Introduction to Buddhism: Tenets, Siddhartha Gautama, Four Noble Truths, and More

Running head: INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM
INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM
Brief Information about the chosen person
The chosen person to introduce Buddhism is quite familiar with Hinduism, especially the
sect of Vaishnavism by virtue of the fact that he belongs to New York, where the International
Society for Krishna Consciousness was founded by Srila Prabhupada. He is an American and is a
Roman Catholic by faith. The reason behind choosing him for the purpose of introducing
Buddhism is owing to the fact that he is already acquainted with Hinduism, that makes
explaining Buddhism quite easier to him. The similarity between Hinduism and Buddhism lies in
the fact that they both the faiths are precisely a way of life more than being a religion per se. The
philosophy of viewing each element of the universe as a manifestation of the creation and also
that it deserves respect makes Hinduism and Buddhism bearing some degree of semblance to
each other. On the other hand, Christianity, and especially Roman Catholicism like Buddhism
believes in penance and abstinence from sinful indulgences of life. Both being monotheistic and
having a single god head to which each of the faiths trace its origin makes them similar.
Buddhism derives its nomenclature by virtue of the fact that it progenitor is Lord Buddha,
similarly the progenitor of the body of Christian faithfuls is Jesus Christ. Both Buddhism and
Christianity is thus based on the tenets propounded by Gautama Buddha and Jesus Christ
respectively. Meditation, a counter intuitive approach in conducting prayers, chanting the sacred
hymns in a monotonous manner are typical to all the three faiths, Buddhism, Christianity as well
as Hinduism. The element of self purification incessantly through the means of prayer and
actions is something which is integral to all the three religions. These set of similarities between
the religions chosen makes the task of introducing Buddhism to the Christian American man
easier. Another very personal quality of the man is that he is of a secular mindset and is ready to
engage in a dialogue to discuss about Buddhism. His interest in engaging in interfaith dialogue to