Download Study of Cults and False Religions Week 13: Buddhism

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Study of Cults and False Religions
Week 13: Buddhism
What do these celebrities have in common: Harrison Ford, Uma Thurman, Richard Gere,
Tiger Woods, Steve Jobs, and George Lucas?
They all have, to some extent or another, practiced or dabbled in forms of Buddhism.
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In fact, George Lucas is on record saying that one of his main goals behind “Star
Wars” was to introduce the ideas of Buddhism to the western world.
If you have eaten in many Chinese/Asian restaurants, you have probably seen at least one small
statue near the cash register of a fat and happy man. You probably thought it was Buddha – but
that statue isn’t of THE Buddha. It was “Budai” – also called the “laughing Buddha” or the “fat
Buddha.” To some Buddhists, Budai is A buddha, but not THE Buddha. Budai was a Zen
Buddhist monk. If you happen to go to one of my favorite restaurants in Spring Lake, Chopstix –
which has a great lunch buffet – you will occasionally see guys that look like this:
Picture #1
We have a small population of Buddhists right here in our area. In fact, if you drive out on Hwy
24 out toward Johnsonville (past Spout Springs), you will see this sign:
Picture #2
That is the Anantachin Buddhist Monastery (the building in picture #2) – pretty new, built in the
last couple of years, I believe? I’m not sure how many monks attend there, or what “sect” of
Buddhism they are – but I’ve seen at least 10 or so monks eating at Chopstix at the same time.
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There are estimated to be around half a billion followers of Buddhism around the world – it is the
fourth largest religion, behind Hinduism and Islam and Christianity. China has the highest
number of Buddhists of any country at around 250 million.
In the US, Buddhism has exploded in popularity recently. It is estimated to be the 4th largest
religion in the states, behind Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. There are estimated to be around 2
million practicing Buddhists in the US. The greatest NUMBER of Buddhists live in southern
California and LA – around 500,000 – while the place with the highest PERCENTAGE of
Buddhists is Hawaii – about 8% of Hawaii’s population are Buddhist.
History
According to the best of scholars understanding (since there are no written records of his life
until about 200 years after him, and what was written was based on oral tradition that had some
myth and legend added in the two centuries between) Siddhartha Guatama was born in what is
now Nepal around the 6th century BC.
Tradition has it that Guatama was the son of royalty – some sources indicate that he was born
into a second-caste family of warriors. When he was a young man, he grew deeply troubled
when he saw a frail old man, an invalid, and a funeral procession. When he inquired as to what
these things were, he was told they were the fate of all humanity – the inescapable cycle of birth
and death as taught in the Hinduism in which Guatama was raised.
Guatama did not want to accept this. He left his home and eventually settled in India. In those
years, he went on a quest to solve this puzzle of existence, initially trying a lifestyle of extreme
asceticism – destroying his health and almost dying in the process. After a few years of that, he
decided that the true way must lie somewhere between hedonism – which is unbridled pursuit of
pleasure – and asceticism – which is intense self-denial and simple living, intentional poverty.
Guatama then found the Middle Path or the Middle Way that sought to make the most sense out
of reality, suffering, life, death, and the nature of existence. Instead of asceticism, he believed
that the way to escape pain, aging, and death was through deep meditation.
It was while meditating that Guatama reached enlightenment and became the Buddha, and could
have proceeded directly to nirvana (the Buddhist equivalent of heaven) but one of the Hindu
gods persuaded him to stay and teach others what he had discovered.
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Eerdmans’ Handbook to the World’s Religion notes that in the 6th century BC, several
world religions formed within 50 years of each other, including Zoroastrianism, Jainism,
Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism – all of which are still around to this day.
o The book contends that these religions had a common theme of revolting from the
ancient systems of “priest-craft” (where the elite priesthood had incredible
spiritual and political power over the people). Guatama Buddha broke from
Hinduism, and his teachings were targeted to common men and women who were
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not of the priest-caste and were not interested in pursuing monastic life. In fact, in
his first group of followers, he intentionally selected men from the Brahmin or
priest caste and simple merchants, to break down the separation between them.
o ****Interestingly, this would have been the same time period as the preaching of
Isaiah and Micah.
 Remember in our study of Micah how hard he preached against the
priests and the prophets who were polluting the people?
Micah 3:11 - The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the
prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD
among us? none evil can come upon us.
**It is possible that Buddha and the founders of those other religions were also influenced by the
preaching of Isaiah and Micah – which would not have been impossible in that area of the world
at that time.
Guatama Buddha lived to be about 80 years old, and then he died after a brief illness.
Teachings
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There is no question that Buddha borrowed much from Hindu theology and philosophy –
and pretty much everything I read said that you need to understand Hinduism before you
will be able to understand Buddhism…. So, I got them backwards, but it’s too late now!
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While there are a many “sects” of Buddhism that have an incredible diversity, many of
the foundational teachings are shared across the spectrum.
o For instance, Zen Buddhism seems to focus on chants, etc.
o We will not try to cover ALL possible variances, and some of the things I say will
apply to one sect more than others, etc.
Writings and scripture
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Buddhists do not hold belief in a personal god, so they also do not believe in any divine
revelation or special revelation in scripture.
o They do have sacred writings – and there are many, many texts that they respect,
study, memorize, live by, and discuss.
o These are believed to contain the ideas and teachings of Buddha, if not his actual
words (although some later teachings are included as well).
 The main writings are called the Pali Canon, and they are much MUCH
larger than the Christian Bible – over 50 volumes collected!
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“Unlike what the Bible is to Christianity and Quran is to Islam… there is no consensus among the
different Buddhist traditions as to what constitutes the scriptures or a common canon in Buddhism.”
(from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism under the section on Buddhist texts)
Buddha
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Buddha never claimed to be a god, but the earliest traditions hold that he was more
than simply a man. But it would not be correct to say that Buddhists worship Buddha.
o That does not prevent him from being revered as a divine figure by some sects of
Buddhism – but he himself never claimed to be god-like or to have a special
revelation.
By the names given to Buddha, you can see that he was and is highly revered.
From Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhahood):
“ Acts of the Buddha gives a long list of names for the Buddha:
Self-existent, Lord of Law (Dharmaraja)…The Teacher…the Lord of the World, the
consoler…the Hero, the champion, the victorious one in conflict, Light of the World, Illuminator
of the Knowledge of True Wisdom, The dispeller of the darkness of ignorance…Great Physician,
Great Seer, the Healer… the Sovereign, Lord of all wisdom…the omniscient…Lord of
Saints…the Perfect Buddha… Tathagata without stain, without attachment, without
uncertainty.”
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Buddha was not the first or only Buddha (or enlightened one). Depending on the sect of
Buddhism, there could be around 30 of them, or as many as thousands of them.
Every Buddhist sect also teach that there is a future Buddha that has been prophesied to
come, called the Maitreya, who will teach everyone the way of enlightment.
Life and Death and Suffering
Buddhism teaches that reality is an illusion, that the self is an illusion. This is one of the many
areas where Buddhism contradicts itself, but Buddhists are not bothered but such contradiction.
In fact, since reality is an illusion, such conflicts seem to be almost expected in their views.
After meditating on the sick man, the old man, and the dead man that he saw, Buddha taught the
Four Noble Truths, which are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Dukkha (suffering) is the plight of existence – to exist is to be unsatisfied and to suffer
Samudaya (desire) causes suffering
Nirodha (cessation) of suffering comes from ceasing to desire
Marga (the way of ceasing) is the Eightfold Path
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The Eightfold Path is basically steps towards enlightenment and ultimately nirvana. The
principles of the path are given in three groups: Wisdom, Virtue, and Meditation.
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Wisdom
o Right views – believe the Four Noble Truths and the ideas of karma and samsara,
and reject all false views
o Right intention – dedicate yourself to spiritual pursuit, renouncing improper
thoughts
Virtue
o Right speech – speak truth, do not cause division, speak kindly
o Right action – do not take life, do not steal, do not misbehave sexually
o Right livelihood – live simply, do not possess more than is necessary, live by
begging
Meditation
o Right effort – work toward eliminating desires, detach yourself from the world
o Right mindfulness – have the proper understanding of self, of reality
o Right concentration – unify your thoughts around enlightenment, seek to be
aware, detach from desires. There are four levels of concentration (which we
won’t get into tonight).
***It is at this point that the arbitrary nature of Buddhism begins to be apparent. Who decides
what is “right”? If there is no God and no revelation from God, how do we know that
enlightenment is a good thing?
***Also, if the cause of suffering is desire, then why is it right to “desire” to be free from desire?
Rebirth
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We are all in a cycle of birth and death and reincarnation (called “samsara”).
The status of your rebirthing is determined by your karma.
o If your karma is good, your rebirth will be good, leading you closer to
enlightenment.
o If your karma is bad, your rebirth will be bad.
While Hinduism teaches there is no escape from this cycle, Buddha taught that ANYONE
could end the cycle of rebirth.
Some Buddhist groups teach a sort of “hell” where the very wicked go, but they can be freed
from that and re-enter the cycle of rebirth and get another chance at nirvana.
***If “self” is an illusion, what exactly is it that is “reborn”? And who decides what actions
produce “good” karma and which ones produce “bad” – and how do you know?
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Nirvana
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Nirvana is the state of bliss when you are finally free from pain and suffering, and you
are liberated from samsara (rebirth cycle).
For some, it is not an “eternal state” per se, but more of a state of “nothingness” or
cessation of existence.
So, the ultimate goal or desire of the Buddhist is to free one’s self from all desire,
even though the self is an illusion and desire is bad…… and ultimately, you want to
cease to exist, because to exist is to suffer.
That is a very sad form of hope!
Bible Response
Self
The idea of “self” is related to the idea of the eternal soul that we talked about last week. It’s also
connected to the idea of “personhood” – really deep topics! The Buddhist has no reason to
question the existence of self outside of his own experiences and understanding – but if the
self doesn’t exist, WHAT is having the experience, and WHAT is doing the
understanding?????
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The Bible tells us that mankind was created in the image of God. We are “persons” and
we worship a God Who is Three-Persons. This idea of “personhood” is central to our
faith.
Genesis 1:26-27
26 - And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have
dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all
the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 - So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and
female created he them.
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And we as “persons” will exist beyond the grave! Our “self” is not annihilated nor does
it cease to exist.
Suffering
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One more Buddhism contradiction: If self is an illusion, then what is it that
experiences suffering?
The topic of suffering is one that every Christian should wrestle with and study and seek
the Lord about.
o We all suffer in different ways and to different degrees.
o Usually, there is a sense in us that we didn’t deserve to suffer that way!
 Job, in the Bible, had those same feelings, and he wrestled with this
problem long and hard, until the Lord spoke to him – but even then, he
didn’t get the answer he was looking for. Instead, he found peace in God
Himself.
While we cannot delve too deep tonight into the topic of suffering, the Bible presents sin
as the explanation for the origin of suffering (as opposed to suffering being the natural
result of our desires).
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We know death came through Adam’s sin:
Romans 5:12 - Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned…
Genesis 3:17-19
17 - And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast
eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the
ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 - Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 - In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it
wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
What is the Bible’s response to suffering? It is Jesus Christ!
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Salvation does not totally remove suffering…Christians suffer, too.
o But our problem is not really suffering at all, it is SIN.
o Sin brings forth death and suffering, and those who die in their sins are headed for
an eternity of suffering – but in Jesus Christ, we have the gift of eternal life.
 Jesus conquered death, hell, and the grave. He destroyed the works of
Satan, and He robbed sin of its power.
o The reason Buddhists don’t have an answer is because they are looking at the
wrong problem. Suffering is an effect of a bigger issue.
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Christianity also has a better answer for how to cope with suffering. Instead of trying to
block it out of our minds, the Bible tells us that God is able to bring good out of our
suffering. (Just as death was actually an action of God’s grace whereby we could be
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delivered from the curse of sin! And Jesus’ death brought immeasurable good and grace
to mankind!)
Romans 8:28 - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to
them who are the called according to his purpose.
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The ultimate evil in the universe – the murder of God’s Son – brought about the ultimate
grace in the universe – that sinners could be reconciled to God!
***Now, to be fair, the Bible does mention that we sin when we are drawn away by our own
lusts and evil desires, and ultimately that results in death.
James 1:14-15
14 - But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 - Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth
forth death.
So, lust could be seen as the precursor to sin, and sin always results in death. But this is a
different idea entirely than what the Buddhists teach. REMEMBER, to exist is to suffer. To
cease from suffering is to cease to exist. There are no such things as “good desires” with the
exception of desiring to stop desiring. This is not Biblical at all! We should desire God!
We should desire righteousness, we should desire for others to know God. We should desire
to love others and be compassionate. We should desire God’s Word.
Instead of annihilating our existence, God instead will annihilate SIN and WICKED
WORKS! The saved will live forever in the true paradise of His presence – fully aware, and
worshipping our God in peace and joy for eternity, fulfilling the purpose for which we were
created.
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We also know that intrinsic to the promise of redemption is the idea that creation itself
will be delivered from the curse that brought suffering, pain, and death.
Romans 8:20-21
20 - For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath
subjected the same in hope,
21 - Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the
glorious liberty of the children of God.
2 Peter 3:13 - Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth,
wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Revelation 21:4 - And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
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Conversation Tips
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Prayer! This is spiritual warfare! Don’t take it lightly! Be prepared, and be bold yet
respectful.
Do your own study on the existence of suffering and what the Bible says, and tell the
Buddhist that you have done much thinking on that subject. Then tell them the answers
that you find in the Bible and in Christ. “We must be as serious about our beliefs as
Buddhists are about theirs.” (World Religions and Cults, Volume 2, page 394)
o For a Buddhist who desires to escape from suffering and rebirth, your testimony
of how Christ freed you from sin and forgave you will be powerful.
You must be able to explain the difference between HEAVEN and NIRVANA!
o In fact, you should probably assume that you will need to explain many of our
common Christian terms.
o For instance, they might THINK they understand if you say you were “born
again” – but in their culture, that would mean something totally different than
what you meant!
Give them a Bible!
o They are used to studying and learning, and the Word of God has the power of
God! (The World Religions book suggest that you should recommend the Gospel
of Mark to them as a starting point.)
Probably the most helpful tip I gleaned from this study is that I should not expect to use
logical arguments when talking to a Buddhist.
o A respectful dialogue – where you LISTEN as much as you SPEAK – will go far.
Logical arguments, verbal traps, and “gotcha” moments come across as overly
aggressive and will not help you win your friend to Christ.
Conclusion:
What do you get when you try to explain away pain and suffering and encourage people
to live morally good lives but without any acknowledgment of the Creator God and without any
eternal accountability for our actions? You get something like Buddhism.
Suggested resources for further study:
Eerdmans’ Handbook to the World’s Religions (published by Eerdmans)
World Religions and Cults – Volume 2 (editors Roger Patterson and Bodie Hodge)
The Kingdom of the Cults by Walter Martin (edited by Ravi Zacharias)