What do Buddhists believe? What is Buddhism?

TL;DR:

Buddhism emphasizes the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path as the means to overcome suffering and achieve enlightenment. Buddhism focuses on personal enlightenment and reincarnation, contrasting sharply with the biblical message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and eternal judgment after death.

what does the bible say?

The Bible teaches that salvation is a free gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not something earned through personal effort or enlightenment (Ephesians 2:8-9). Unlike Buddhism, which denies a personal God and views life as an endless cycle of suffering and reincarnation, Scripture affirms the existence of a loving Creator who desires a relationship with humanity. God offers redemption through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, providing forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). The Bible also refutes the Buddhist concept of reincarnation, teaching instead that individuals live once, die, and face judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Christianity centers on love for God and others (Matthew 22:37-39), whereas Buddhism focuses on escaping suffering and achieving personal enlightenment. While Buddhism seeks to address human suffering through self-discipline and meditation, Christianity presents Jesus as the solution to humanity’s deepest need: reconciliation with God.

from the old testament

The Bible declares salvation comes from God alone, rejecting Buddhism’s self-reliant path to enlightenment. Isaiah 45:22 says: "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other."
Scripture teaches a personal God who judges humanity, contrasting with Buddhism’s impersonal worldview. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 reveals: "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment."

from the new testament

In John 14:6, "Jesus said to him [Thomas], 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" Jesus’ exclusive claim to be the only way to God contradicts Buddhism’s pluralistic approach to spiritual truth.
Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Salvation in Christianity is a gift of grace, not earned through effort as Buddhism teaches.
Hebrews 9:27 affirms a single life followed by judgment, rejecting the Buddhist belief in reincarnation: "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment."

implications for today

Buddhism offers a system of ethics and self-discipline aimed at overcoming suffering, but it lacks the hope, assurance, and relationship with God found in Christianity. Its denial of a personal God and rejection of the gospel of Jesus Christ make it incompatible with biblical faith. While Buddhism seeks to address human suffering through self-discipline and meditation, Christianity presents Jesus as the solution to humanity’s deepest need: reconciliation with God.

Christians should engage with Buddhists, pointing them to the truth of Jesus as the ultimate answer to humanity’s suffering and need for salvation. Sharing the gospel means emphasizing the unique claims of Christianity: salvation by grace through faith, the reality of sin and judgment, and the love of a personal God who desires a relationship with every individual.

understand

Buddhism teaches the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path to overcome suffering and achieve enlightenment, but the Bible teaches that salvation is a gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not through personal effort or enlightenment.
Buddhism emphasizes reincarnation but the Bible teaches that each person lives once, dies, and faces judgment.
Buddhism denies a personal God, focusing on impersonal spiritual laws for liberation, but the Bible teaches that God is a loving, personal Creator who desires a relationship with humanity.

reflect

How does the biblical teaching of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus challenge or affirm your understanding of how we receive eternal life?
Reflecting on the Bible’s teaching that life is followed by judgment, how does this perspective influence how you view your daily actions and decisions?
How does the personal relationship with God described in the Bible differ from the Buddhist view of an impersonal spiritual path?

engage

How does the Buddhist concept of reincarnation compare to the Christian belief in judgment after death, and what implications do these differing views have for our purpose in life?
How might understanding that Christianity centers on a personal relationship with God help someone see the contrast with Buddhism’s focus on self-enlightenment?
What do you think it means that salvation in Christianity is a gift, and how does this shape how we view our actions and our relationship with God?