Introducing Buddhism to a Christian: Tenets and Comparisons

This essay serves as an introduction to Buddhism, tailored for a Christian audience. It begins by establishing a context, introducing the chosen individual, and highlighting the similarities between Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity, focusing on their shared emphasis on a way of life and the concept of salvation. The essay then delves into core Buddhist tenets, including Nirvana, Siddhartha Gautama, the Four Noble Truths, the Three Roots of Evil, the Fire Sermon, the significance of pilgrimage sites, the role of the Dalai Lama, the concept of Dharma, and the Sangha. The chosen sect of Buddhism to be elaborated upon is Tibetan Buddhism, with its balanced approach and acceptance of non-vegetarian diets. The essay aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Buddhism, making it accessible and understandable for someone with a Christian background.

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

2INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM
find a common ground between the various religions is something which has sparked interest in
me to introduce Buddhism to him. In the following sections of the essay, few chosen tenets of
Buddhism shall be introduced to him as concepts to make him understand Buddhism better.
Tenets of Buddhism to be introduced
Nirvanalike
Nirvana refers to salvation in Buddhism. The concept is known as moksha in Hinduism
and in Christianity it is the means by which the human body is freed from the world of sins and
attachments. Death is the key to salvation and salvation implies the total detachment of the
corporeal existence from desires, pain, sufferings and all forms of worldly attachments. Salvation
refers to the phase when the soul becomes free of all bondages and is enjoying eternal bliss. This
shows that the Buddhist conceptualization of Nirvana is similar to that of Hinduism and
Christianity.
Siddhartha Gautama
Gautama Siddhartha is the progenitor of all the ones who follow Buddhism. He is the god
head, the philosophical guide and the point of reference for all Buddhists to lead a life like a
faithful. Like Christianity which derives its being from Jesus Christ, Buddhism derives its being
from Gautama Siddhartha. To be very precise, Gautama Siddhartha is the founder of the
Buddhist faith, who wanted to do so in order to make a departure from the Brahminical
orthodoxy, caste hierarchy and the ritualistic complicacies of Hinduism and find a faith which
shall be inclusive.

3INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM
The Four Noble Truths
The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism are concerned with the cause of sufferings and the
way to put an end to it. Buddha considered life to be comprising of sufferings, and the desire for
physical pleasures being the cause of sufferings. Sufferings could be destroyed and that could be
done by following the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold path consist of Right faith, conduct, view,
resolve, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and meditation.
The Three Roots of Evil
Like in Christianity, there is a mention of the seven deadly sins, Buddhism has the three
roots of evil which is considered to doom the human beings to sufferings. They are Lobha
(Greed); Dvesha (vengeance) and Moha (Attachment).
The Fire Sermon
The Fire Sermon concern itself with the method of liberating oneself from the sense of
detachment. It is a historic speech that was delivered by Buddha to a congregation of a thousand
priests by using fire as a symbolism of desire.
Pilgrimage
Like all other faiths, pilgrimage in Buddhism is considered to be a sacred journey
undertaken to pay an important religious shrine and pay homage. The most sacred pilgrimage
site of Buddhism is the Bodh Gaya in Bihar, India, where Buddha had attained enlightenment.
Dalai Lama
What Pope is to the Catholics, Dalai Lama is to the Buddhists. He is the spiritual leader
of the Buddhists.

4INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM
The Dharma
It is a Hindu legacy that one can find in Buddhism which means an individual’s duty
towards others and to oneself. Fulfillment of duty determines what shall one beget. Observance
of one’s Dharma with piety is the key to achievement of salvation. The Karma of an individual
depends upon the way one fulfills the Dharma.
The Sangha
The Sangha refers to the congregation or the order of monks and nuns who reside in
monasteries away from the pleasures of the world involved in deep meditation and simple
lifestyle without the luxuries of the world and also the lay persons. Thus it is the entire body of
faithfuls.
Chosen sect of Buddhism to be elaborated upon: Tibetan Buddhism
Of all the sects of Buddhism I have personally chosen Tibetan Buddhism as it is quite
balanced in its approach towards and allows the followers to indulge in the pleasures of the
world. For example, other sects of Buddhism prescribe strict vegetarian diet but Tibetan
Buddhists do eat non vegetarian products as it is permitted. Faith is considered as a personal
connection between human and the God, and no external agent is supposed to determine the path
to spirituality. That is the beauty of Tibetan Buddhism.