What comes to mind when you think of Buddhism? A peaceful-looking cross-legged man with a round belly? Monks in robes chanting? Do Buddhists worship the Buddha with chanting?
Or maybe you think Buddhists practice polytheism, the worship of many gods, like Hindus. Maybe you’ve heard of Nirvana but don’t understand it. Maybe Buddhism seems foreign and confusing, a religion practiced far from America.
Some or none of the following may be true because Buddhism includes diverse religious beliefs and practices. And those practices don’t occur only in “faraway lands.” Buddhism exists here and influences American popular culture, as well as academics.
According to Havard University’s Pluralism Project, in the 1990s, America saw a surge of influence they call “Hollywood Buddhism.” They conclude that celebrities embracing Buddhism have influenced its growing popularity in America.
And while many universities offer degrees in their philosophy departments on Buddhism, four Buddhist universities operate in the United States.
Despite dropping numbers of those who consider themselves religious in America, Pew Research projects Buddhism to grow in North America by 2050. Because of Buddhism’s influence, Christians must gain an understanding of this religious practice. But, according to a Christianity Today online article, the church isn’t ready.
So, what should we know to be ready for this conversation?
According to legend, Siddhartha Gautama lived in the sixth century B.C.E., the son of a king of a small kingdom in India. During Siddhartha’s childhood, a soothsayer prophesized that he would either become a king, like his father, or a religious leader. If Siddhartha viewed any suffering, he’d become a religious leader. Since his father wanted him to become a king, he sheltered Siddhartha from all suffering, leading to an isolated, pampered childhood.
At the age of 19, Siddhartha married and fathered a son. Legend states he set out one day to discover more in life and viewed four passing sights: a wrinkled older man, a diseased man, a rotting corpse, and a peaceful monk. These sights inspired a quest for answers.
Siddhartha left his wife and son to pursue philosophical study, which ended in frustration. Next, he pursued the severe asceticism of Jainism, which emphasizes denying physical or psychological needs to gain spiritual strength. He achieved such asceticism that he lived on only one grain of rice and buffered and punished his body to the point of near death. He then fell into a river but was revived by the cold water.
Aware that asceticism did not provide the means to enlightenment he sought, Siddhartha made his next step. After eating a meal provided by the Jain monks who traveled with him, he sat under a Bodhi tree to meditate for an extended period. While in his altered state, Siddhartha learned that humans’ desires bind them to an endless cycle of birth and death (the wheel of samara, also in Hinduism).
He preached at Deer Park, his first formal preaching of the Middle Way between asceticism and indulgence. There, he taught the Noble Truths. Five close friends converted to these teachings, making them the first Sangha (Buddhist monastic order).
Siddhartha’s enlightenment occurred when he was 35, and he established Buddhism shortly afterward. However, if not for Emperor Ashoka of India converting to Buddhism sometime in 200 B.C., Buddhism likely would have died as it lost popularity in the Hindu country. Ashoka’s enthusiasm was so strong that he sent his son and daughter out as missionaries to Sri Lanka. Some credit Ashoka’s conversion and efforts to spread Buddhism with its global legacy.
Siddhartha died around 80, to be forever known as the Buddha, the original enlightened one. His statement, “I have taught one thing and one thing only, suffering and cessation of suffering,” demonstrates Buddhism’s central interest in escaping suffering (Invitation to World Religions, p. 151.).
Though complex and varied among different groups of Buddhism that developed over the years, several key concepts remain crucial.
First, achieving Nirvana, or enlightenment, remains Buddhism’s central goal. Enlightenment represents freedom from the continuous wheel of samsara, or rebirth.
Second, Buddhism denies the existence of the soul and holds to the notion of No-Self. This doesn’t imply there is no “you.” Rather, it implies there is no “you” that stays the same. No soul, per se, but rather an essence with an ever-changing state.
Third, Buddhism maintains the impermanence of all things, including the self. Life and all we know boils down to an illusion. All suffering in one’s life arises from ego, attachment, and desire.
Fourth, one must escape the wheel of samsara because it represents an endless cycle of suffering. The means of escape is enlightenment. Enlightenment comes when one reaches Nirvana: detachment of all desire, even the desire to exist. A follower achieves Nirvana by embracing the Four Noble Truths and following the Eightfold Path.
The Four Noble Truths state:
The Eightfold Path provides the “right way” to live one’s life:
The first two (right view and right intention) relate to wisdom. The next three relate to ethical conduct. The last three (effort, mindfulness, and concentration) are most important because they make it possible to meditate and do other exercises.
After Buddha’s death, his followers debated the meaning of his teachings. This debate created schisms, then a council to determine the true meaning of the teachings, though disagreements continued. Over time, another three additional councils formed but failed to unite Buddhism.
Three basic sects developed:
Theravada Buddhism, known as the tradition of the elders, tends toward conservativism. Theravada Buddhists believe one suffers because of attachment, and one achieves enlightenment through meditation and individually achieving ethical practices. Gods are of no real consequence, even though some Theravadan Buddhists chant and pray. Many buddhas existed in the past, and more will come because of their efforts and ultimately reaching Nirvana.
They follow what are considered the Buddha’s original teachings. In this tradition, the monk maintains the ideal figure, and lay people must support the monk’s needs. Although Theravadan Buddhists worship in a stupa or pagoda (towers), they do not worship a god or Buddha himself, but rather the Buddha’s teachings (Dharma).
Mahayana Buddhism, or the expansive way, is the largest tradition, dominant in East and Southeast Asia. It added to the teachings of Buddha and offered additional interpretations. Larger in number and liberal in viewpoint, adherents believe Siddhartha offered secret information and interpretations to a select few.
Followers believe Gautama Siddhartha (The Buddha) was more than a man; he was a compassionate, eternal, and almost divine being, but not the only Buddha to whom people could appeal. Rather, he was one of the original Buddha’s many incarnations.
One particularly famous type of Mahayana Buddhism is Zen Buddhism. It views reason as destructive and focuses on awakening one’s inner nature, compassion, and wisdom. This form of Buddhism thrives in Japan, where enlightenment is achieved through meditation.
Tibetan (or Vajrayana) Buddhism emphasizes using magic words and formulas to achieve goals. Magic is central to the belief as the means to cope with life’s problems. Some view the magic as demonic. This sect focuses on mystic spirituality and incorporates a prayer wheel into worship. Worship involves recitations and chanting of prayers accompanied by music. The prayer and meditation occur in temples or monasteries. Tibetan Buddhists embrace a variety of divinities, with Lamas, or “Superior Ones,” holding esteem and value.
The Nicene Creed states Christianity’s central tenets. A brief review highlights the differences between Christianity and Buddhism.
Christians believe in one God Deuteronomy 6:4) in the form of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, making us monotheistic. We can know God through a relationship with His son, who provides redemption and absolution of sin (Ephesians 1:7). In contrast, many Buddhists deny the existence of God. Some believe gods exist, but maintain their existence has no real consequence.
Christianity provides a personal relationship with the Creator God, who reaches out to us and invites us into redemption, not on our works (Galatians 2:7), but because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This difference shifts responsibility from earning God’s acceptance to embracing a love beyond human comprehension. No other religion even hints at this type of atonement and sacrifice.
We represent the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and actively pursue faith in Jesus’ atoning sacrifice as the means to eternal life (John 4:14). The soul continues after death, not through reincarnation (the wheel of samsara) but to move into heaven or eternal loss (Matthew 25:46).
While “enlightenment” does not appear in English translations of the Bible, we know the Word of God as a light on our paths (Psalm 119:105), teaching us the right way. The Word of God provides life’s answers (Hebrews 4:12) and draws us into a deeper relationship with God.
Suffering matters to God. Further, as followers of Christ, we are to care for the poor (Luke 14:13), the orphans and widows (James 1:27). The gospels demonstrate this love. Luke 7 provides examples of Jesus demonstrating the Father’s love by raising the dead, caring for the outcasts, healing the sick, and forgiving sins.
Finally, Jesus told us to deny the self (Mark 8:24), not as an act of transcendence, but to follow Him.
Interacting with someone of a different worldview presents challenges and opportunities. Create a positive atmosphere by demonstrating respect and interest in understanding the person’s beliefs.
Seek connections to build on a foundation of shared concern. Ask questions for clarification, demonstrating respect. If we hope to be heard, we must demonstrate the same.
Genuine interest motivates most people to share. In the process, we sometimes earn the opportunity to share our own beliefs. When given the opportunity, express your perspective in humility rather than persuasion.
Anchoring on shared values provides a connection or starting point. As already demonstrated, core differences abound, but ultimately, the Buddhist seeks what the Christian has experienced in Christ, mainly freedom and peace.
Many know the call to spiritual armor provided in Ephesians 6.11-18. Verse 15 speaks of “. . . the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” Demonstrate wisdom by living out the gospel of peace, presenting it to Buddhists with a gentle approach to discussion.
Philippians 4:7 says, “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Sharing this verse and others like 1 Thess. 5:23: “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” might be interesting to the Buddhist as well. A quick search of the word “peace” in a Bible app will fill pages with verses on the God of peace and the peace we obtain in following Him.
Finally, Colossians 4:5-6 provides instruction to keep in mind while dialoging with the Buddhist. “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Always hold to Jesus’ command to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 5:43-45), then pray for the Buddhist and trust God to “will and to work” (Philippians 2:13) his good purpose.
To learn more about Buddism, I recommend these resources:
Invitation to World Religions by Jeffrey Brodd and others
The World’s Religions by Huston Smith
World Religions at Your Fingertips by Michael McDowell and Nathan Robert Brown
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Ketut Agus Suardika
Ann Vande Zande is a writer, speaker, mentor, and adjunct professor. She enjoys all things outdoors for three seasons in Minnesota, and all things indoors in the cold long one. She’s fortunate to have shared her story and teaching in Focus on the Family Magazine, In Touch, Proverbs 31 Woman, Bible Advocate, and more.