Buddha Vs Jesus
Introduction
I studied and practiced Buddhism for several years back in my early to mid twenties. I love wisdom. Like Solomon (see 1 Kings ch. 3), I realize how valuable it is and I figure if Solomon could obtain it just by valuing it and asking for it from God, and James said that God will always grant my request when I ask for it (James 1:5), I ask for it from God very often. I also have found a plethora of wisdom in Christianity, so I want to look back and compare and contrast my God-given Christian wisdom with the wisdom that I once found in Buddhism.
There definitely is some wisdom in Buddhism – that is what attracted me to it to begin with. I was very lost in my 20s, and back then I was a fairly hopeless alcoholic looking for help. So the structure and rules of Buddhism gave me a guide to live by which definitely helped me. But several years after that, I became a Christian and threw all the teachings from Buddhism away for the sake of Christ and His teachings.
More recently, God has reminded me of some of the things I learned and practiced in Buddhism, and He has helped me see where the wisdom is Godly and where it is incorrect. He has led me to compare and contrast Buddhist ideology with Christian ideology, which has been a very interesting study indeed. It has been so interesting that I decided to write this book about it for 2 main reasons:
To compare and contrast different views on any subject will give a person deeper knowledge. I want deeper knowledge of Christianity so that I can be a better Christian.
I also want deeper knowledge of other religions so that I can reach those who practice other religions for Christ. The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. 20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews. To those who are under [a]the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law. 21 To those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. 23 So I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. (LSB)
Looking back, I realize that much of the wisdom in Buddhism is based on half-truths, but some of it does mirror teachings in the Bible. I am a truth-seeker and I also practice medicine, so I am really a scientist at heart. Like a totally objective scientist, I want nothing but the truth, no matter how hard to believe it may at first appear or how inconvenient it may be. That relentless search for the truth is what helped to lead me to Christ. I was at the very least willing to be open-minded that His way may be legitimate. I was not always that way, but certain circumstances broke my hardness of heart and left me more open to considering His life and death (and resurrection - praise God!). Thankfully, the Bible says to “Seek and you will find” (Matt 7:7-8). I thank God that statement is true. So let’s seek more Godly wisdom for our own benefit and to find ways to relate to the lost. I fear many Christians would not be able to relate to a Buddhist and show them Christ’s wisdom. There is some hidden good news here as well: those who believe in new-age spirituality are also attracted to the idea of reincarnation and God making up everything, including people, so studying Buddhism will lead to more effective witnessing towards new-agers as well. And there are many new-agers in the US.
Now let’s begin to look at some various concepts of Buddhism, and compare and contrast them to what Christianity teaches. But first we need to see the backbone of Buddhism: The 8-fold path.