to be an Enlightened Master, though definitely not the Son of God. The Dalai Lama believes that Jesus is “a fully enlightened being.” In an article in Christianity Today , the interviewer challenged the Dalai Lama with this thought:
“ If Jesus is fully enlightened, wouldn’t he be teaching the truth about himself? Therefore, if he is teaching the truth, then he is the Son of God, and there is a God, and Jesus is the Savior. If he is fully enlightened, he should teach the truth. If he is not teaching the truth, he is not that enlightened.” 26
The Dalai Lama stated that Jesus had lived previous lives and that His purpose was to teach a message of tolerance and compassion, to help us become better human beings.
Heaven and Hell
Buddhism does not teach eternal life spent in either a Heaven or Hell after death. They may consider it “Hell” to have to endure the untold sufferings of many lifetimes on earth, but they don’t believe in any place of eternal punishment. There also is no place of eternal reward in Heaven. Instead, their goal in life is to reach Nirvana, or Enlightenment—a state of mind that is free from desire.
Sin and Salvation
The idea of original sin, or of sin at all, has no place in Buddhism, so there is no need for salvation from sin and its consequences. In fact, Buddhists believe that people do not have individual souls. Instead, they are composed of five elements (physical form, feelings, ideations, mental developments and awareness) that combine to form a human being at the time of birth. Although there is no eternal soul to continue on after death, Buddhism still believes in karma and reincarnation (rebirth). Their view differs from the Hindu view, however.
In Hinduism, the same individual is reincarnated into another body through numerous lives, as he continually tries to work out his karma. In Buddhism, a person who dies is reborn as someone else. Still, because Buddhists believe in karma, they contend that the person’s achievements in life will continue on into their next bodily form. The way they explain it is that “the consciousness of a person remains even after he is no more. It even manifests in his future life.” So the person continues, but there is no soul. As one Buddhist website admits, “One finds a little contradiction here.” 27
Because karma, the Buddhist law of moral cause and effect, is completely rigid and impersonal, life for a Buddhist is very oppressive. Under karma, there can be no appeal, no mercy, and no escape except through unceasing effort at self-perfection. Through numerous lifetimes, Buddhists endure an endless cycle of continuous suffering, and their goal is to break out of this cycle by finally extinguishing the flame of life and entering a permanent state of pure nonexistence (Nirvana). The ultimate goal of the Buddhist is not life, but death (extinction) by releasing their attachment to desire and the self. The reward for all their ceaseless labor is therefore to cease to exist. In this way they hope to achieve liberation and freedom (“salvation”) from suffering.
Buddhist Customs
The essential elements of the Buddhist belief system are summarized in the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and several additional key doctrines.
The Four Noble Truths affirm that:
1. Life is full of suffering ( dukkha ).
2. Suffering is caused by craving ( samudaya ).
3. Suffering will cease only when craving ceases ( nirodha ).
4. Suffering can be eliminated by following the Noble Eightfold Path.
The Noble Eightfold Path supposedly is the way to the cessation of suffering. It includes the following:
1. Right Understanding—Understanding reality as it is, not just as it appears to be.
2. Right Thought—Change in the pattern of thinking.
3. Right Speech—One speaks in a non-hurtful, not exaggerated, truthful way.
4. Right Action—Wholesome action, avoiding
“ If Jesus is fully enlightened, wouldn’t he be teaching the truth about himself? Therefore, if he is teaching the truth, then he is the Son of God, and there is a God, and Jesus is the Savior. If he is fully enlightened, he should teach the truth. If he is not teaching the truth, he is not that enlightened.” 26
The Dalai Lama stated that Jesus had lived previous lives and that His purpose was to teach a message of tolerance and compassion, to help us become better human beings.
Heaven and Hell
Buddhism does not teach eternal life spent in either a Heaven or Hell after death. They may consider it “Hell” to have to endure the untold sufferings of many lifetimes on earth, but they don’t believe in any place of eternal punishment. There also is no place of eternal reward in Heaven. Instead, their goal in life is to reach Nirvana, or Enlightenment—a state of mind that is free from desire.
Sin and Salvation
The idea of original sin, or of sin at all, has no place in Buddhism, so there is no need for salvation from sin and its consequences. In fact, Buddhists believe that people do not have individual souls. Instead, they are composed of five elements (physical form, feelings, ideations, mental developments and awareness) that combine to form a human being at the time of birth. Although there is no eternal soul to continue on after death, Buddhism still believes in karma and reincarnation (rebirth). Their view differs from the Hindu view, however.
In Hinduism, the same individual is reincarnated into another body through numerous lives, as he continually tries to work out his karma. In Buddhism, a person who dies is reborn as someone else. Still, because Buddhists believe in karma, they contend that the person’s achievements in life will continue on into their next bodily form. The way they explain it is that “the consciousness of a person remains even after he is no more. It even manifests in his future life.” So the person continues, but there is no soul. As one Buddhist website admits, “One finds a little contradiction here.” 27
Because karma, the Buddhist law of moral cause and effect, is completely rigid and impersonal, life for a Buddhist is very oppressive. Under karma, there can be no appeal, no mercy, and no escape except through unceasing effort at self-perfection. Through numerous lifetimes, Buddhists endure an endless cycle of continuous suffering, and their goal is to break out of this cycle by finally extinguishing the flame of life and entering a permanent state of pure nonexistence (Nirvana). The ultimate goal of the Buddhist is not life, but death (extinction) by releasing their attachment to desire and the self. The reward for all their ceaseless labor is therefore to cease to exist. In this way they hope to achieve liberation and freedom (“salvation”) from suffering.
Buddhist Customs
The essential elements of the Buddhist belief system are summarized in the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and several additional key doctrines.
The Four Noble Truths affirm that:
1. Life is full of suffering ( dukkha ).
2. Suffering is caused by craving ( samudaya ).
3. Suffering will cease only when craving ceases ( nirodha ).
4. Suffering can be eliminated by following the Noble Eightfold Path.
The Noble Eightfold Path supposedly is the way to the cessation of suffering. It includes the following:
1. Right Understanding—Understanding reality as it is, not just as it appears to be.
2. Right Thought—Change in the pattern of thinking.
3. Right Speech—One speaks in a non-hurtful, not exaggerated, truthful way.
4. Right Action—Wholesome action, avoiding
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