Siddhartha Gautama started Buddhism in the 6th century B.C. in India as a protest against Hinduism’s Brahman priests who abused their power over the people. Buddhism has so many sects whose beliefs are all over the map, but here are some of their most basic teachings in contrast to God’s truth:
- Buddhism teaches that man can exercise his own mental discipline to overcome suffering in the world and bring about his own spiritual advancement. (Buddha The Gospel, “The Annihilation of Suffering” chapter)
- God’s word teaches that man overcomes suffering only through Christ (John 16:33; 1 John 5:4-5) and that man’s spirit is dead without Jesus (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13).
- Buddhist teachings praise Siddhartha Gautama as higher than all men and all gods. (Buddha The Gospel, “Words of Instruction” chapter)
- The Bible says Yahweh is the supreme God (Isaiah 45:22-23).
- Buddhism says people exist in an endless cycle of rebirths (reincarnation) that are determined by karma. (Buddha The Gospel, “Name and Form” chapter)
- The Bible says man is appointed to die once and after that comes God’s judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Our acceptance or rejection of Christ determines our eternal state (John 3:36).
- Buddhism teaches that man needs salvation from this endless cycle of rebirths and this salvation (nirvana) only comes by fulfilling an “Eightfold Path.” (Buddha The Gospel, “Enlightenment” chapter)
- God’s word says man is in need of salvation from his sins and this salvation can only come by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our works cannot save us (Ephesians 2:8-9).
- They teach that when an individual obtains nirvana, they are like a god. (Buddha The Gospel, “The Widow’s Mite and the Three Merchants” chapter)
- The Bible says man will never be a god and the desire to be like a god comes from Satan (Genesis 3:5).
“[L]et God be true, but every man a liar.” (Romans 3:4)
Source: Paul Carus, Buddha the Gospel, Chicago, The Open Court Publishing Company, 1894.
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