Buddhism
Buddhism currently has about 376 million followers and is generally listed as the world's fourth largest religion after Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. It was founded in Northern India by Siddhartha Gautama 563 to 460 who became the person Buddha, which means "one who is enlightened."
Buddhism is similar to Hinduism it began in India and from there it spread throughout Asia and today it is found mainly in Japan, China, and the Far East. Siddhartha Gautama “Buddha” was raised in a very wealthy family where he was protected from problems and suffering. Later he was exposed to suffering and became concerned with the cause of it. At age 29 he left his wife and son to seek a solution, he tried and rejected both Hinduism and extreme self-deprival (asceticism) then after 6 years of searching, he arrived at the philosophy that became Buddhism. He established an order of monks and one of nuns devoted to his plan of overcoming suffering, and then he spent the rest of his life as a wandering religious teacher.
Buddhists do not believe in any god, and the philosophy is probably best distinguished as a pantheistic worldview. It teaches nothing about creation or a beginning or an end to existence. It embraces concepts such as reincarnation, but with even less detachment than Hinduism, it makes no attempt to understand or explain these concepts. It does not expressly exclude the existence of a god either, therefore many Buddhist fill in this void themselves, either with a god or a combination of gods of their choosing similar to Hinduism.
Buddhists have tried to adapt their religion to the views of people converted from other religions. The result was that people could believe almost anything and be Buddhist. The differences within Buddhism can be likened, not to the differences between Catholics and Protestants, but to those between Christians, Jews, and Moslims. These vast differences make it extremely difficult to characterize Buddhism in general. No matter how you attempt to describe Buddhism, many Buddhists will object because they believe some different variation of Buddhism.
There are two major branches of Buddhism
- Theravada is the older, conservative wing which follows the original teachings of Gautama. These Buddhists are found mainly in Southern Asia - Thailand, Burma, etc.
- Mahayana is the newer, liberal wing of Buddhism. Those of this view refer to conservatives as the "little vehicle" and themselves as the "great vehicle" because they believe their views are more practical for most people. They are found mainly in central and northern Asia - Japan, China, Korea, etc.
The Conservative Buddhists (Theravada) have three groups of writings called "3 baskets" the Tripitaka. It is written in the Pali language and is 11 times the size of the Bible. It is supposed to contain the sermons and doctrines of Gautama, but it was written centuries after he died. Hence, it is not an eyewitness account of his life or teachings. There is no such eyewitness account. All we have are traditions.
The Liberal Buddhists (Mahayana) follow much more than the Tripitaka. Their Scriptures contain over 5000 volumes. Each sect emphasizes their favorite portions teachings of various parts of scripture contradicting one another. For example Gautama taught nothing about God. He refused even to deny or affirm God's existence. He definitely denied that he himself was divine. While on the other hand Liberal Buddhists do accept existence of Deity, an absolute Supreme Being or power. They believe all men have the power or potential to become Buddhas. Various groups emphasize different deities, some of which are equivalent to Hindu deities.
Many Buddhists believe that, when a man dies, he will return to live as another human on earth. The cycle of birth and rebirth continues indefinitely until one is "released." This principle is known as reincarnation.
Everything whether good or bad that happens to a man is the result of his conduct in previous lives. (Karma) What happens in future lives is determined by his actions now. Nothing is really a result of a person's environment, the acts of others, or the work of God. All is payment for what the person himself did in the past.
Conservative Buddhists believe that the ultimate goal of man is to be released (Nirvana) from the cycle of rebirth and suffering. This is a state of rest without continuation of earthly desires. Whether or not this state is conscious is not defined. They deny annihilation, but they also deny existence as individuals distinct from others. Liberal Buddhists do believe in a concept of conscious happiness.
Both of them believe there are many paths to attain enlightenment such as overcoming through your feelings and desires and controlling over the six conscious senses. They give an emphasis on the practice of meditation and other forms of yoga, which not only helps one to concentrate on the truth of life, but also facilitates the path of enlightenment and liberation.
Western Culture including some
Christian churches has embraced Eastern Mysticism
under the banner of science and good health. Buddhism, Hinduism and other forms of New
Age practices has become pop culture in the West.
