Understanding Hinduism and Buddhism

Human, the doctrinal differences and a common ground for dialogue.

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‘When you want to convert someone to your view, you go over to where he is standing.’ �Thomas Aquinas (Medieval Christian Apologist )

He will be atop a white horse and his sword will be drawn, blazing like a comet. He will come in the end will destroy all unrighteousness and evil at the end.

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Introduction

• Hinduism

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• Buddhism

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• Common Dialogue with Christianity

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Hinduism

• (Video)

Introduction: Christianity and Hinduism

Once Gandhi wrote, �“There have been many times when I did not know which way to turn. But I have gone to the Bible, and particularly the New Testament, and have drawn strength from its message.”^�

god in Hinduism

• God: Although Hindus believe in one all-pervasive, impersonal supreme being, they hold that this being exists in multiple forms, both male and female, thus making the Hindu religion polytheistic. Because the divine cannot be limited, he exists everywhere and in everything, hence Hinduism is pantheistic as well. At the head of the innumerous forms are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva—the supreme triad.

Brahma, Vishnu , Mahesha

Brahma Vishnu Mahesha

• Brahma the creator, 
• Vishnu the preserver,
• Shiva the destroyer or transformer

He will be atop a white horse and his sword will be drawn, blazing like a comet. He will come in the end will destroy all unrighteousness and evil at the end.

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Prophecy about Kalki avatar in Vishnu Purana

Vishnu Avatar

Human as Creation

• Hinduism’s central understanding of human nature and destiny is conditioned by the fundamental of the law of karma.
• Karma is the moral law in which the cycle of birth–death–rebirth—known as the eternal process of reincarnation— takes place, giving endless opportunities to escape from the limitations of life and ultimately from death itself.
• Hinduism does not recognize the reality of sin; it views good or evil from the active principle of karma, and religion’s principal duty is to provide an escape from karma by concentrating on what one can do.

God in Hinduism and Christianity

• God: Although Hindus believe in one all-pervasive, impersonal supreme being, they hold that this being exists in multiple forms, both male and female, thus making the Hindu religion polytheistic. Because the divine cannot be limited, he exists everywhere and in everything, hence Hinduism is pantheistic as well. At the head of the innumerous forms are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva—the supreme triad.

• God: The Christian faith is rooted in monotheism—that is, God is One. He is the Creator, the Redeemer, and the eternal Judge. Although the Christian doctrine of the Trinity speaks of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Three are One in thought, action, and purpose. Neither polytheism nor pantheism exists in the Christian doctrine of God.

The World

• The world: Hindus see the world as an extension of the Brahma, the supreme principle. However, the extension did not involve any active participation on the part of Brahma. Instead, the world evolved through successive stages of matter, consciousness, and spirituality. Being the extension of the Brahma, nature and God are contiguous, giving way to a pantheistic faith.

• The world: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). So begins the Bible in its pronouncement that this world resulted from God’s creative activity. In so creating the world, God stands as the Lord of creation, standing over and apart from it. Thus, the Christian faith exalts Him as the Lord of the universe and refuses to identify the Creator with the creature (pantheism).

Humans

• Humans: To the Hindu, the Christian concept of God creating human beings is an illusion. The human being, like all other animate and inanimate things, is an emanation—an extension—of the Brahma, the supreme being. While existence proceeds from him, that production is neither independent nor free but subject to the supreme law of karma, which in its cyclical process of birth–death–rebirth keeps humans ever in search of the eternal.

• Humans: Humans did not proceed from God; nor did they evolve from preexistent forms of life. Instead, God chose to create the human being in His image (Gen.1:16,17). Having created humanity as His handiwork, God gave humans freedom of choice, responsibility for procreation, and gave them stewardship of the earth. A human being is thus a responsible being, with a beginning, duty, and destiny.

• Sin and salvation: Hinduism does not recognize sin as a willful personal rebellion against God nor as a revolt against His moral law such as Christianity teaches. The human being is not a sinner in that sense. However, human beings do commit acts of wrongdoing against nature and their fellow beings because of their karma—the predetermined principle that controls the movements of their lives. Salvation comes by one of three ways: knowledge, devotion to deity, and good works.

