus as the Way to the Father God, I have come to the conclusion that what Buddhists need to hear is the message of salvation itself through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.In speaking with Buddhists from mainland China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Burma, they will often present as people who are endeavouring to do good works towards their goal of enlightenment. Some may not even have much knowledge of their religion and what it teaches, being more nominal Buddhists.
They will tend to major, therefore, on 'ethics' and 'morals'. Of course, that emphasis itself can provide a contact-point for speaking to them about the gospel.
As we know, just good works in themselves cannot secure true enlightenment according to the Christian revelation. Only trusting in Jesus who died to redeem us from our sin nature can do that.
*A form of 'Four Noble Truths' can be observed in all religions after a fashion. The first describes the present alienated state of mankind; the second, the cause; the third the hope of a way out; and the last the way out itself. Of course, distinctive religions propose different content for the 'noble truths' and more importantly, a conflicting but definitive notions of the source for their assured knowledge.
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