Many people believe that there are no dangers to practicing meditation. However, upon study, you will see that this is untrue. Carl Gustav Jung (26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist states in his introduction to the Tibetan book of the Dead: "One often hears and reads about the dangers of Yoga, particularly of the ill-reputed Kundalini Yoga. The deliberately induced psychotic state, which in certain unstable individuals might easily lead to a real psychosis, is a danger that needs to be taken very seriously indeed. These things really are dangerous and ought not to be meddled with Fate, which strikes at the very roots of human existence and can let loose a flood of sufferings of which no sane person ever dreamed. These sufferings correspond to the hellish torments of the chonyid state..."
Before participating in any form of meditation, it is wise
to consider the dangers, meditation particularly of the type which encourages
you to release your "will" or your "ego" aiding in bringing
the "union with the divine. This practice seeks to put a person in an
altered state of consciousness. This is accomplished through the mind which
leads to spiritual possession which results in enlightenment.
Most people who participate in meditation do not realize that most meditation is based in ancient practices of the occult. Many forms of meditation encourage the repetitious prayers as in the Marian Rosary within the Catholic Church. The rosary also involves repetitive chanting and calling on the Queen of Heaven, who is not Mary at all but is a representation for Kali, Ishtar, etc.
Those who practice meditation are taking a risk with their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. There have been cases of mediators’ loosing bodily awareness, having LSD-like visions, experiencing uncontrollable screaming, encountering restlessness, experiencing horrors, etc.
According to the Encyclopedia of New Age Beliefs, all forms of New Age meditation involve the following occult phenomena: the cultivation of altered states of consciousness; the eventual development of psychic powers; the possibility of spirit possession.
New Age meditation uses the mind in an abnormal manner to
radically restructure a person's perceptions of self and the world in order to
support occult New Age philosophy and goals…It seems that when altered states
of consciousness are entered for even a short period of time, day after day,
month after month, year after year, that some or even many of the same adverse
phenomena found in more extensive meditation programs are encountered. Among
these are philosophical conversion to the occult, demon possession, and various
forms of physical, spiritual, and psychological damage," says the Encyclopedia of New Age Beliefs.
The whole basis and origin of Buddhism was religion without God. But religion
without God is like an ocean without water or a meal without food. It violates
the whole meaning and purpose of religion.
The Christianity and its Scriptures (the Bible) contradicts Buddhist teachings of reincarnation and Nirvana. Buddhists believe the soul is uncreated, eternal, and its boundaries will ultimately be extinguished in the state of Nirvana. This contradicts the teachings of the Bible that each person is created by God, will die once, and spend eternity in heaven or hell.
The Buddha gave an eight-fold path to live a better life, without cravings and desires that cause suffering. Jesus gave us a similar set of instructions to improve life in the Sermon on the Mount, but Jesus adds to that God’s power (by the Holy Spirit) and authority, and ultimately God’s grace in the plan of redemption.
The highest destiny of man, according to many Buddhists, is to cease existence as a separate and distinct individual, and enter the state of Nirvana. The earthly life is an illusion, but due to ignorance man continues to desire to exist. This desire causes rebirth to other lives and since life involves suffering, we continue to suffer. Man suffers because of his desire for personal enjoyment and possessions, but especially because of the desire to continue to exist as an individual, separate and distinct from others.
The God’s Word affirms that suffering is an essential part of life. Troubles are basic and inherent to life. "Man, that is born of woman, is of few days, and full of trouble." Job 14:1 "But man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward." Job 5:7
Here are some other examples:
Jesus suffered, though he was guilty of no sin. We should suffer in the same way. 1 Peter 2:19-22
God's people often are persecuted by wicked people (Hebrews 11:32-38; 2 Corinthians 11).
Some suffering is a temptation from the Devil, who is trying to get righteous people to commit sins. Job 1,2
Therefore, suffering may or may not be the result of our own wrong desires. The way to overcome suffering is, not to strive to defeat it yourself, but to trust in God and serve Him.
Psalm 46:1 - "God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble."
Psalm 34:19 - God delivers the righteous out of troubles. This does not mean He promises to get rid of all our troubles, but He helps us to endure and be faithful to Him in spite of troubles.
Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Romans 8:16-18 - If we suffer with Christ we receive a reward far greater than the suffering.
Buddhism does not have a solution to suffering. Only the Bible provides a true solution. Buddhism worships either no god or else false gods. Many Buddhists believe that man must achieve the solution to his own problems over a period of many lives by human effort.
The gospel provides the only true way to worship the only true God. It provides a way for man to be forgiven by the death of the Son of God who paid the penalty for our sins. To receive the benefit, we must trust Jesus and obey Him in this life. Then we have the hope of eternal life.
Jesus said, “Come to me , all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthews 11:28-30
Peace,