• Sin and salvation: Sin is real; it is human rebellion against a personal God. Sin has created a vast gulf between humanity and God, which cannot be mended by any good deeds humans do. Salvation is freedom from sin, effected by God’s love and grace through Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty of sin through His own death.

• Ultimate destiny: History is cyclical. Humanity is caught in an endless cyclical process of birth–death– rebirth, with each stage of the process controlled by the law of karma. The ultimate end, after unknown stages of reincarnation, is merging with the universal principle of Brahman.

• Ultimate destiny: History is linear. Under God’s direction, it moves toward its ultimate climax when God will destroy sin, sinners, and Satan, the original cause of evil in the universe. With this cleansing process, God will create a new earth and new heaven that will be the home of those who have accepted His salvation (Rev. 21:1–6; John 14:1–3).

Karma

• A human being must strive to do good to eradicate the past record of evil not only in this life but in previous lives as well.� “Do thou therefore the work to be done: for the man whose work is pure attains indeed the Supreme.”^�Bhagavad Gita (“Song of the Lord”)

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Reincarnation

Karmic cycle

Some misconception

• The biggest misconception about Hinduism is that it is possible to speak about Hinduism in general as though all Hindus believed and practiced the same things.
• Hinduism is essentially pantheistic. Even though it is the case that many Hindus believe in the identity between an impersonal God and the universe, many Hindus (possibly the majority) would be more accurately described as theistic, viz. as believing in a personal God who is not identical with the world.

• Hinduism is polytheistic, promoting belief in many separate gods. Now, obviously, Hinduism has a plethora of deities (popularly represented as 330 million); however, we must be aware of the fact that for many Hindus these are all manifestations of either a personal or an impersonal God. So, it is generally fair to describe Hinduism as polytheistic, but only if we keep in mind that for numerous Hindus, all the gods emanate from the same fundamental deity.

Buddhism

• (Video)

The first noble truth

The second noble truth

The third noble truth

The fourth noble truth

8 fold path

Would you compare Christianty and Budhism

A Dialogue

• Hinduism and Buddhism belief system is complex, with a philosophy and logic of its own, and varies with the doctrinal position of most Christian theology.�In this way to approach a Hindu or Budhist with the gospel becomes difficult.
• However both the Hindu system and Buddhist system is not a closed system but open, tolerant, and ready for dialogue.�

• We can approach a Hindu and Buddhist without intellectual arrogance, thinking we have a monopoly on truth or are superior.
• What we need is humility, good understanding, and respect for each other.

‘When you want to convert someone to your view, you go over to where he is standing.’ �Thomas Aquinas

Some common ground to talk

• Both Christians and Hindus have a tremendous respect for life
• Arising from the image of God for Christians, and the oneness with Brahma for the Hindu. However its not same in Buddhism.
• In Hinduism this provides a talking point for the doctrines of Creation, sin, and the incarnation of Christ for the restitution of the image of God, and the final restoration in the new heaven and new earth.

• The Hindu and Buddhist doctrine of nonviolence gives a perfect background to teach Jesus’ way of being selfless and loving one’s neighbor—so uniquely given in the Sermon on the Mount.
• Every human being suffers from guilt and inner unhappiness. What better opportunity to speak of Jesus, who offers eternal happiness and rest from guilt?
• The major point to talk about in Buddhism is the suffering. Suffering and pain of life is the most important aspect in Buddhism and this is the common ground between Buddhism and Christianity, relating it with Suffering of Christ and Hope he provided with His resurrection.
• Resurrection is a unique point to discuss and which is bit contradicting and convincing to never ending cycle of re birth.

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Defining and fulfilling Love

• One of the major challenges is practical definition of Love and suffering in both the religion.
• God becoming Man, Why? (Incarnation)
• Definition of Love in Hindu god and Jesus and contradicting or unsatisfying fulfillment of God’s Love

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Christian Witness to Hindus

• The key to a Christian witness to Hindus and Buddist (as is true in various ways for all groups), is to engage the person, not the religion of the person.
• Loving relationships that do not recognize the boundaries of caste or social station have led a number of Hindus to find Christ.

Thank you