Part 3 – En-Joy Ministries, by Pastor Barron Greenwalt

Buddhism, practiced by over 500 million people worldwide, is growing rapidly in the West, including right here in Western Pennsylvania. Drive through many neighborhoods in the greater Pittsburgh area, and you will now see Buddha statues on porches, in flower beds, and carefully placed in landscaping. Shockingly, some of these statues sit in the yards of homes that display Christian crosses or belong to professing Christians and Catholics. This is a profound contradiction. The Bible is unequivocal:
“You shall have no other gods before Me… You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath…” (Exodus 20:3–4). No follower of Jesus can rightly keep a Buddha idol and still claim to worship the one true God. Such syncretism––Combining elements from different religions–– reveals deep confusion and opens the door to spiritual deception.

Buddhism exists in two major branches:  

• Theravada (“The Way of the Elders”) – a largely individual path emphasizing personal discipline, meditation, and strict adherence to the original teachings of the Buddha to attain enlightenment alone.
• Mahayana (“The Great Vehicle”) – a more communal path that includes helping others toward enlightenment and embraces a wider variety of practices and bodhisattvas (enlightened beings who delay nirvana to save others).

At the heart of all Buddhist traditions is the conviction that life is suffering (dukkha). Suffering arises from desire, ignorance, and attachment. The solution is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path (right view, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration) until one extinguishes desire and achieves nirvana—release from the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara) driven by karma. Unlike Hinduism, Buddhism classically teaches that there is no permanent self or soul (anatta); what reincarnates is only a stream of consciousness shaped by karma. These concepts give us many natural bridges for sharing the gospel.

Powerful Gospel Bridges with Buddhists

• Suffering
  Buddhism begins with the truth that life is suffering. Jesus begins there too: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
• The Eightfold Path and Christian sanctification
  Buddhists pursue moral effort and self-perfection. Paul tells believers: “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose” (Philippians 2:12–13). We cooperate with the Holy Spirit who is transforming us into Christ’s likeness—effort empowered by grace, not self-reliance.
• Buddhist Meditation vs. prayer and the peace of God
  Buddhist meditation seeks to empty the mind and find inner peace. Christian prayer fills the mind with truth and invites God’s presence: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).
• Letting go of anger and desire
  Buddhism teaches detachment from anger. Scripture says, “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:26–27). Jesus goes deeper—He gives us a new heart that increasingly desires what God desires.
• Strict rules and human inability
  Many Buddhists live under hundreds of precepts they know they cannot perfectly keep. This is the perfect opening for Romans 3:23–24: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
• Fear of hell realms and uncertain nirvana
  In popular (especially Mahayana and folk) Buddhism, people live in dread of lower rebirths or hells. Jesus removes that fear forever: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). We do not hope for an uncertain nirvana—we have eternal life and the indwelling Holy Spirit as present guarantee (Ephesians 1:13–14).
• No condemnation, full assurance
  While nirvana is the cessation of suffering and rebirth, Jesus offers abundant life now and resurrection to glory later: “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24).

The Buddha’s Birth vs. the Virgin Birth of Jesus

Buddhist tradition tells a beautiful and miraculous story about Siddhartha Gautama’s birth:

Queen Maya dreamed that a white elephant with six tusks entered her side. Ten lunar months later, she gave birth to the future Buddha while standing and holding a tree branch; he emerged painlessly from her right side, took seven steps, and declared, “This is my final birth.” Lotus flowers bloomed where his feet touched the ground, and heavenly beings celebrated.

These details are meant to show that Siddhartha was no ordinary child—he was a supremely enlightened being entering his last rebirth. Yet even in the Buddhist scriptures, his conception involved the union of his parents (King Śuddhodana and Queen Maya), and his birth, though miraculous in its signs, was still the result of human parentage and karma from previous lives.

By contrast, the virgin birth of Jesus is utterly unique in history and purpose:

• No human father was involved at all; the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary (Luke 1:35).
• Jesus was conceived without inherited sin or corrupted blood (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 1:19).
• The Buddha entered samsara for one final lifetime to discover and teach the path out of suffering.
• Jesus entered the world from outside samsara to destroy sin, death, and rebirth itself, and give eternal life (John 1:14; Hebrews 2:14–15; 1 Corinthians 15:22). Samsara is the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth found in several Eastern religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. 

The Buddha was born to show the way; Jesus was born to be the Way (John 14:6).

The Buddha’s birth ended his own rebirths; Jesus’ virgin birth makes it possible for us to be born again once and live forever with God (John 3:3–7).

We can say gently to a Buddhist friend:
“I love the beauty and wonder in the story of the Buddha’s birth. May I share with you the even greater wonder of Jesus’ virgin-born Savior who doesn’t just point to the end of rebirth, but conquers death and gives new life to everyone who trusts Him?”

Key Theological Differences We Cannot Compromise

1. The Existence and Nature of God

Buddhism is essentially non-theistic or atheistic in its classic form. Christianity proclaims one living, personal, triune God who created and loves the world.

• The Self/Soul

Buddhism teaches anatta (no permanent self). The Bible teaches we are eternal image-bearers of God, accountable to Him forever (Genesis 1:27; Hebrews 9:27).

• The Root Problem

Buddhism identifies suffering caused by desire and ignorance. Scripture identifies sin—rebellion against a holy God—as the root that produces suffering and death (Romans 5:12).

• The Solution

Buddhism offers self-effort leading to the eventual extinction of individual existence. Christianity offers grace through the finished work of Christ, resulting in forgiveness, adoption, and eternal life with God.

Practical, Respectful Ways to Share the Gospel

• Build real friendship—Buddhists highly value kindness and non-judgment.
• Begin with shared concern for suffering: “I appreciate how seriously Buddhism takes human pain. May I share how Jesus both explained suffering and conquered it?”
• Gently ask, “Do you have certainty you will reach nirvana in this lifetime, or could it take many more rebirths?” Then contrast with the assurance of John 5:24 and Romans 8:1.
• Use meditation as a bridge: “I love that you value stillness and mindfulness. In Christianity, we practice something similar—prayer and meditation on God’s Word—so His peace guards our hearts.”
• When you see Buddha statues at a professed Christian’s home, lovingly but firmly say, “I notice the Buddha statue. The God of the Bible says He alone is God and commands us not to have idols (Exodus 20:3–5). Jesus is enough—would you be open to talking about why?”
• Offer to read the Gospel of John or the Sermon on the Mount together; many Buddhists are deeply moved by Jesus’ compassion and authority.

Closing Charge

We do not have to pretend the differences are small—they are eternal in consequence. Yet we are called to proclaim the exclusive, saving truth of Jesus Christ with clarity and compassion. The same Paul who boldly declared “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12) is the same Paul who became “all things to all people, that by all means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22).

In 1 Corinthians 9:19–22, Paul explains this missionary heart: Though personally free from doubt or hesitation about what is morally right, he willingly limited his own freedoms and adapted to the customs and perspectives of others—not to compromise truth, but to remove unnecessary barriers so that more might hear and receive the gospel. Without ever violating biblical standards, he entered their world as fully as possible, all for the sake of winning souls to Christ.

May the Lord give us wisdom to speak the truth without arrogance, love without compromise, and boldness without fear—for the glory of Christ and the salvation of many precious Buddhist souls.

In His joy and service, Pastor Barron Greenwalt, En-Joy Ministries