1. Understanding Buddhism

2. Some Facts about Buddhism  Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (The Enlightened One; Buddha)  Sacred Texts/Teachings: Various and no single central text, but the oldest and most authoritative are compiled in the Pali Canon.

3. Core Beliefs  Buddhism is an impersonal religion of self-perfection to escape a cycle of suffering and rebirth.  The essential elements of the Buddhist belief system are summarized in the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and several additional key doctrines.

4. The Four Noble Truths 1)Life is full of suffering (dukkha) 2)Suffering is caused by craving (samudaya) 3)Suffering will cease only when craving ceases (nirodha) 4)This can be achieved by following the Noble Eightfold Path

5. The Eightfold Path (1)right views (2)right aspiration (3)right speech (4)right conduct (5)right livelihood (6)right effort (7)right mindfulness (8)right contemplation.

6. Other Key Doctrines 1)Nothing in life is permanent (anicca). 2)Individual selves do not truly exist (anatta). 3)Reincarnation is an endless cycle of continuous suffering, or dissatisfaction, misery (dukkha). 4)All is determined by an impersonal law of moral causation (karma). 5)The goal of life is to break out of the cycle of rebirth and suffering and enter a permanent state of pure nonexistence. (nirvana).

7. Buddhist Ethics  The five precepts are training rules in order to live a better life in which one is happy, without worries, and can meditate well:  To refrain from taking life  To refrain from taking that which is not given (not committing theft)  To refrain from sensual misconduct  To refrain from lying (speaking truth always)  To refrain from intoxicants which lead to loss of mindfulness (specifically, drugs and alcohol)

8. Three Branches  1. Theravada or Southern Buddhism (38%)  Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos  2. Mahayana or Eastern Buddhism (56%)  China, Vietnam, Korean, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan  3. Vajrayana, or Northern Buddhism (6%)  Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, and Mongolia

9. Buddhism vs. Christianity  Buddhism was founded as a form of atheism that rejected the concepts of personal, creator God and a permanent self or an unchanging, eternal soul (even though some later forms of Buddhism became polytheistic such as Mahayana).  No Savior; all by self-effort  No forgiveness; only eradication of self (and thus suffering)  No real meaning in life’s experiences (only suffering!)

10. Bridges For Evangelizing Buddhists  The gospel can be appealing to Buddhists if witnessing focuses on areas of personal need where the Buddhist belief system is weak. Some major areas include:  Suffering  Meaningful Self  Moral Law  Merit and Future Hope  Desires

11. References:  Cameron, K., Comfort, R.(2004). The School Of Biblical Evangelism: 101 lessons : how to share your faith simply, effectively, biblically-- the way Jesus did. Bridge-Logos Foundation, Alachua.  WikiPedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism