Tenets of Buddhism.

1. Buddhism
by AHaller

2.  Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 B.C.) from NE
India (now Nepal)
 At age 29, left affluence and family to seek a solution to
suffering and never returned
 Tried asceticism but suffered
Buddhism
 Then tried meditation and achieved “enlightenment”–
self realization that one is a non-self in the void. Called
it the “Middle Way” (between affluence and asceticism).

3.  Preached and won many followers in India before dying
of food poisoning in 483 B.C.
 Buddhism spread two centuries later when Indian King
sent Buddhist missionaries abroad
 Today 6% of the World claims to be some kind of
Buddhist. Buddha means “enlightened one.”
Background of Buddhism
 There are two major types of Buddhism: Theravada
Buddhism (for monks) is dominant in Sri Lanka and
Thailand, and Mahayana Buddhism (for everyone)
is dominant in Japan, China and Korea

4.  The Dalai Lama – meaning “the monk whose
wisdom is as great as the ocean” – is the leader of a
Tibetan order of Mahayana Buddhism; He is
believed to be the reincarnation of his predecessor.
Background of Buddhism
The Dalai Lama is thought to be the reincarnation of
the Avalokiteshvara

5. Tenets of Buddhism
 There is no self
 The goal of life is enlightenment by achieving a state
of Nirvana meaning “to extinguish” (the self)
 Theravada Buddhism is atheistic, Mahayana
polytheistic, and Zen pantheistic
Four Noble Truths
 To live is to suffer
 Suffering is caused by desire
 You can eliminate suffering by eliminating desire
 You can eliminate desire by a noble eightfold path

6. Eightfold path - Eliminate desire
 Right Understanding
 Right Intention
 Right Speech
 Right Action
 Right Livelihood
 Right Effort
 Right Awareness
 Right Meditation

7. BUDDHISM
TRUTH: relative
CHRISTIANITY
TRUTH: absolute
GOD: All powerful, intelligent,
moral, changeless, infinite
GOD: a void (Theravada);
Divine Buddhas (Mahayana)
UNIVERSE: no ultimate
reality (all is an illusion)
EVIL: an illusion
SALVATION: Work toward
reincarnation, or ultimate
extinction of ego into Nirvana,
via eightfold path
UNIVERSE: real, created and
sustained by God
EVIL: real, corruption of good
SALVATION: Free gift of
forgiveness and physical
resurrection via faith in
Christ’s atoning work
SUFFERING: caused by
desires in illusionary
world
ETHICS: 10 Precepts
SUFFERING: caused by
sin, a fallen world and free
choices
ETHICS: God’s Moral Law

8. REINCARNATION
Many Times
RESURRECTION
One Time (Heb 9:27)
Into Same Body (John
2:19)
Into Different Bodies
Into Mortal Bodies
Based on Works
Into Immortal Body
(1Cor 15:53)
By Grace of God (Eph
2:8)

9. Buddhism - Writings
 Writings called the “Tripitaka” (“three baskets” of
teachings) that reflect Buddha’s teachings, sermons and
philosophy.
 Numerous additional scriptures are accepted by the
different sects of Mahayana Buddhism.
 While having scriptures, Zen Buddhists (another
Mahayana order) reject dualistic thinking (that which
makes distinctions) and thus put no dependence on words
or letters. True Zen knowledge can only be pointed out
by master to disciple.

10. Buddhism
What’s the Evidence for it?
 Evidence is used to discover if something really is
true (i.e. to see if it corresponds to reality).
 While there is truth in Buddhism, the system does
NOT correspond to reality because:
 Buddhism denies reality exists. Denying the self
exists is self-defeating and therefore false.
 Buddhism denies reality exists. Denying the self
exists is self-defeating and therefore false.
 It is obvious that all is not an illusion. In fact, one
cannot know all is an illusion (not real) unless he
knows what is real.

11. Buddhism
What’s the Evidence for it?
 Buddhism denies reality exists. Denying the self
exists is self-defeating and therefore false.
 It is obvious that all is not an illusion. In fact, one
cannot know all is an illusion (not real) unless he
knows what is real.

12. Buddhism
What’s the Evidence for it?
 It is impossible to eliminate suffering by
eliminating all desire because such a goal involves
the desire to eliminate all desire.
 There is no verifiable miraculous confirmation that
the Buddhist scriptures are from God.
 Without an unchanging Moral Law giver (which
Buddhism denies) there can be no objective Moral
Laws. Yet Buddhism assumes such laws exist (10
Precepts, Eightfold “Right” path, reincarnation
based on actions).

13. Buddhism
What’s the Evidence for it?
 Buddhism is built on the subjective feelings,
experiences and philosophies of men rather than on
any verifiable objective reality.
 (Nothing should be believed in the heart without
first being filtered through the head.)
 Buddhism cannot explain the origin of the universe
because it denies there is a universe.
 Buddhism cannot explain the origin of suffering.
How did it begin? Ask “For what actions did I
serve my first incarnation?”

14. Questions for Buddhists
 Ask questions instead of assuming you know what they
believe. Realize that beliefs of individuals Buddhists
often differ from Buddha’s teachings. There are many
folk beliefs (i.e. praying to Buddha for help in the
struggles of daily life).
 Acknowledge common ground:
 Desire can cause suffering
 Peace only comes from abiding in what’s permanent
 Importance of meditation & prayer
 Must live morally
 Use common ground to point to Jesus and Gospel

15. BUDDHISM
On nothing
CHRISTIANITY
On something
To worship God
To realize non-self
By own strength
Subjective
By God’s Grace
Objective
Comparison
On void On God
By the Word
Without words

16. Reaching Buddhists
 Agree there is suffering and pain. Then ask, “For
what actions did I serve my first incarnation?”
 Agree there is a right and wrong. Then ask, “By
what standard?”
 Ask, “If there is no Creator, why is there something
rather than nothing?”
 Add to his possessions– Materialism
 Take away from his passions– Buddhism
 Redirect his passions to God– Christianity

17. Buddhism
by AHaller