BUDDHISM

It developed out of the atheistic tendencies within Hinduism. It was founded on self-realization not God revealing Himself. It denies God and tried to find God from within the individual, that is, enlightenment and self-realization. Salvation is achieving the ultimate state of Nirvana, where there is no suffering and no desire. It is a condition of blissful oblivion-almost non-existence. Since the concept of sin is a mistake and ignorance there is no need of a savior. Buddhism is extremely self-centered. Its efforts are not to help others and glorify God. Body is good and created for a purpose even though its desires and passions are to be controlled. Denial of self is unbiblical. They should be preached about the reality of bodily resurrection and consciousness in heaven and hell.

Gautama born near Banaras in India around 563 BC. His final words – all the constituents of being are transitory; work out your salvation with diligence. Buddha – enlightened one. Disillusioned over many beliefs in Hinduism – caste, endless cycles of reincarnations for Nirvana. Gautama was enlightened as a result of meditation. It was self-realization, not God revealing Himself. Died out in India, but became significant in China, Japan, Korea.

1. Sects

1. Hinayana Buddhism – the lesser vehicle: also known as Theravada school – classic Buddhism – Goal of life is to attain personal enlightenment through personal effort. Consider Buddha as only a man. Found in Burma, SriLanka, Southeast Asia.
2. Mahayana Buddhism – Greater vehicle – assistance can be sought from bodhisattvas for attaining salvation. Buddha is the incarnation of an eternal Buddha essence. popular – in China, Japan, Korea.
3. Zen (Chinese word for meditation) Buddhism – known in the west as a sect of Mahayana Buddhism – emphasizes personal transcendental meditation in lotus position, to solve mystery of life and realize Buddha within yourself. To experience the futility of reason and oneness of all reality.

2. Basic Beliefs

1. GOD - deny creator God. Attempt is to find god within through enlightenment and self –realization.
2. SALVATION – in Buddhism is attaining ultimate state of Nirvana, where there is suffering and no desire – blissful non-existence. Salvation is attained by man’s own self-realization and enlightenment. Sin is a mistake or ignorance. Hence there is no need of a savior and Holy God. Body is essentially evil and must be suppressed. Self-realization is the path that leads to the ultimate realization of no-self. Salvation can be attained by following the middle path, avoiding all extremes of life. One must accept 4 noble truths: a. reality of suffering and pain. B. desire is the cause of suffering. C. suffering ends with the end of desires. D. suffering is alleviated by following 8-fold path to Nirvana. Eight-fold path focuses on right view, right resolve, right speech, right behavior, right vocation, right effort, right contemplation, right meditation.
3. OTHER BELIEFS: there is no permanent entity called soul. There is cycle of birth and rebirth. Karma. Nirvana –it is neither existence nor non-existence.

3. Basic Practices

They are of legalistic abstention and asceticism. One should not kill, steal, commit adultery, lie, drink or use drugs. Religious rituals, prayer, worship of Buddha and relics and statues are also part of their religious practice.

4. Self-Centered

All noble efforts toward others are basically not for others and God, but just to help oneself to progress towards Nirvana. Contradiction of Buddhism: Deny self in order to realize self so that there is no self.

5. The Problem of Evil and Suffering in Human Life

1. Evil and suffering pose the hardest argument against the existence of God. But is evil and suffering good reason for the non-existence of God? If not how to have relationship with God in spite of evil.

2. Some are tempted to falsely conclude that either God is not good or he is not all powerful. According to the atheist there is no God, because the world is full of evil and suffering. But in spite of evil and suffering the theist is for the existence of God. To the theist evil only indicates the existence of God. And since there is God evil and suffering must have a purpose.

6. The Buddhist Solution Is Inadequate

Buddhism is not concerned about God at least as much as it is concerned about the issue of solving the problem of suffering. The essence of Buddhism is expressed through the 4 noble truths. The key thought of Buddhism is that the gap between desire and satisfaction cannot be bridged. This problem can be solved only by getting rid of desire through Nirvana. It is the extinction of desire. Nirvana is hence a spiritual suicide. It is like killing the patient rather than healing him. The Buddhist logic is that since the desire cannot be satisfied with anything in the world, kill the desire. But the fact is that there will still be a desire not to have any more desire, if the person is not totally dead intellectually and spiritually. There is a better solution - in theism. It is possible to have unselfish love and desire within us.

7. Pantheistic Solution and Its Weakness

According to Pantheism all reality is one. Everything else is illusion. Good and bad, evil and suffering are all illusions. In fact, this kind of illusionism is not an explanation of reality, but explaining away the reality. The real question is, if evil and suffering are illusions, then why are they so real to man? In pantheism man has no valid hope.

8. Atheistic Solution and Its Weakness

1. For the atheist only matter was, is and will be. Hence atheists are indifferent to moral values. From the existence of evil and suffering, the atheists conclude that there is no God.

2. Their argument is self-destructive. Because man’s dissatisfaction with the unjustified suffering in the world itself refers to the ultimate standard of justice, which is common to all mankind, existing beyond this world. If that were not the case, we all would have had only relativistic sense of justice. This would, for example, lead one to think that killing is right, and another to think that killing is wrong. Thus, if there is no ultimate standard outside the world, there cannot be a meaningful discussion on evil. Atheists think that the world is cruel and unjust, but compared to what?

3. The atheists say there is no meaning in anything. But if there was no meaning in the world, man would never have been able to realize or think that there is no meaning.

4. Atheism must define what it wants to deny. Atheism cannot account for human wickedness. Because in atheism there cannot have the basis for normative expressions like “ought to be”, “ought not to be”, right and wrong, good and bad etc. The concepts like Eternity, Time, Justice, Honor, love etc. cannot have meaning and basis without God. God exists outside the framework of matter, space, and time.

5. Thus Buddhism, Pantheism and Atheism all fail to give credible explanation for the existence of evil and suffering. Theism is the only solution.

9. Theism as The Only Solution

1. Only theism (belief in the existence of a personal God) can satisfactorily address the problem of evil and suffering. Evil is the privation of something that ought to be. It is the failure of something to be what it is. Evil is not an independent positive reality. For its existence evil depends on things that are REAL. Evil is the absence of the good that was created by God. Evil came from the creatures. The creation is finite and is hence having the potentiality to deteriorate. Moral evil came from moral creatures. Man exercised his freewill wrongly and broke his relationship with God. There is no evil in God. God is involved in His creation. And the evil is used by God for a good purpose.

2. The universe must have a beginning and an end. If the universe is eternal, then there cannot be an actual present, as the past will then be infinite, in which case we would not be in the present. Hence the universe is finite. And every finite thing must have a cause. Thus, the universe came into effect at some point in time. Thus, personal God created the universe.

3. Man is created uniquely in the image of God. There are fundamental differences between the highest animal and the man. Man is moral, mathematical, verbal, rational, able to write and record, able to relate, and has creativity, and spirituality.

Some general points

It was reaction against caste system, priest-craft and ritualism. It spoke nothing about the existence of the first cause or soul. It believes that there is no eternal being; only becoming. It tries to deny the existence of God and soul. It believes only in that which conforms to reason. It asserts that truth must be supported by proof. It is rationalism. It believes that the truth in it is incomplete.

Its preoccupation is liberation of man from the present world. Ego keeps the spirit in bondage. Hence to be liberated one must destroy ego. Destroying ego ends up in meaningless emptiness or sunyata. A perfect man is the one in whom ego was ceased to operate. Attaining Buddhahood is most difficult. Only those who attain it are saved. It does not believe in eternal life after death.

Buddhism does not promise salvation. It emphasizes the intrinsic greatness of man’s capacity to work out his salvation without extraneous aid. Knowledge is essential for the attainment of salvation. Sin consists in desire. Salvation is the deliverance from the necessity of repeated rebirth to eternal cessation of being. Salvation is extinction of existence. At this point one ceases to desire good and evil. Desire can be extinct by 8-fold path. Result of extinction is nirvana – blowing out. Thence there is no more bliss or woe.

It believes not in the transmigration of souls; but in karma i.e., any work necessitates another body after death to realize the fruit.

General Background

Buddhism developed in India around 500 B.C. out of atheistic tendencies within Hinduism. Buddha, the “enlightened one” was a Hindu monk who became dissatisfied and disillusioned over many of the beliefs of Hinduism including the cruel, rigid caste system and the endless cycles of reincarnations to achieve Nirvana. Buddhism was founded on self-realization not God revealing Himself. Buddhism seeks to avoid extremes and to gain Nirvana through a “middle path” of self-enlightenment which ultimately leads to a permanent peaceful state of existence without the craving of normal desires died out in India but by missionary efforts became significant in China, Japan and Korea. Classic Buddhism is called the Theravada School and is found in Burma, Ceylon and Southeast Asia. Populous Mahayana School is seen in China Japan and Korea. Zen Buddhism is widely known in the West as a sect of Mahayana Buddhism which emphasizes personal transcendental meditation in a lotus position realize the Buddha within yourself. Buddhism is one great set of paradoxes and contradictions. For how can one deny self in order to realize self so that there is no self!?! Basic beliefs - God. Buddhism is essentially atheistic, denying a creator God. Each individual is on a personal quest to find the “god” within him i.e. - enlightenment and self-realization. Scriptures - Each branch of Buddhism has its own sacred writings compiled by various teachers and adherents. There is no single “Bible” in Buddhism.

Salvation in Buddhism is achieving the ultimate state of Nirvana where there is no suffering and no desire-total peace and lack of striving. Nirvana is a condition of blissful oblivion - almost non-existence. Found by following the Middle Path which avoids all extremes in life. Must accept 4 Noble truths. The reality of suffering and pain, Craving and desires as the cause of suffering, suffering is conquered by ceasing to have desires, passions, lust and cravings, all sufferings and pain is alleviated by following the Eight-fold path to Nirvana. Eight-fold path. Right view, Right resolve, Right speech, Right behavior, Right vocation, Right effort, Right contemplation, Right meditation. “Salvation” is achieved by man’s own self-realization and enlightenment and sin is merely mistake and ignorance there is no need of a savior or Holy God. Religious ritual, prayer and worship of Buddha and his relics and statues(idolatry) form an important part of religious practice for most Buddhists. Buddhism is extremely self-centered. All noble efforts toward others are for ultimately selfish reasons - to help one make progress toward Nirvana and be free from suffering, struggles and pain, not to help others and glorify God. 

BUDDHA AND CHRIST

Buddha lived 500 years before Christ in India. Nursery of Buddhism was Hindu India. It was one of the darkest ages in the history of India. Buddha claimed no place for himself in his own dhamma. He did not promise to give salvation. He was only a way finder, not a giver of salvation. Buddha did not claim divinity for himself or his dhamma. It was not revelation. It was discovered by a man for man. But he emphasized the intrinsic greatness of man’s capacity to work out his salvation without extraneous aid. Knowledge was essential to the attainment of salvation and ignorance was an impediment to attain it. Socrates said know thyself. Bible says, “Know Him (Jesus Christ) is life eternal and to serve Him is liberation” – the real Gnana marga.

Buddha revolted against the religious convention of the day. He attacked Brahmanical supremacy. Buddhism was a reaction against priest-craft and ritualism and the degradation of human beings through the caste system. It defined the authority of the Vedas and spoke nothing about the existence of the first cause. It neither affirmed nor denied the existence of soul. But Brahminism absorbed Buddhism in India. It mad of Buddha, an Avtar.

Christ was the Messiah foretold by the Jewish prophets. The nursery of Christ is the Jewish faith. In Christianity one can become Christ-like but not Christ. In Buddhism one can become a Buddha by one’s own efforts. Christ said that I am the Way, but Buddha said the he is the Way finder-seeker of truth.

Regarding the value of speculative discourses, Buddha illustrated his point through the parable of man who was hit by a poisoned arrow. This is the true status of every human being. Deliverance is urgently required. Thus, suffering is the natural human predicament. He should pull out his own arrow of suffering.

He considered metaphysical discussion as distracting and unrelated to the attainment of Nirvana. Similarly, God of the Bible is not a God of philosophy. “See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit” (Col 2.8). “Avoid godless chatter and contradiction of what is falsely called knowledge” (1 Tim 4.7; 6.20)

The state where craving ceases is Nibbana. Suffering begins with ignorance. Ignorance produces desire, which causes rebirth, resulting in sorrows. Therefore, to avoid birth, destroy desire. To destroy desire, destroy ignorance through the four noble truths- Dukkha, Cause of Dukkha, end of Dukkha, path leading to the end of Dukkha (eight-fold path) Be liberated from birth, age, disease and death and thereby attain Nirvana. This salvation is possible through the eight-fold path – right understanding, right mindedness, right speech, right action, right living, right effort, right attentiveness and right concentration. There is nothing unchristian in the eight-fold path. But it can be further complemented by the Christian way of life. Thus, the wisdom Christians seek is Christ who is the wisdom of God.

TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA

The present life is only one chapter in the long span of life. Buddha’s way is the Way of Rationality. Buddha was known as dharma vadin – one who reasons according to truth. He did not ask for absolute faith in him or his teachings. He emphasizes reason. Buddhists have to believe only in that which conforms to reason. Buddhism presupposes universal laws (dharmas) which govern human existence which could be known by human reason. The purpose of dharmas is deliverance of all men.

In both Christianity and Buddhism there is an element of faith in the founder. Christ is the revealer of God. Buddha is the enlightened one.

TEACHINGS OF CHRIST

Belief in Christ is essential for salvation. It emphasizes faith. According to St. Paul, “Christ on the Cross is folly to the Greek” “World did not know God through its wisdom” (1 Cor 1.17-24). “But the natural man received not the things of the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned”. (1 Cor 2.14). In Christianity its message is important because it is conveyed by Christ; in Buddhism, the Buddha is important because of the message he conveyed.

The parable of the blind man and the elephant represents the assertions of partial veracity of thoughts in Buddhism. Buddha believed that beyond the truth which he found there are many thousands of other truths which cannot be numbered. Therefore, Buddhism is incomplete. But Christ said I am the Way, Truth and the Life. No one enters the Kingdom of God (or Nirvana) except through me. Anyone who believes in Christ is saved. It is not as rare as the enlightenment experience of “Buddhas” in Buddhism.

 A GOOD BUDDHIST IS BEST PREPARED TO ACCEPT CHRIST

Buddhism is a world view and a way of life leading to the liberation of man from the bondage of the present world. It does not speak much about God, soul or life after death. According to it the most urgent need of man is the liberation from the world. It is possible for Christianity to complement the Buddhist analysis of human predicament. The Buddhist reason and experience can be considered as natural basis upon which supernatural edifice of the Christian faith can be built.

THERE IS SIMILARITY BETWEEN THE BUDDHIST AND THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE AND THE BUDDHIST MESSAGE CAN BE FRUITFULLY COMPLEMENTED BY THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE

If anyone wants to be a follower of mine let him renounce him and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his self will lose it; but anyone who loses his self will save it. What then will a man gain, if he wins the whole world and ruins his self. Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his self. (Mt. 16:24-25)

Thus, to save one’s real self, spirit or soul, one has to destroy the false self or ego. For this one should not allow one’s self to assert itself over spirit. One should prevent the egoistic drive of the self and prevent passion of the flesh. And the genuine self-expresses itself through fruits of the spirit.

The message of Buddha is the same. It is self or ego which keeps the spirit in bondage. Hence to be liberated one has to destroy ego. Buddhism suggests ways for destroying ego or ahamkara. But destroying ego unless it is resulting in accepting Christ will only end up in a meaningless emptiness or sunyata. Because Buddhism does not deal with the real self, it does not give a clear explanation for what would happen to the real self after death. It is here the ideals of Christianity can complement those of Buddhism. In Christianity the real self or spirit of man has to be the spirit of Christ – the image of God in man. This is the real or authentic personality which is to be discovered and developed by man.

In Christian faith the body and soul of man are substantially united together in such a way that they are not separated even after death. “May your spirit, mind and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”. “But the spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you. He that rose up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His spirit that dwells in you” (Rom.8:11). But as a result of sin man lost the image of God or spirit of Christ in him and was subjected to the elemental spirits and lived according to the flesh. (Gal.4:8-9). But through faith in Christ, the image of Christ can be restored in man. Thus, the desires of spirit and desires of flesh are opposed to each other.

The doctrine of ANATTA or denial of atman is nothing but a call to renounce one’s egoism to liberate one’s real self. Thus, Buddhism denies ego or aham. Hence both Buddhism and Christianity agree on the point that “deny your false self to save your real self”. Buddhism stops here. But Christianity goes further to complement that the real self of man is the spirit of Christ or the image of God man.

Buddhism neither maintained nor denied the role of God and His grace in man’s efforts towards self-realization. Thus, it recognized only the role of man or self-effort in spiritual life. This scheme of spirituality can be fruitfully complemented accepting the role of the ever-loving God who is ever willing to help man as in Christianity.

But Buddhism does not believe in faith. But Buddha was neither a rationalist nor empiricist nor mystic nor dogmatist. Similarly, Christian faith is neither rationalism nor empiricism nor mysticism nor dogmatism. Faith takes one to a realm beyond the reach of senses and reason. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (Jn 20:29). Thus, by faith one is accepting something that is beyond comprehension of reason and senses. It is not depreciation of their faculties but an assertion of certain realities which are beyond their reach. This faith is based on the genuine experience of the spirit of Christ which is a deeper personal experience than sense experience and stronger than rational arguments. Thus, in fact for the believer faith is an expression of his inner conviction on the basis of the experience of the spirit of Christ in him. This is in no way enriching itself by adopting the reality of faith in Christ as is evinced in Christianity.

