Buddhism This religion takes its name from its founder meaning “the enlightened or awakened one”...

Buddhism

This religion takes its name from its founder meaning “the enlightened or

awakened one” about 2500 years ago. What he discovered would solve the

problem of suffering.

Why is Buddhism considered a non-theistic religion?

• Considered non-theistic though it teaches the existence of “gods” (devas), who are heavenly beings who temporarily dwell in celestial world of happiness.

• However they are not eternal in that incarnate form • They are subject to death and rebirth into lower realms of existence.• Early Buddhism dismissed as “foolish talk” or “ridiculous, mere words, a

vain and empty thing” (Digha-Nikaya No. 13, Tevijja Sutta). • Buddha did not see Brahma as a sovereign, all-knowing, all-powerful

Creator God. – He was subject to change, decline and death– Not yet free from self-delusion and the processes of rebirth

• The wise seek to practice Dharma (spiritual truth) of the Buddha (8-fold Path of Middle Way)

• The “God idea” forms no part of Buddha’s doctrine of release from suffering. • He saw something of an impersonal, transcendental Absolute in the realm

of “deathless realm of Nirvana”

2275 million Buddhists in 900 people groups

Basic Concepts of Buddhism

1. The Buddha

2. Four Noble Truths

3. Five Precepts

4. Three Characteristics of existence

5. Rebirth

6. Karma

7. Compassion and Loving Kindness

8. Meditation

9. Buddhist Scriptures

10.Major Schools of Buddhism


1. Life and illumination of Gautama, the Buddha (563-483 BC)

• Son of a Hindu clan ruler of Kshatriva caste in Lumbini, modern Nepal• Sheltered from harshness of life until after his marriage: he saw he

could not escape sickness, old age and death.• Once exposed to reality, he abandoned his wife/child to find meaning in

life, the ultimate answer• He spent six years searching extreme practices of self-mortification,

starvation hoping to develop spiritual insight but without finding self-realization. It was only when he stopped torturing his body that he saw the nature of things at the age of thirty-five.

• He devoted himself to intense mental activity which culminated in a “flash of enlightenment” under a sycamore fig tree (Bo or wisdom tree)

• The “flash” had to do with suffering, its cause and cure• Conclusion: suffering is intrinsic to human existence and comes from

desire or craving (for possession, selfish enjoyment and especially the desire form separate, individual existence

• In this experience he saw a state of perfect peace and bliss in which greed, hatred and ignorance were totally absence called it Nirvana


Life and illumination of Gautama, the Buddha (563-483 BC)

• The solution he saw was the elimination of all desire, selfish craving, lust for life, have been renounced and destroyed through a pathway to this state called the Noble Eightfold Path.

• The last 45 years he spent as a humble monk, teaching others what he himself had discovered

• This is accomplished by the “Middle Way” – not extreme asceticism nor by fleshly self-gratification

• Starting with Hindu idea of Karma, where people are reborn according to previous life’s behavior

• Buddha never claimed divinity nor that he was inspired by any god.• He was only a teacher to guide those who chose to listen, rather

than a personal savior. • He was only a guide to those who must tread the path themselves,

attain spiritual Awakening and see truth and reality as he did.• “Only by complete detachment could a man’s thoughts, words, and

actions be deprived of their power to bind him to the inexorable wheel of life and death.” (David-Bently Taylor, “Buddhism”, pp. 120-121)


2. What is a Buddhist?

• Followers of the teachings of Buddha• Ordinary people who often keep their beliefs to

themselves• They follow the Four Noble Truths

1. Dukkha: All realms of existence are places of suffering and dissatisfaction

2. Tanha: The cause of this suffering he identified as craving

3. Nirvana: There is a state in which all suffering and craving was non-existent, a state of bliss

4. Noble Eight-Fold Path is the way to actualize Nirvana


Noble Eightfold Path of Middle Way

1. Right Understanding: Acceptance of the Four Noble teaching and rejection of unworthy attitudes and acts

2. Right thought: free from lust, ill will and cruelty rather detachment, loving kindness and compassion

3. Right Speech: plain, truthful, free from gossip and harshness4. Right Action or Conduct: avoid killing (including eggs and

insects), stealing and illicit sex5. Right Mode of Livelihood: avoid jobs that obligate breaking the

five precepts. Such as involve killing (whether animals or humans), sexual misconduct, deceit, taking intoxicating drinks or drugs.

6. Right Effort: There are four aspects to this: the effort to avoid the arising of evil, the effort to overcome evil, the effort to develop wholesome states and the effort to maintain wholesome states.

7. Right Mindfulness or Awareness: This encompasses The Four Foundations of Mindfulness. This involves being mindful of 1. the body and bodily processes 2. feelings 3. states of mind 4. thoughts, ideas, Buddhist teachings such as the Four Noble Truths

8. Right Concentration or Meditation: The final factor focuses on developing meditative concentration leading to the eradication of the five hindrances and the experience of the four jhanas


3. Five Precepts

1. Abstain from harming human beings, animals and even insects (no hunting, fishing, etc)• You could eat meat if an animal was not specifically

killed for you

2. Avoid taking what is not given• Stealing is strongly discouraged• Best to develop generosity

3. Avoid sexual misconduct in thought or deed4. Avoid false speech, lying or deceit5. Avoid indulgence in alcoholic drinks and

recreational drugsThese promote harmony with ourselves and

others, thus prevent further suffering for ourselves and others


4. Three Characteristics of existence

1. Impermanence: all things in a state of continuous change• We create problems when we try to cling on to everything as if

it were permanent, rather than appreciating the moment

2. Suffering: (1st Noble Truth) Physical, emotional and mental pain• Spirit of dissatisfaction that affects all our experience• Misfortune can strike at any time• Way out of suffering are the Four Noble Truths

3. Not-Self: (Denial of a permanent self or soul)• Our nature is five factors that are prone to change: physical

body, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness• It is not that we don’t have individuality, but the personality does

not have an unchanging essence• The most difficult of the three concepts to grasp


5. Rebirth

• We are born and reborn (not the same as reincarnation)

• Six realms of existence into which we can be reborn

1. Hell worlds2. Realm of “hungry ghosts”3. Realm of animals4. Realm of humans5. Realm of jealous gods and 6. Realm of the heavenly worlds

• None of these worlds are satisfactory, though some are worse than others

• Reincarnation is distinct from rebirth since there is no permanent soul or self


6. Karma or kamma

• Buddhism seeks to be helpful to oneself and others, while advising against actions that lead to one’s own suffering or the suffering of others

• Karma means “action” – the process of moral actions having consequences for us in the future– Good deeds lead to happy states/ Bad deeds, to

unhappy ones– Deeds refer to physical actions, words and thoughts--

• Buddhism is a sense of moral justice, without a judge. It is a natural phenomenon.

• Key to Karma: Intention.• Karma and Rebirth Linked: Consequences of this

life’s actions, karma, can affect future lives when appropriate.


7. Compassion and Loving Kindness

• Two human qualities highly regarded:– karuna, “compassion”– metta, “loving kindness”

• Compassion is recognizing the suffering of others and wanting to help alleviate it.– Both with associates and globally– The motivation to share Buddhism, though difficult to understand, is to

help people out of the cycle of life and death (samsara) and the inevitable suffering

• Loving kindness is extending good will, care and consideration to others, which are to be developed– First, one generates feelings of loving kindness to oneself, then a friend

or relative; next to a neutral person; finally towards someone who you feel anger towards or dislike

– Thus feelings of hostility are washed away; destructive energy is redirected towards positive channels

– This is the key to developing proper attitudes towards others and the world around us.


8. Meditation

• In Buddhism the highest goal is nirvana a state where both suffering and desire have been extinguished forever.

• Meditation is a method by which we attempt to look more deeply within ourselves and into the nature of the world around us. – We all do this to some extent whether we meditate or not. The

Buddha, however, gave precise instructions how this meditation should be undertaken.

– Traditionally, there are two methods - 'calm' or samatha meditation and 'insight' or vipassana meditation.

• In the first, the idea is to calm the body and concentrate the mind. Often, the meditator will use the breath to focus and in this way, with perseverance, a degree of calm and concentration are reached. Calm meditation leads to a series of rapturous states known as jhanas.

• In vipassana meditation, the aim is to see things as they really are. This is less to do with calming the mind (although this may be a by-product) than with being aware.


8. Meditation

• There are many benefits to meditation. – It helps you to operate in a more relaxed way and therefore

more effectively. – Decisions are made calmly and logically, not based on

sudden gusts of emotion that can easily throw us off balance if we're not guarded.

– It can make us more aware of what impulses and desires govern our behavior and by being aware of these we can deal with them at a conscious level.

• The importance of meditation is that it is a means of helping us realize nirvana in a way that is practical and both physically and mentally beneficial.

• Supposedly, the Buddha himself attained nirvana through the practice of meditation.


9. Buddhist Schools: Theravada and Mahayana

• Theravada Buddhism was the earliest form of Buddhism – means “Old” (Thera) “Way” (vada), or ‘the

Doctrines of the Elders’. – Theravada Buddhism takes the Pali Canon as its

main source of authority, seeing these early scriptures as the authentic word of the Buddha.

– A few months after the Buddha’s death, a meeting was held – known as the First Council – and agreement was reached on what the Buddha’s teachings were.

– His teachings were then committed to memory by his followers and passed on orally.



• Mahayana: (The “Greater Vehicle”) emerged between 150 BCE and 100 CE. In its early stages,

• Mahayana Buddhism was not a single movement but a number of disparate groups who began to question the Theravada perspective on the Buddha’s teachings.

• Mahayana Buddhism was uncomfortable with the Theravada emphasis on desire for personal enlightenment, what is sometimes referred to as the arahant or ‘saintly’ ideal.

• If Buddhism was to be driven by compassion then to strive for one’s own enlightenment could be seen as selfish;

• True Buddhism would be more concerned about enlightenment for all. – It was for this reason that this Buddhist tradition referred to itself

as ‘the greater vehicle’ and referred to the Buddhism that preceded it as the Hinayana or ‘ lesser vehicle’.



• The Bodhisattva Ideal or Model. --• To reach this stage they have attained six perfections, namely: the

perfections of giving, morality, patience, vigor, meditation and wisdom. • Sometimes this is extended to a further four perfections, namely: the

perfections of skill in means, aspiration, power and knowledge. • Bodhicitta--• The aim in Mahayana Buddhism is to strive to be a Bodhisattva. • Within the Mahayana tradition a whole pantheon of bodhisattva figures

emerged, the most important of whom is Avalokitesvara (literally, ‘the Lord who looks down’). He is often depicted with many heads and arms, the former symbolizing his ability to see the suffering of all beings and the latter his ability to serve all beings.

• The Mahayanist tradition saw the Theravada as exalting wisdom over compassion. What it sought to do was to place much more emphasis on compassion.



• The Three-Body Doctrine • Appearance body – Dharma body – Bliss body• The Theravada Buddhism placed emphasis on the Buddha as a

flesh and blood human being, the Mahayanist tradition offered a more complex interpretation of who the Buddha was.

• Emptiness • The Mahayana tradition also took the Buddha’s teaching on not-self

a step further, applying it to all phenomena. • In Theravada Buddhism, what we term the self is impermanent and

is made up of five factors: material form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness.

• In Mahayana Buddhism all things are said to be ‘empty’ of an enduring essence and are made up of interacting and every-changing elements known as dharmas.

• This concept is known as ‘emptiness’ (or sunyata) and is crucial to an understanding of Mahayana philosophy. The teaching on sunyata is to be found in The Heart Sutra, an influential text written in about the first century BCE.


Zen Buddhism

• Zen Zen Buddhism emerged in China in the sixth century AD, stemming from the inspirational life and teachings of an Indian monk and scholar named Bodhidharma. From China, this form of Buddhism was eventually brought to Japan in the 12th century.

• A Special Transmission • Zen is essentially a school of Buddhism that places great emphasis on

meditation, in particular, ‘sitting meditation’ known as zazen. The word ‘zen’ itself derives from the Sanskrit word dhyana meaning ‘meditation’. The crux of Bodhidharma’s teachings is captured in the following lines which history has attributed to him:

• A special transmission outside the scriptures;Depending not on words and letters;Pointing directly to the human mind;Seeing into one's nature, one becomes a Buddha

• Direct Pointing • Zen Buddhism in its traditional form places much more emphasis on an

existential experience rather than scriptures. 19275 million Buddhists in 900 people groups

Other Buddhist Groups

• Vajrayana: the Diamond Vehicle– Similar to Mahayana, but adds mystical and cultic elements from

Tantrism, to transform human passions by self-control and acceptance– Name comes form vajra, “something bright, transparent, indestructible,”

like a diamond to refer to the purity of tantric spiritual power.– They use mantra (chant), mudra (physical gesture), and

mandala (meditation cycle)– Began in India in the 1st cent. AD then spread to Nepal, Tibet,

China and Japan.• Lamaism or Tibetan Buddhism (Dharamshala, India)

– Vajrayana Buddhism spread to Tibet in 7th cent. AD combining the ancient Tibetan Bon religion, a local spiritistic religion to form Lamaism, the national religion of Tibet and Mongolia

– The Dalai Lama (lama is “great as the ocean”) is the worldly leader, while the Panchen Lama (“jewel of the scholars”) is the spiritual leader

– Communist conquest in 1951 forced its leader, Dalai Lama, to flee to India – believed to be the reincarnation of a Budhisattva


10. Buddhist Scriptures• Pali Canon: The historical Buddhist scriptures• Pali is the language they were originally written in,• The Pali Canon - also known as 'the three baskets' is split into three categories - are the

closest we can get to the words of the Buddha, even though they were not written down until three hundred years so so after his death. .

• The Three Baskets • The Pali Canon consists of three divisions, the Tipitaka, which literally means the 'three

baskets'. • Each of these baskets has different concerns.

– First, the Book of Discipline, which includes the rules of monastic discipline given by the Buddha during his lifetime.

– The second division is the Sutta Pitaka, a collection of the Buddha's discourses. This contains the essential teachings of the Buddha, accounts of his own enlightenment experience, and instructions on morality and meditation.

– The third division is Higher Teachings which offers an intricate analysis of the nature of mental and physical existence.

• Considered A Miracle• After the Buddha's death and final entry into nibbana - the Buddha's followers met at what was

called the First Council, and a consensus was formed on what the Buddha's teachings actually were.

• There were then committed to memory and passed down orally from generation to generation. • It was not until the first century BC that the Buddha's teachings were finally written down.• The language used was Pali, the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism. • The scriptures were written on palm leaves and stored in three baskets, hence the name

Tipitaka. 21275 million Buddhists in 900 people groups

Buddha’s borrowing from Hinduism

• Wheel of life (cyclical time line)• Karma (consequence of

deeds)• Maya (illusion)• Asceticism• Atman (individual soul)• Reincarnation of soul• Moksha (realization)• Pantheistic• Caste System

• Wheel of Life (unmodified)• Karma (unmodified)• The Middle Way• No Atman• Rebirth without reincarnation• Nirvana (oblivion)• Atheistic > Pantheistic• No Caste System

Hindu Concepts Gautama’s Buddhism


Prayer and witness for Buddhists

• Buddhism in various forms plays a dominant role in Asian life and culture. • Influences at least 1 Billion people and is the state religion in 5 Asian

countries. There are 1.6 million Buddhists in the United States.• Resistant to the Evangelical Gospel message. Less than 1% Protestant and

3,000 unreached Buddhist people groups in SE Asia.– The difficulty is that they are taught to mix and blend various religious ideas.

Christianity demands exclusivity. – Asian cultural pride and identity is linked to Buddhism

• Believe there are many paths to one God• Deny that we have a soul or personality, so a personal understanding of God

is a foreign concept• Follow a mixture of one or more dominant Buddhist traditions, animism and

ancestor worship• Jesus is understood to be a spiritual master similar to Buddha.• Most Buddhists have never hear the Gospel, nor know anyone who has!


Bridges for Evangelizing Buddhists

• Suffering: deeply concerned with overcoming suffering but must deny that suffering is real. Christ faced the reality of suffering by solving its problem: sin. Trusting in Christ can rise above suffering in this life, because of the hope of a future life free of suffering (2 Cor 4:18)

• Meaningful Self: must work to convince themselves they have no personal significance, even though daily they live like they do. Need to see how we are created in the image of God, thus have characteristics distinct from animals and rest of creation, plus how God values people such that He would die for them (Rom 5:8)

• Future hope: Nirvana is no hope at all – only death and extinction. The hope of the believer is eternal life with a personal God who will take away all suffering (Rev. 21:4)


Bridges for Evangelizing Buddhists

• Moral Law: Because of karma, the law of moral cause and effect, is completely rigid and impersonal, making life oppressive. There is no appeal, no mercy and no escape, except through an unceasing effort at self-perfection – a vain effort. To the Christian the moral force governing the universe is a personal God, who listens to prayers, has mercy on those who repent and who controls their lives for good (Rom 8:28)

• Merit: constant struggle to earn merit by doing good deeds, hoping to collect enough to break free from the life of suffering. Their saints can transfer surplus merit to the undeserving. Jesus taught that no one could ever collect enough merit on his own to earn everlasting freedom from suffering. Jesus has unlimited merit (righteousness) by virtue of His sinless life, vicarious death and resurrection, now He offers His unlimited merit as a free gift to anyone who will be His disciple (Eph 2:8-9)

• Desire: they live a contradiction: seeking to overcome suffering by rooting out desire, but simultaneously cultivate desire for self-control, meritorious life and nirvana. Christians are consistent – we seek to reject evil desires and cultivate good desires according to the standard of Christ. (2 Tim 2:22)


Jesus and the Eightfold Path

1. Right Views: Jesus is the way the truth and the life (Jn 14:6) and there is salvation in no one else (Acts 4:12).

2. Right Aspiration: Fights and quarrels come from selfish desires and wrong motives (Jas 4:1-3).

3. Right Speech: A day of judgment is coming when God will hold men accountable for every careless word (Mt 12:36)

4. Right Conduct: The one who loves Jesus must obey Him (Jn 14:21). Those who live by God’s wisdom will produce good acts/fruit (Jas 3:17).

5. Right Livelihood: God will care for those who put Him first (Mt 6:31,33) and all work must be done for God’s approval (2 Tim 2:15)

6. Right Effort: Like runners in a race, followers of Christ must throw off every hindrance to give Him their best efforts (Heb 12:1-2)

7. Right Mindfulness: A sinful mind cannot submit to God’s law (Rom 8:7) and disciples must orient their minds as He did (Phil 2:5)

8. Right Contemplation: The secret of success, inner peace, self-control and lasting salvation is submission to Christ as Savior and Lord, then setting your heart and mind on things above where He reigns in glory waiting to bring the present order of sin and suffering (Col 3:1-4)


Witnessing to Buddhists

1. Avoid terms such as “new birth,” “rebirth,” “regeneration,” or “born again.” Use alternatives such as “endless freedom from suffering, guilt and sin,” “new power for living a holy life,” “promise of eternal good life without suffering,” or “gift of unlimited merit.”

2. Emphasize the uniqueness of Christ.3. Focus on the gospel message and do not get distracted by details

of Buddhist doctrine4. Understand Buddhist beliefs enough to discern weaknesses that

can be used to make the gospel appealing (ref. Bridges for Evangelism Buddhists and Jesus and the Eightfold Path)

5. While using Bridge-concepts be careful not to reduce Christian truth to a form of Buddhism. They are taught to accommodate other religions. Do not say, “Buddhism is good, but Christianity is easier.”

6. Share your own testimony, especially your freedom from guilt, assurance of heaven (no more pain), and personal relationship with Christ.

7. Prepare with prayer. Do not witness in your own strength.


Bibliography

Buddhism, (2002). Interfaith Evangelism Belief Bulletin, North American Mission Board, 4200 North Point Pkwy., Alpharetta, GA 30022

Burtt, E. A. (1955). The Teachings of the Compassionate Buddha. Editor. New American Library, New York.

K. Sri Dhammananda,(1964). What the Buddha Taught. Buddhist Mission Society of Malaysia. (1964).

Gethin, Rupert (1998). Foundations of Buddhism. Oxford University Press.

Gunaratana, Bhante Henepola (2002). Mindfulness in Plain English. Wisdom Publications.

The Mahayana Mahapariniryana Sutra (Nirvana Publications 1999-2000), tr. by Kosho Yamamoto, revised and edited by Dr. Tony Page.

Norbu, C. (1999). The Supreme Source, Snow Lion Publications, New York.

Thich, Nhat Hanh, (1974). The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching. Broadway Books.

Thurman, Robert, A.F. (translator) (1976). Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti: Mahayana Scripture. Pennsylvania State University Press.

Walpola, Rahula, (1998). What the Buddha Taught. Grove Press (1974). Yin Shun, Yeung H. Wing (translator), The Way to Buddhahood: Instructions from a Modern Chinese Master. Wisdom Publications.

Web sites: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_in_Buddhism and http://buddhism.about.com/od/theravada/ss/BuddhismSS_3.html.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_in_Buddhism

http://buddhism.about.com/od/theravada/ss/BuddhismSS_3.html

Buddhism This religion takes its name from its founder meaning “the enlightened or awakened one”...

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