 
According to a 1990 Census, over 800,000 Americans point to Japan as their nation of origin. The vast majority of these people are professing Buddhists. At the same time thousands of non-Asian North Americans have adopted Buddhism as their religion. Due in part to their inclusiveness and support of the interfaith movement, Buddhism has become very popular. Yet, many Christians are woefully uninformed as to what the Buddhists actually believe. Christian leaders, instead of boldly proclaiming the gospel of Christ, have joined the ranks of the "enlightened", and are teaching their congregations that there should be harmony and cooperation between Buddhist doctrine and the Christian faith. If you study what Buddhism teaches, however, you must conclude that there can be no harmony between the two. They are opposite in almost every way and one would have to deny Christ and the Bible in order to embrace Buddhism as a religion that also leads to God and salvation. Here we will examine these vast differences, compare Buddhism with the truth of the Bible, and provide information that will help you share the message of Christ with Buddhists.
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GLOSSARY |
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caste system |
Social groups in India that rank in a hierarchic order and within which there is a minimum of social mobility. |
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Pali Canon |
The most complete and generally regarded as the earliest collection of canonical literature in Buddhism. |
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Sanskrit |
The sacred language of India, which the Indians consider "the language of the gods"; means "perfected" and "cultured." |
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Theravada (Theravadin tradition)
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The oldest surviving Buddhist tradition, which flourishes in parts of Southeast Asia and is known as "the doctrine of the elders." |
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