THE GOAL OF LIFE

In Buddhism life is a becoming. A perfect man is one in whom ego has ceased to operate. But Christianity goes beyond this. Man cannot become perfect without the help of Christ. It calls for an irrevocable relationship with Christ.  Thus, denies his self for Christ’s sake and thus saves his real self. The Christian has to put off his old nature to realize the life of Christ more and more. Thus, the Buddhist concept of egoless ness can be complemented by the image of God or spirit of Christ in man.

Christ desired that His followers should learn from Him the humility in spirit. (Mt. 11:29). Christians can be happy not being free from sufferings. They are called to be rejoicing even in the midst of adversities and sufferings. This is possible for them because of their relationship with Christ who suffered and died as a sacrificial lamb for the atonement of the sins of the world. Thus, Christ is the greatest BODHISATTVA (the liberated person who lives for his fellow men). The Christians has to be a liberated person who lives for his fellow men. He lives in the world but not of the world. He lives in the world and is enlightened by Christ who is the wisdom of God, light of the world. He said, I am the resurrection and life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies. And whosoever lives and believes in me will never die (Jn. 11:25).

Hence Buddhist ideal of NIBBANA or the ultimate bliss or enlightenment can be complemented by the Christian idea of

RESURRECTION

Buddhism believes that one can save oneself through self-efforts. It doesn’t find the need of an external savior. But it admits that attaining Buddhahood is most difficult. And only those accept Buddhahood are saved. Prayer cannot help anyone in their efforts. It does not believe in eternal soul or eternal life after death. Its priority is to escape from the present world.

But in Christianity we have a loving savior who sacrificed His life for the atonement of the sins of all men and their salvation. Christ if the greatest of the Buddhas. He is willing to assist all men to attain salvation which is eternal. Thus, there is opportunity for salvation for all those who believe in Christ. God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten son that anyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Here the work which man has to do for his own salvation is already accomplished by Christ – what man has to do is to believe in the substitutionary atonement made by Christ on the cross; thus, salvation is open to all who do this; eternal life after death, resurrection of body and everlasting life with Christ in the eternal paradise are all promised for man.

I tell you the truth whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. (Jn 5:24)

MAIN BUDDHIST GROUPS

Buddha claimed no place for himself in his own dhamma.  He did not promise to give salvation.  He was only a way finder, not a giver of salvation. Buddha did not claim divinity for himself or his dhamma. It was not revelation. It was discovered by a man for man.  But he emphasized the intrinsic greatness of man's capacity to work out his salvation without extraneous aid. Knowledge was essential to the attainment of salvation and ignorance was an impediment to attain it. Buddha revolted against the religious convention of the day.  He attacked Brahmanical supremacy.  Buddhism was a reaction against priest-craft and ritualism and the degradation of human beings through the caste system.  It defied the authority of the Vedas and spoke nothing about the existence of the first cause.  It neither affirmed nor denied the existence of soul. But Brahminism absorbed Buddhism in India. It made of Buddha, an avatar.

THERAVADA BUDDHISM

It is the early Buddhism which was confined to India. It considers man as individual in his own universe, key virtue as wisdom, religion as a full-time job, ideal as Arhat, Buddha as saint, eschews metaphysics and ritual and thus is conservative. In it 3 groups of SACRED SCRIPTURES are there: Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka, and the Abidhamma Pitaka. It is seen in Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand. The aim of this school is to achieve Nirvana.

TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA: In Buddhism one can become a Buddha by one's own efforts. Buddha said that he is the Way Finder - seeker of truth. He considered metaphysical discussion as distracting and unrelated to the attainment of Nirvana. The state where craving ceases is Nibbana.  Suffering begins with ignorance. Ignorance produces desire, which causes rebirth, resulting in sorrows. Therefore, to avoid birth, destroy desire.  To destroy desire, destroy ignorance through the four noble truths - Dukkha (suffering), Cause of Dukkha, end of Dukkha, Path leading to the end of Dukkha (eight-fold path). Be liberated from birth, age, disease and death, and thereby attain Nirvana. This salvation is possible through the eight-fold path - right understanding, right mindedness, right speech, right action, right living, right effort, right attentiveness and right concentration. (N.W. Ross, Buddhism: A Way of Thought NY, A.A Knopf,1980. pp 46-52)

The present life is only one chapter in the long span of life.  Buddha's way is the Way of Rationality.  Buddha was known as dharma vadin - one who reasons according to truth.  He did not ask for absolute faith in him or his teachings.  He emphasizes reason.  Buddhists have to believe only in that which conforms to reason.  Buddhism presupposes universal laws (dharmas) which govern human existence, which could be known by human reason.  The purpose of dharmas is deliverance of all men. The parable of the blind man and the elephant represents the assertions of partial veracity of thoughts in Buddhism.  Buddha believed that beyond the truth which he found, there are many thousands of other truths which cannot be numbered.  Therefore, Buddhism is incomplete.

Buddhism is a world view and a way of life leading to the liberation of man from the bondage of the present world. It does not speak much about God, soul or life after death. According to it the most urgent need of man is the liberation from the world. It is self or ego which keeps the spirit in bondage. Hence to be liberated one has to destroy ego. Buddhism suggests ways for destroying ego or ahamkara. But destroying ego unless it is resulting in accepting Christ will only end up in a meaningless emptiness or sunyata. Because Buddhism does not deal with the real self. It does not give a clear explanation for what would happen to the real self after death. (D.N. Alexandra, Buddhism; Its doctrines and Its Methods NY St Martin’s Press, 1977. pp 171-182)

The doctrine of ANATTA or denial of atman is nothing but a call to renounce one's egoism to liberate one's real self. Thus, Buddhism denies ego or aham. Hence both Buddhism and Christianity agree on the point that "deny your false self to save your real self". Buddhism stops here. Buddhism neither maintained nor denied the role of God and His grace in man's efforts towards self-realization. Thus, it recognized only the role of man or self-effort in spiritual life. But Buddhism does not believe in faith. But Buddha was neither a rationalist, nor empiricist, nor mystic, nor a dogmatist. Buddhism is monistic and denies the existence of a personal creator. It believes the world operates by natural power and law. It deifies Buddha and other gods. In it there is no sin against supreme being. It is contradictory to Christianity.

THE GOAL OF LIFE: In Buddhism life is a becoming. A perfect man is one in whom ego has ceased to operate. Buddhism believes that one can save oneself through self-efforts. It doesn't find the need of an external savior. But it admits that attaining Buddhahood is most difficult. And only those who accept Buddhahood are saved. Prayer cannot help anyone in their efforts. It does not believe in eternal soul or eternal life after death. It's first priority is to escape from the present world. GOD: It is atheistic and knows no God. There is no eternal Being, only becoming. It disproved the existence of God and denied the existence of soul. It repudiated Karma theory. It propounded a great philosophy apparently liberation all the oppressed sections of people. He rejected the philosophy of Vedas. He opposed the philosophy of chaturvarnya, soul and doctrine of karma. His philosophy was Sankhya which asserted that truth must be supported by proof. Buddhism is rationalism. He never claimed to be a prophet or messenger from God. Recognition of human suffering is the basis of Buddhism. SIN: Sin consists in desire. Even desire for heaven is bad. SALVATION: Since it knows no supreme being, salvation is the deliverance from the necessity of repeated rebirth to eternal cessation of Being (Nirvana- Sanskrit or Nibbana-Pali). At this stage one ceases to hate and love; cease to desire good and evil. The existence is destroyed by destroying attachment. Salvation consists in the extinction of existence. Every man is his own savior. No one can purify another. Salvation can be attained by the extinction of desire through 8-fold paths. desire even for heaven is bad. The motive is to escape from misery connected with existence even in heaven. (Conze Edward, A Short History of Buddhism London, Unwin Ltd,1980. pp 39-41)

NIRVANA: It literally means 'blowing out'. It is a total reorientation or state of being realized as a consequence of the extinction of the blinding and binding attachment. One should walk steadfastly through 8-fold path to attain Nirvana. But including Buddha only 3 persons have attained Nirvana. Thence there is no more bliss or woe. BODDHISAT: (Object of faith). He has accumulated through countless ages infinite merit. When a man has faith in him, all his merits are transferred to man and is thus released from the necessity of continued rebirth into this world. MORALS: It was a protest against the caste and ceremonialism of Hinduism. It forbids lying, stealing, killing and adultery. even inner feelings constitute sin. It teaches to overcome evil by good. Since there is no God, there is no duty to God. Duties to man is only advisory, not mandatory. There are a variety of ceremonial laws like, to be clad in rags, mendicant life etc. AHIMSA: Ahimsa Brahmo dharma is a Jain doctrine, not Buddhist. Buddha did not ask not to kill, but to love. Men become Christians only by repentance and new birth by Holy spirit.

FUTURE: Man consists of only name and form (Namarupa). He is a combination of certain Skandhas and when they get separated at death, man ceases. Thus, for the individual man there is no future life. The doctrine of abiding soul is a heresy. It believes not in the transmigration of souls, but of the Karma. Any work necessitates after death another body in which the fruit can be realized. This theory has no moral power or ethical character. But today there are changes in Buddhism. Many believe in transmigration of soul, hell, heaven etc. But there is laxity of morals in Buddhist lands. The process of the degeneration of the world will go on until it is destroyed by fire. (Josh McDowell and Don Stewart. Understanding Non-Christian Religions Here is Life Publishers, California. 1982.pp 166-171)

HINDUS AND BUDDHISM: Now the RSS is enjoying a new-found love for Buddhism. It is doing business with it by encouraging the people to go for it and get money from the Buddhist countries. Brahmins infiltrated and sabotaged it from within and without. Adi Sankara himself supervised the destruction of Buddhism. (VTR Ambedkar and his Conversion, DSA, Bangalore, 1983. p 120). Some were murdered. Some were forced back to Hinduism. Some were reconverted to Hinduism as it was easy to practise. Some went to Tibet, China etc. Buddhism in SriLanka became a racist organization. Sankara and his teacher were Buddhists. They gave up Yanjna and cow sacrifice. They cunningly perverted Buddhist philosophy. After Buddha Nalanda university was dominated by brahmins and thus killed Buddhism. (Kumarila Batta 8th cent). Ramanuja and Madhva Acharyas also participated. They infiltrated into Buddhism and engineered to split it into Mahayana and Hinayana, stage managed conflict between them and drove them out of India. It is in this process that the Brahmins gave up cow-slaughter and beef-eating, borrowed non-violence from Jainism and called it Hinduism. Thus, Buddha was the maker of modern Hinduism. Thus, RSS say Buddha helped Hinduism and hence he is part of Hinduism. Thus, they have swallowed and absorbed Buddhism into the Brahminic religion. But they say it is Buddha who redeemed and revived the Vedic religion. He is considered as the 10th avatar. Whether Buddha meant it so or not, the Hindus made it so. Sankara is considered as Buddha’s disciple. Thus, brahmins swallowed Buddhism and reincarnated as Hinduism. By 10th cent it died out in India. Dalai Lama agreed that Buddhism is part of Hinduism and that Hinduism is superior to Buddhism. (Times of India, 31.1.1979). Thus, the collapse of Buddhism through its integration with Hinduism was complete. It is these Hindus who preach non-violence. Moreover, they are now using Buddhism to save Brahminism. Thus, the religion Ambedkar embraced was a toothless one which can never be antagonistic to brahminsm.

MAHAYANA BUDDHISM

It became popular outside India. It enlarged the Bodhisattva ideal according to which some compassionate beings defer their emancipation in order to save others. It considered man as involved with others, compassion as the key virtue, religion relevant to life in the world, ideal as Bodhisattva, Buddha as savior, elaborates metaphysics and is liberal. Their doctrine was less severe and more suited to the needs of the ordinary people. Mahayana (great vehicle) is a liberal form of Buddhism. It is practiced in China, Korea and Japan. They believe that faith and devotion are sufficient to enable a person to be a true Buddhist and achieve highest spiritual goals. Rigorous practices and intellectual attainments are not essential. Here aim is to become Bodhisattva. He postpones Nirvana to transfer his merit to others. They believe all can become Bodhisattva. All Buddhas are manifestations of the same Buddha reality. To enter the Paradise, one needs only faith in this Amitabha Buddha. Thus, it offers hope for all. They revere Gautama as a great teacher, but they worship Amitabha and other great Buddhas as saviors. (David A Brown A Guide to Religions. ISPCK, Delhi. 1994.p 139).

NICHIREN SHOSHU BUDDHISM

It originated from Nichiren Daishonon, a Japanese reformer (AD 1222 - AD 1282). WORSHIP: The Gohonzon is a black box which supposedly contains universal forces that control the devotee’s life. They believe that there is direct connection between events in a person's life and the treatment to the box. They kneel before the box, recite passages from Lotus sutra, and rub rosary type beads. Their goal is to convert the entire world into the one true faith.

ZEN BUDDHISM

It originated in China and then spread to Japan. It is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism that has become widely known in the west. It believes in special tradition outside scriptures, no dependence on words, direct pointing at man, seeing into one’s own nature and the attainment of wisdom - look within you are a Buddha. Zen means contemplation. Zazen is the method of sitting in Zen meditation with the aim of final enlightenment. The sudden enlightenment (satori) brings the practitioner to a state of maturity. The enlightenment is not possible through study of scriptures or philosophical speculation, but only through a sudden flash of insight during disciplined meditation. They lead a life of simplicity and intuitive inspiration. But in this one is not responsible in evaluating anything in the world or even in his own thoughts. Thus, one loses his capacity to think logically and critically. It mocks critical analysis. But Christians are asked to test all things (1 These 5:21,22). (David A Brown A Guide to Religions. ISPCK, Delhi. 1994.p 141).

MODERN MOVEMENTS IN THAILAND: They include a revival of the practice of meditation for concentration and insight.

Buddhism is an Indian religion founded in North India and based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who is known as the Buddha. Gautama was born in a Hindu family in Lumbini and raised in the small kingdom or principality of Kapilavastu, both of which are located in the modern-day Nepal. These were both a part of the border region of ancient India at that time. Buddhism arose in India and flourished during the reign of emperors Bimbisara, Ashoka, Milinda, and Kanishka. It was then introduced and incorporated into the religious structure of other countries, including Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tibet, China, Korea, Taiwan and Japan, largely due to the efforts of missionary Bhikkhus. Buddhism declined and disappeared from most regions of India around the 13th century. Gautama lived between approximately 563-483 BCE. At the age of 29, Gautama discovered the suffering of his people, first through an encounter with an elderly man. On subsequent trips outside the palace, he encountered various sufferings such as a diseased man, a decaying corpse (a dead human body), and an ascetic. These are often termed “The Four Sights.” Deeply depressed by these sights, he sought to overcome old age, illness, and death by living the life of an ascetic.

When Buddha saw the sufferings of mankind, he was sorry for them, but he couldn’t help them. He never said that he came to give your life or eternal life, but rather he himself did try to overcome old age, illness, and death by living the life of an ascetic. We must remember that God is not the cause of our suffering. Suffering is caused by man's rebellion against God and the free will by which he chose to obey the old serpent in the Garden of Eden. “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life” Deuteronomy 30:19 The truth is that when Buddha saw a diseased man, he couldn’t heal him; when he saw a dead man, he couldn’t raise him up back to life. Not only that, but he couldn’t even help himself to overcome old age, illness, or death! In fact, Buddha accidentally died of food poisoning after a mid-day meal at a goldsmith’s home. (Buddha became ill and died suddenly after he ate a special delicacy called Sukaramaddava).

Now think about Jesus! When Jesus saw the sufferings of mankind, being moved with compassion He said, “I came to set you free”. His sacrificial death for human sin was pre-planned. Jesus declared it from the beginning of His ministry: "I will be crucified, but I will rise again on the third day.” Jesus not only overcame disease, storms, demons, sin and death, but He said, "I came to set the captives free." When Jesus saw blind men, He opened their blind eyes. When He saw sick men, he healed them. When He saw dead men, He raised them back to life! Christ's power is not only to give life, but to give eternal life. Not only does Jesus have the power to heal man's diseases, He has the power to forgive sins. He was crucified, and He rose again on the third day. After His resurrection, the Lord Jesus was on the earth forty days as it is written “to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God…” (Please Read Acts 1:3-11).

Jesus’ disciple, Thomas, initially doubted the resurrection of Jesus. However, when Jesus appeared directly before Thomas, He was so real that this disciple became a firm believer! (John 20:27-28) “Then He [Jesus] said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God.” After that, Jesus ascended to heaven.

For the rest of his life, Thomas lived in India. There his preaching aroused hostility among Hindu priests. Thomas was speared to death about 2000 years ago on July 3, 72 A.D. He was martyred on a hill now bearing the name St. Thomas Mount, a famous historical place in Tamil Nadu, India. He was buried at a place called Mylapore near Chennai (Madras) India. Over his tomb now stands the Basilica of Santhome.

Are you willing to settle the matter of your eternal destiny? Would you ask Jesus into your life right now? Please pray this simple prayer out loud! Dear Lord Jesus, I am a sinner, yet I believe You died on the cross for me, and that You rose from the dead on the third day. I repent of my sins. Forgive my sins, cleanse me with Your blood, and set me free from the bondage of sin. Come into my heart. By faith, I accept You as my Lord and my personal Savior, and I will serve You always. In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN!