1 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:05,960 Welcome to the Liberty Baptist Sermon Archives. 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,040 The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty Baptist 3 00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:13,040 Church in Easton, MA. You can find out more about us 4 00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:17,280 or contact us at my libertybaptist.org or just look 5 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,760 us up on Facebook. And now we hope that this 6 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,080 message from God's Word will be a blessing to you. 7 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:26,080 It's good to see you this morning. 8 00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:29,240 And we'll get right to our lesson today as we are looking 9 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:32,520 at Buddhism this week. And I'm excited about being able 10 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:36,120 to present to you both the beliefs and the errors of the 11 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:40,920 Buddhist religion. And you know, we are inundated 12 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:45,720 with terms of Buddhism, whether we realize it or not, sometimes 13 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,760 that even Christians incorporate into their daily speech things 14 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:55,800 like karma or Nirvana or gurus. These are sometimes words that 15 00:00:55,800 --> 00:01:00,640 we use a financial guru or well, that's karma coming back at them 16 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:04,160 or those kinds of situations. And those types of words are 17 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:07,040 actually not found, well, in Christianity whatsoever. 18 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,280 They're actually found from the Buddhist religion. 19 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:12,280 And I will tell you there's a lot of mystery that surrounds 20 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,080 Buddhism even as it is one of the larger of the world 21 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:17,560 religions. There's questions even amongst 22 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:21,760 Buddhists themselves, is it a religion or not, is a philosophy 23 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:24,320 or not? And believe it or not, the 24 00:01:24,320 --> 00:01:27,760 different strains, the different groups of Buddhism that are out 25 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:31,240 there do not agree with one another even on whether Buddha 26 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,720 is a God or not. And so we're going to try to 27 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:37,480 uncover a little bit of the mystery of what Buddha Buddhism 28 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:40,160 is here today and try to help us with that. 29 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,480 And even see again how it's been incorporated into some of the 30 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:46,120 things that we say and some of the things we think about if 31 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:49,320 we're not careful. Understanding that they come not 32 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:53,000 from anything from Christianity, but rather from Buddhism. 33 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:56,920 Well, Buddhism is the spiritual tradition and philosophy founded 34 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:00,960 by Siddhartha Gatma. Now Siddhartha Gatma is the 35 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,640 Buddha. He is the one who is Buddhism is 36 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,320 named after. He lived in India around the 5th 37 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:10,800 to 4th century BC. What is Buddhism address? 38 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:12,640 What is it about? Well, it's about human 39 00:02:12,640 --> 00:02:16,160 suffering, the nature of existence, the path to spiritual 40 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:17,840 liberation. And as we're going to see this 41 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:20,880 morning, it is a very moral way of living. 42 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:25,120 I my study even over this last week and seeing that Buddhists 43 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:28,640 are very moral people in many ways, they're very concerned 44 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:30,840 about living in a way that is ethical. 45 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,120 But as we see from the title this week, Buddhism is moral, 46 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:38,040 but it misses the mark because morality in and of itself is not 47 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:41,520 what we are trying to achieve. Because we're going to see when 48 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:44,680 that morality is not anchored within the word of God, It 49 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,120 actually ends up being the morals that man wants. 50 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:49,320 And man's morals can change, can't they? 51 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:52,320 What they think is good and what they think is bad over times. 52 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:54,760 But yet we have the word of God, which is unchanging. 53 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:57,680 The word of God, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, 54 00:02:57,680 --> 00:02:59,600 forever, Amen, the Bible tells us. 55 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,280 And so our morality must be anchored in that. 56 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,080 But there's so much more to go over in Buddhism in these few 57 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:06,720 short minutes. This morning I'm going to 58 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:10,480 introduce it with a illustrated video that I hope will help you 59 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,200 give a basic overview of what Buddhism is all about. 60 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:21,520 Look at that cute little Prince. It's Buddha. 61 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:26,040 Though right now he's still called Siddhartha Gautama. 62 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:29,320 Siddhartha lives in a palace in India. 63 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,280 His parents believe that this little guy will become something 64 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,320 extraordinary. To know this for sure, they ask 65 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:41,120 an astrologer to consult the stars about the future. 66 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:47,040 He will either become a very powerful ruler like his father, 67 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:52,120 or he becomes a holy man and your family will lose all power 68 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:55,600 in the Kingdom. Oh my, don't worry. 69 00:03:55,600 --> 00:04:00,280 As long as you keep him away from sickness, ageing, poverty 70 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:04,440 and death, it will be all right. They decide to protect the 71 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:06,960 Prince from all such experiences. 72 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:11,560 Siddhartha grows up, gets married and has kids without 73 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,960 having met ordinary people outside the palace. 74 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:21,320 But one day, Siddhartha drives his car outside the palace area. 75 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:25,360 There he witnesses how ordinary people live. 76 00:04:26,280 --> 00:04:32,600 He sees an old man, a sick man and a beggar monk in the street. 77 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:37,200 He also drives by a dead man. What? 78 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:41,680 People get sick and are poor and die. 79 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:48,160 Life is just endless suffering. Siddhartha doesn't want to 80 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:51,880 suffer, and he doesn't want anyone else to do so either. 81 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:56,960 This must be solved. He leaves his wife and child and 82 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:01,720 goes away. Siddhartha asks a lot of wise 83 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:06,240 men for advice on how to live. That doesn't get any good 84 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:10,080 answers. So he decides to try not eating. 85 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,040 He will starve himself like a beggar monk. 86 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:18,840 An ascetic. Look how thin he has become. 87 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:23,080 This clearly doesn't work. It won't make one happier. 88 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:29,760 No, Siddhartha realizes this. He gives up the idea of starving 89 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:33,480 himself and sits down beneath A Bodhi tree to meditate. 90 00:05:34,280 --> 00:05:37,960 Here he decides to stay until he's found the solution. 91 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:43,120 Nothing will make him move. An evil demon called Mara 92 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:48,040 appears to tempt him. Mara offers him lots of great 93 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:51,240 things, but Siddhartha just stays put. 94 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:56,360 And finally, after having meditated for 49 days, 95 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:58,840 Siddhartha realizes what's wrong. 96 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:04,200 Humans are never satisfied. They always want more. 97 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:08,120 And this wanting to have more never ends. 98 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,800 And then the suffering never ends either. 99 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:16,120 So now Siddhartha has realized how it is he has become 100 00:06:16,280 --> 00:06:19,680 enlightened. And that is what the word Buddha 101 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:22,840 means. Now he is no longer Siddhartha 102 00:06:22,840 --> 00:06:28,280 Gautama, but Buddha. The Buddha wants more people to 103 00:06:28,280 --> 00:06:31,160 realize this. Some of his friends listen to 104 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:34,440 him and start to follow him. They become his disciples. 105 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,840 Buddha preaches to them and to other people. 106 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,280 At this time in India, everyone is Hindu. 107 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,680 The Hindus believe in rebirth, reincarnation. 108 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:53,760 You are born, live, die, are born, live, die, and so on in an 109 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:59,080 endless cycle. Samsara stop, I want to get off. 110 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:03,600 Buddha preaches the importance of getting free from samsara. 111 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:08,120 Getting reborn makes it impossible to avoid suffering. 112 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,720 Buddha had tried both being rich and starving. 113 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:18,080 These are two exaggerated ways of living and neither are good. 114 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:22,120 He believes it to be better to choose a middle way. 115 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:28,760 But hey, Buddha, if you're not born again, where do you end up 116 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:33,080 after death? You don't get to a place, but to 117 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:36,040 a condition where you don't want anything. 118 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:40,080 Nirvana. Why do you call it Nirvana? 119 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:46,440 Nirvana means blown out. All your desires are blown out 120 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:49,160 and you have reached a kind of peace. 121 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:54,120 Buddha wanders around preaching how to reach Nirvana. 122 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:59,200 When Buddha dies, there have become many disciples. 123 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:02,760 Now it's time for them to pass on his teachings. 124 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:13,160 All right so basic overview of what Buddhism is all about it 125 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:17,720 was founder is Siddhartha Gautama and I once again have 126 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:20,480 neglected to turn on the clicker all right and that will 127 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:24,880 certainly help there He is Siddhartha Gautama there he was 128 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:28,840 born as a Prince in Lambini, which is modern day Nepal lived 129 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:32,039 in luxury until encountering sickness and death. 130 00:08:32,039 --> 00:08:35,360 And this caused him great confusion and we saw that he 131 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,640 went through a time of meditation, self denial which 132 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:41,039 brought him so-called enlightenment while he was 133 00:08:41,039 --> 00:08:44,720 sitting under the Bodhi tree there at that time. 134 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:49,160 I will say it's not easy to give an accurate historical account 135 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:54,200 of who Buddha was and everything you saw there seemed very, I 136 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:56,360 mean, they were very clear about who he was. 137 00:08:56,360 --> 00:09:00,520 However, biographies of his life and who he was weren't even 138 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:03,600 really written till around 500 years later. 139 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:07,720 And so a lot of what we just saw is more myth and legend more 140 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:11,240 than actual recorded history of somebody writing down this is 141 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:13,280 who he was, this is what he experienced. 142 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:17,440 It really has turned into more folklore or legend than anything 143 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:19,600 else. Now as I look at this statue 144 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:22,360 right here of the Buddha, you might be thinking what I was 145 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:23,720 thinking as I was studying this week. 146 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:27,320 And I thought that don't look like Buddha because I'm used to 147 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:30,680 seeing the statues of Buddha being, well, a lot more 148 00:09:30,680 --> 00:09:32,720 well-rounded than the one that we see here. 149 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,240 And that's because again, there are different strains of 150 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:38,600 Buddhism. There are different groups of 151 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:41,280 Buddhism. And So what you see here is what 152 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:45,520 many Buddhists would consider the actual statue, the actual 153 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:48,200 image of Buddha. This is him in as fast. 154 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:52,600 This is him as he has slimmed down and almost gaunt looking, 155 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:54,880 if you will. The Buddha that many of us are 156 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:57,240 more familiar with would be the laughing Buddha. 157 00:09:57,240 --> 00:09:59,360 This is the one that you're going to see at the Chinese 158 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:00,800 restaurant. This is the one that you're 159 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:03,920 going to see with a bowl there that people are putting money in 160 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:06,440 and people are putting that in for good luck to be able to give 161 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,280 that to the Buddha. This is not the same Buddha. 162 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:14,280 This is actually just a symbolism of the abundance and 163 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:17,800 contentment and happiness that following Buddhism brings, at 164 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:21,680 least to one group of Buddhists. And so you will find this often 165 00:10:21,680 --> 00:10:25,480 in Asian restaurants, Chinese restaurants, you will find this 166 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:29,200 laughing Buddha there. However, this is not the Buddha 167 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:33,000 of which we just saw again, it's more of a representation of what 168 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:38,000 Buddhism can bring to those who are its hits parents Now many 169 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,400 years later. Buddhism started to spread over 170 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:44,880 Asia next several centuries and as it did so, it adapted to the 171 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:47,320 local cultures and the local religions of that day. 172 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:51,240 As you saw mentioned just a few moments ago that there was 173 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:55,240 already Hinduism existing in the area that is now known as India. 174 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:58,400 And so with that came a lot of push and pull. 175 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:01,800 In fact, we will see as we do get to Hinduism at some point 176 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:04,280 here over the next few weeks or months, that there are some 177 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:09,360 similarities, of course, the death, rebirth and life cycle. 178 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:13,360 However, with Buddhism we find that you're able to break out of 179 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:16,960 that cycle and achieve Nirvana at some point of which Hinduism 180 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:20,160 does not believe, but before it has. 181 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:23,840 Or rather I would say to the place that's gotten today, there 182 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:26,200 are now 2 made branches of Buddhism. 183 00:11:26,560 --> 00:11:29,480 There are more than just the two, but I would say from my 184 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:32,440 study there are two main branches, 2 very distinct 185 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:35,920 branches, a conservative and a more liberal school of thought. 186 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:40,840 The conservative school is named the Theravada Buddhism and it is 187 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:44,720 the dominant form of Buddhism today in Southeast Asia and so 188 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:47,360 often times it's just simply called Southern Buddhism. 189 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,920 Southern Buddhism, again Southern is in southeastern 190 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:53,840 Asia. It has been more conservative 191 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:58,080 and has supposedly stayed more to what Buddhism originally was 192 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:01,600 in its form as the Buddha had taught it. 193 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:05,280 They follow the pally Canon of scripture was written centuries 194 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,800 after the Gautama's death. However, that there are many 195 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:12,360 that believe that it holds to more exactly of what he would 196 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:15,920 have taught compared to later teachings and iterations. 197 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:19,000 Including the other. Put the same word there twice. 198 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:21,360 How about that? But the second word there should 199 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:25,760 be my Hayana Buddhism and my Hayana Buddhism is also called 200 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:30,360 Northern Buddhism. China, Japan, Korea, Tibet this 201 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:33,520 is where you will find my Hayana or Northern Buddhism. 202 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,560 It is where you would find the laughing Buddha. 203 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:41,840 It is a more liberal form of what Buddhism is and as again as 204 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:45,760 it spread N it incorporated all different types of beliefs and 205 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:49,280 practices as well. Now these two branches do not 206 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:52,480 agree with each other that Theravada Buddhism and the My 207 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:56,080 Hayana Buddhism. Southern Buddhism sees Buddha as 208 00:12:56,080 --> 00:13:04,200 a man, that he never was a God, that he was more of a wayshower. 209 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:08,480 However, Northern Buddhism does worship the Buddha and they do 210 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:12,280 believe that he is God as well. You might be familiar with the 211 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:15,840 Dalai Lama that would be part of Northern Buddhism and they 212 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:21,200 believe that he is an incarnation, that he is a deity 213 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:24,920 like man. And so we look at the Dalai Lama 214 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:26,840 and say, well that seems just like a peaceful guy. 215 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:30,960 That seems like someone who stands for peace and again, very 216 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:34,760 moral in many ways as certainly we would look at him as a man 217 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:38,480 who would stand for peace. But in and of himself that's not 218 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:41,600 good enough because this is a man who presents himself and is 219 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:45,520 presented to those particularly of Northern Buddhism as a God 220 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:47,360 like figure. And so when we look at him, we 221 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,360 can't just look at him as a harmful, peaceful, older 222 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:54,240 gentleman, but rather we must see him as an idol that is being 223 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:58,000 worshipped by those who are of the one that is not named up 224 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:03,040 there, the Mahayana of Buddhism. But whether you believed in the 225 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:06,280 Theravada of the North or the Mahayana, or whether the 226 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:09,720 Theravada of the South or the Mahayana of the North, there are 227 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:14,080 some things that are in common. They both would teach that one 228 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:18,400 can escape suffering only by attaining Nirvana, meaning 229 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:20,200 you're in the constant cycle of life. 230 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:23,360 But however, you can get to the place where you break out of 231 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:26,920 that cycle and achieve the transcendent state of being 232 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:30,200 called Nirvana. And unless one retains Nirvana, 233 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,040 they would both believe one is trapped in that system. 234 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:34,960 And what traps you in that system? 235 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:37,840 Your karma, your good deeds or your bad deeds. 236 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:41,200 This is what will keep you going into your future lives. 237 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:43,360 Good deeds makes you more or exalted. 238 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:45,960 You might even get to heaven, which we'll hopefully see a 239 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:48,160 video about in a few minutes if we get time for that. 240 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:51,400 Worse deeds will get you to hell. 241 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:54,080 You say they believe in heaven and help not like the Bible 242 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,920 says, but what I would say is a better form of life and a worse 243 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:01,040 form of life. But even then, you can come back 244 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:04,320 from heaven, back to this world. You can go from hell to this 245 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:05,520 world. You kind of bounce around all 246 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:08,720 these different places until you finally achieve Nirvana. 247 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:10,720 You say, Pastor, that must be very confusing. 248 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:13,440 Well, it certainly is, which is why they don't even agree on 249 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:16,400 many of the very fundamentals of their own religion. 250 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:19,920 But they also would say that you must realize through meditation 251 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:23,520 that there is no substantial self, that that you are not 252 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:26,160 really you. You are you now, but you are not 253 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:29,320 you in the future, where even many religions would teach that 254 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:30,960 your soul would just continue on. 255 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,560 Even if the outward man infestation, the body would 256 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:36,960 pass, your soul would continue. They basically would teach that 257 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:40,720 you are a new person when you go to the next, that the connective 258 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:44,560 tissue isn't nearly as direct as it would be in other places. 259 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:47,240 You are a composition of different elements that 260 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:50,680 literally shares no essence whatsoever. 261 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:54,080 So that would be the agreement of those two branches, Theravada 262 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:57,360 and Mahayana. Now, what are the core 263 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:00,560 teachings? What are the things that they 264 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:03,040 teach about what you need to know? 265 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:04,920 Now remember the last couple weeks as we looked at 266 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:10,080 Scientology, there was one word that really summed up all of the 267 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:12,280 teachings and that was this survival. 268 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:15,680 Do you remember that? It was all about survival and 269 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,440 that's why you had the 8 dynamics that you need to 270 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:20,880 survive with self, you need to survive with family. 271 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:23,640 And that circle just kept growing wider and wider. 272 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:27,640 If we were to take one word and really put it down to what 273 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:31,520 Hinduism is, or rather Buddhism is all about, it would be this 274 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:35,120 word suffering. The idea that the Buddha had 275 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:38,360 suffered, he had saw suffering, He felt like he needed to suffer 276 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:40,280 as well. But then as he continued to 277 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:44,880 suffer, as we saw in that statue that depicts him in that gaunt 278 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:47,880 type of way, that the more he suffered, he realized there 279 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:50,920 needed to be the middle way. There needed to be a way that 280 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:55,280 wasn't rich and wasn't poor. It wasn't all about great health 281 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:58,360 and it wasn't about sickness that it would be this middle 282 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:00,480 way. And so suffering would be the 283 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,880 keyword of which we will be able to look at here in just a moment 284 00:17:04,040 --> 00:17:06,640 through the four Noble Truths. But before we do that, I have 285 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:09,040 another video from a gentleman who is a Buddhist here in the 286 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:11,640 United States, and he's going to explain some of those things as 287 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:14,359 well. Namo Buddhaya, welcome to 288 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:17,520 today's video. Today in this video, I'm going 289 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:21,680 to discuss about a simple question that most of the people 290 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:25,079 ask from Buddhist monks. And the question is very simple. 291 00:17:25,079 --> 00:17:30,520 It is what is Buddhism? It seems to be a simple 292 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:34,600 question, but it is very complicated when you're trying 293 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,520 to give an answer for this question for. 294 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:40,560 So let's try to find an answer for this question today. 295 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:46,800 So, so many people ask that is Buddhism a religion or is it a 296 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:50,440 philosophy or is it a way of life? 297 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:55,200 Now, first of all, what is your what is your opinion about this? 298 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:57,200 Is it a religion? Do you feel it is like a 299 00:17:57,200 --> 00:17:59,200 religion? Do you feel it is like a 300 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,560 philosophy or it is like a more like a way of life? 301 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:06,440 What do you think about it? Well, this is the thing if I can 302 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:11,400 give a simple answer for Buddhism, what Buddhism is? 303 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:16,920 This is the answer. Buddhism is a profound teaching 304 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:22,880 and a deep teaching that it is very difficult to put it into 305 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:27,720 one basket, one category, saying this is a religion, this is a 306 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:30,000 philosophy, this is a way of life. 307 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,000 Why? Because let's say when you visit 308 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:37,000 a Buddhist temple, if you had the chance to visit the Buddhist 309 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:38,920 temple, you will see Buddhist statues. 310 00:18:39,080 --> 00:18:41,600 People come and worship to the Buddhist statues. 311 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:45,160 They offer flowers, and they offer so many offerings to the 312 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:48,960 Buddhist statues and they worship and they do all sort of 313 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,560 things. When you see that, you may start 314 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:54,920 to think, oh, this is a religion, OK. 315 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:59,920 In the same time, if you dive into the Buddhist teachings, 316 00:18:59,920 --> 00:19:03,160 core Buddhist teachings, and if you read some sutas, what will 317 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:05,320 happen? You will come to an 318 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:08,560 understanding that these teachings, what the Buddha has 319 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:12,920 taught is so profound and it is more philosophical. 320 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:18,200 It dives into the deep topics in life like existence and life and 321 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:20,640 impermanence, a lot of things like that. 322 00:19:21,120 --> 00:19:22,800 OK. Then you may start to think, 323 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:25,680 well, Buddhism is more philosophical. 324 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:29,880 And in the in the other way, if you try to practice Buddhism, 325 00:19:30,120 --> 00:19:33,840 right, if you try to practice Buddhism by practicing virtues 326 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:38,320 and practicing meditation, it becomes more of a way of Life. 327 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:43,960 OK, So what exactly is Buddhism? How can we understand? 328 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:49,280 Well, the one answer that I can give when you sum up all the 329 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:53,920 Buddhist teachings, OK, the one answer that I can give is 330 00:19:54,120 --> 00:19:57,360 Buddhism is all about four noble truths. 331 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:01,360 The Buddha said Dukha is the first noble truth. 332 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:04,640 Life is based upon unsatisfactoriness. 333 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:09,600 OK then the samudaya is the second noble truth and that is 334 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:16,200 the unsatisfactoriness is based on it become it origins because 335 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:18,960 of the craving and the desires in our life. 336 00:20:19,360 --> 00:20:26,200 OK, and the third is the neroda. If you let go of the craving and 337 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:29,800 the desires in your life, you will end up the 338 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:33,040 unsatisfactoriness. And finally, the 4th noble truth 339 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:37,880 is the mugger, the path that leads to letting go of this 340 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:40,880 unsatisfactoriness. Okay, removing that 341 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:44,480 unsatisfactoriness and that is the Noble Eightfold Path. 342 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:49,760 So this 4 Noble truth is all about Buddhist teachings. 343 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:54,360 OK, but when you see the Buddhist traditions and Buddhist 344 00:20:54,360 --> 00:20:56,680 rituals, you will see people are worshipping. 345 00:20:56,880 --> 00:21:00,360 Then it is also it has a part of religion. 346 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:05,400 OK, people worship, but it is not in the way of a religion 347 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:08,960 that people think it is a religion because the definition 348 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:13,000 of the word religion is constant, worshipping and 349 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:17,600 believing into a supernatural and superhuman being or a God. 350 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,800 In that sense, Buddhism is not a religion. 351 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:24,360 It is also it has more philosophical aspects, but it is 352 00:21:24,360 --> 00:21:27,360 not just a study of these concepts. 353 00:21:27,360 --> 00:21:31,280 You cannot just stop from studying about the impermanence 354 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:34,600 and the existence and everything just as a study. 355 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:38,800 You have to dive into these studies and you have to practice 356 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,920 it. It runs beyond the studying. 357 00:21:42,120 --> 00:21:47,120 It goes to the practice, and you have to realize by yourself, 358 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:50,360 through yourself, what the reality is. 359 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:55,880 That is what Buddhism is. OK, so if I said that what 360 00:21:55,880 --> 00:22:00,800 Buddhism is, the Buddhism is all about the four Noble truths. 361 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:05,240 So that is the answer that I can give to a person who is asking 362 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:09,240 this question, What is Buddhism? It is about the Four Noble 363 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:11,960 truths and the reality of this world. 364 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:15,440 So keep this in your mind. Namo Buddhaya. 365 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:21,840 He did, yeah. I, I was, I was wondering if 366 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:25,600 anybody catch that. But anyway, moving on. 367 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,840 There are the four noble truths that are mentioned, 368 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:32,560 unsatisfactoriness or suffering. Either one would be kind of the 369 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:35,000 same idea. He presents it as 370 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:39,040 unsatisfactoriness, but yet the first you would see would be the 371 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:41,920 Duca, which is suffering or unsatisfactoriness. 372 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:46,040 Life in this world is inherently unsatisfying and marked by pain, 373 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:48,200 frustration, and pertinent and permanence. 374 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:52,520 Birth, aging, sickness, and death are all examples of the 375 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:55,280 suffering. Even pleasure is temporary and 376 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:58,800 cannot fully satisfy the heart. Interestingly enough, they're 377 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:01,640 identifying a problem of which the Bible speaks of. 378 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:05,200 There is something to say that satisfaction of this life in and 379 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:07,400 of itself is, well, unsatisfying. 380 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:10,080 I just read this last week through the book of Ecclesiastes 381 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:12,240 and here is a man who had everything. 382 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:14,080 The Buddha thinks that he had a lot. 383 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:17,080 Well, let me tell you, compared to Solomon, he had nothing. 384 00:23:17,360 --> 00:23:21,040 But yet even Solomon looks at his life and he surveys 385 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:22,480 everything. And what is the word that he 386 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:25,920 continually uses? Vanity, vexation of spirit. 387 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:28,840 That I have all these things, but yet what good is it doing 388 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:30,880 me? In fact, he says, I've collected 389 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:33,240 these things for my whole life and the only thing I get to do 390 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:35,000 is to hand it off to somebody else. 391 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:37,560 That we come into this world and we leave this world with the 392 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:40,280 exact same as we started, didn't it? 393 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:43,880 And so there is some level of an itch that is to be scratched 394 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:46,320 there. That is the issue of suffering. 395 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:49,560 But again, the issue is not necessarily what they diagnose 396 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:52,320 as a problem. I wouldn't say the main problem, 397 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:55,480 but a problem of life. It is the answer that they have 398 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:58,520 for that problem. They continue with the Samediah, 399 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:00,960 which is the cause of the suffering. 400 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:04,320 They say suffering arises from craving and attachment. 401 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,720 We cling to people, possessions, experiences, believing they will 402 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:11,960 bring lasting happiness. This craving and entangles us in 403 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:15,200 the cycle of birth and death and rebirth. 404 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,560 And that's why the Buddha would have left his own family and 405 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:21,920 said, well, I'll have to go my own way and try to find my own 406 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:23,120 way. And even as I was watching, I 407 00:24:23,120 --> 00:24:24,680 was thinking, whatever happened to your family? 408 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:27,800 You just left and became enlightened, but you left them 409 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:30,160 behind. But in his teaching, it's really 410 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:32,560 not about anyone else and what they need. 411 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:35,880 It's all about you being able to find that place where you will 412 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:39,560 end up in Nirvana. Then the Naroda would be the 413 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:43,360 cessation of suffering. It is possible to end and 414 00:24:43,360 --> 00:24:46,520 suffering by extinguishing craving and attachment. 415 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:48,880 That liberation is called Nirvana. 416 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:52,280 This is the place where Buddhists are trying to be able 417 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:56,360 to go, where their mind is free from desire and the cycle of 418 00:24:56,360 --> 00:25:00,440 constant rebirth. But then yes, the final section 419 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:03,800 of that is the mega, which is the path to the cessation of 420 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:06,800 suffering. Yes, the third truth is where a 421 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:10,120 Buddhist wants to be. The 4th truth tells them how to 422 00:25:10,120 --> 00:25:13,360 be able to get there. This eightfold path that we'll 423 00:25:13,360 --> 00:25:16,920 see in just a moment provides the practical way to end 424 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,160 suffering. It's about ethical conduct. 425 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:23,360 It's about morality. It's about living in a way that 426 00:25:23,360 --> 00:25:26,920 is taking care of other people. And again, in and of itself, 427 00:25:27,120 --> 00:25:31,440 that morality is something that could be applauded in a way that 428 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:35,720 people are living in a peaceful and non destructive way. 429 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:38,360 But again, what is that morality attached to? 430 00:25:38,360 --> 00:25:40,240 That's what this always comes back to. 431 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:43,920 And so this eightfold path that we see, and I'll just give them 432 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:46,520 to you very quickly, there's the right view. 433 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:49,760 That's the understanding of the nature of reality and the truth 434 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:51,840 of suffering. The right intention is to 435 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:54,960 cultivate intentions of renunciation, goodwill, 436 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:57,440 harmlessness. The right speech speak 437 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:00,160 truthfully, kindly, without causing harm. 438 00:26:00,360 --> 00:26:03,080 The right action behave ethically, avoid killing, 439 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:07,400 stealing and sexual misconduct. Right livelihood earn a living 440 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:09,560 in a way that does not harm others. 441 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:13,400 The right effort actively prevent unwholesome thoughts and 442 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:16,840 cultivate wholesome thoughts. The right mindfulness maintain 443 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:20,960 awareness of body feelings, mind right concentration develop deep 444 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:24,920 meditation that leads mental clarity and insight. 445 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:32,240 I will say this, Buddhists often live more moral lives than some 446 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:35,840 Bible believe in Christians. I'm not comfortable with you 447 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:38,040 saying that, pastor. It just ends up being the truth 448 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:42,840 is that they take what you see here very, very seriously, that 449 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:45,760 they are to live ethically moral lives. 450 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:48,680 And that's why there was that kind of push and pull that he's 451 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:50,000 talking about. Is it a religion? 452 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:53,320 Is it a way of life? It was his way of saying that we 453 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:55,720 should be living out our religion. 454 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:57,800 Well, we would agree with that as well, that we should be 455 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:02,040 living out our relationship with Jesus Christ, that the outflow 456 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:04,320 of our life should be holiness. In fact, we're going to be 457 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:07,280 talking about this morning at 11:00 when we see that Christ is 458 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:09,560 holy. But they would, we would look at 459 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:11,760 that and say these are good things. 460 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:14,960 They are very moral. But I have to remind you that 461 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:19,840 morality again, in and of itself won't cause someone to go to 462 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:22,080 heaven. They won't cause someone to 463 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:24,920 achieve the Nirvana of which they believe it will. 464 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:29,040 Isaiah 64 verse 6 But we are all as an unclean thing and all our 465 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:33,520 righteousnesses are as filthy rags and we do fade as a leaf on 466 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:37,000 our iniquities like the wind have taken us a well away. 467 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:39,960 Philippians 3 verse 9 and be found in him. 468 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:43,720 This important be found in him who is him Jesus Christ, be 469 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:47,960 found in him not having mine own righteousness. 470 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:51,040 We could stop right there because the morality and 471 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:53,000 righteousness of which we're talking about is not just 472 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:56,440 finding it in a philosophical and moral system. 473 00:27:56,600 --> 00:27:59,240 It is about finding righteousness through Jesus 474 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:01,720 Christ that he is our righteousness. 475 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:05,720 He is the one that shows us the path to holiness and he is the 476 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:08,520 one who saves us because we cannot save ourselves. 477 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:11,800 So finishing that verse and be found in him not having mine own 478 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:14,680 righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through 479 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:19,680 faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by 480 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:21,440 faith. Now, there's a lot of popular 481 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:25,200 terms of Buddhism, again, that we have often incorporated into 482 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:28,400 daily life. And I would say that even as I 483 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:31,080 was looking at some of these, that it was a reminder to me to 484 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:34,320 even be careful in how we speak and making sure that we don't 485 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:37,640 use some of these terms in a way that would almost seem as if we 486 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:42,000 are approving or as if we are proselytizing for Buddhism 487 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:43,320 itself. And so some of these you might 488 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:46,040 be familiar with, some of the terms you might not be familiar 489 00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:48,440 with, but maybe the symbolism you are. 490 00:28:48,440 --> 00:28:53,080 And the first is karma. Karma originally means action or 491 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:55,480 deed. It refers to the law of cause 492 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:58,120 effect. In casual use, it really would 493 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:00,200 mean this. Today, what goes around comes 494 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:01,600 around. I think that's what people would 495 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:05,000 say, well, you've got some good karma or that's some bad karma. 496 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:08,280 You see somebody that is in a bad situation, bad karma. 497 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:10,240 You see someone that got something maybe they weren't 498 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:12,160 expecting, that's some good karma. 499 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:15,200 Here's one of the really insidious things about the issue 500 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:18,640 of karma. It is really taking away from a 501 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:23,600 Bible truth because the Bible truth of karma is this the law 502 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:27,240 of sowing and reaping that is Bible That's not karma. 503 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:29,560 We don't call sowing and reaping karma. 504 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:36,800 That is a a gross exaggeration and perversion really of what 505 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:40,480 the Word of God teaches. Galatians 6 verses 7 and 8. 506 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:42,840 Be not deceived, God is not mocked. 507 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:47,280 For whatsoever a man soweth that shall, he also reap, For he that 508 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:50,440 soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he 509 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:53,240 that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life 510 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:55,920 everlasting. Do I believe in karma with a 511 00:29:55,920 --> 00:29:57,640 different name called sowing and reaping? 512 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:01,960 No, I believe in sowing and reaping and I don't want to try 513 00:30:01,960 --> 00:30:04,720 to give credence to the issue of karma. 514 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:07,760 So maybe something even in our language day-to-day that we 515 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:10,880 might not want to say this issue of karma. 516 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:14,200 We would rather say that it is the issue of sowing and reaping. 517 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:16,200 Nirvana. For some it's a state of 518 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:18,040 liberation, for others it's a band. 519 00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:20,960 But what is Nirvana? It is. 520 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:25,400 I thought I'd slip that one in. So it is a state of liberation 521 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:28,400 from suffering and the cycle of rebirth. 522 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:32,600 It is commonly used to describe a place or a state of perfect 523 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:36,560 happiness and peace. But yet, if you are not 524 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:39,120 enlightened, as I mentioned, I don't think we'll show that 525 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:41,120 third video, gentleman, because of time. 526 00:30:41,120 --> 00:30:42,920 I want to get to some of my other slides here. 527 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:46,680 But they do believe in heaven and hell, but again, not the way 528 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:48,120 that we would believe in heaven and hell. 529 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:50,800 They believe that they are just other realities. 530 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:55,560 There are other existences that there is not a real hell or lake 531 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:58,760 of fire as the Bible teaches, and that heaven is a place of 532 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:01,520 permanent and eternal rest would not be the place of which they 533 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:03,080 teach. It would be either that they are 534 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:07,520 just other states as you are on that cycle of trying to be able 535 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:10,040 to find Nirvana in and of yourself. 536 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:13,240 But again, if you think Nirvana is their word for heaven, it is 537 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:16,200 not their word for heaven. It is a state of mind. 538 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:19,960 It is a state of being. It is not an actual place where 539 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:24,040 people would spend eternity, and even if we were to say it was, 540 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:28,120 we recognize that they would not spend an eternity there because, 541 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:30,800 well, they do not believe in Jesus Christ. 542 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:34,960 Because heaven is about what I am, the way, the truth, and the 543 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:36,560 life. No man cometh unto the Father, 544 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:38,240 but by me. That wasn't the Buddhist 545 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:41,520 speaking, that was Jesus who spoke and said those words. 546 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:43,880 Here's another one that's often used Zen. 547 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:48,240 It's originally a school of Northern Buddhism that focused 548 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:51,800 on meditation. Now you'll say, pastor, is it 549 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:55,200 meditation a good thing? Well, meditation is a wonderful 550 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:57,560 thing. But as I've often said here it 551 00:31:57,560 --> 00:31:59,200 we're going to converse about these things. 552 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:02,280 We have to define our terms as Bible believers. 553 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:06,040 We do believe in meditation, but we don't believe in the Zen form 554 00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:09,840 of meditation where, you know, we put mats out and we cross our 555 00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:11,160 legs. Some of us, we cross our legs. 556 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:12,280 We won't be able to uncross our legs. 557 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:16,480 We help getting back up, but you know, put our fingers out and 558 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:19,680 hum, you know, or chant or something like that, or have a 559 00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:21,400 mantra of which we'll look at in a second. 560 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:25,080 This is not what Bible believing meditation is. 561 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:29,280 Bible believing meditation is to focus on the word, to focus on 562 00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:31,760 that which God has already revealed. 563 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:34,600 That's why you read the Psalms and you find that term Selah. 564 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:36,400 I love that. What is Selah? 565 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:40,320 Therefore, it means stop, pause, meditate, think on these things. 566 00:32:40,320 --> 00:32:42,520 In fact, if you're reading through the Psalms and you see 567 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:45,680 Selah, you ought to stop there for a minute and really consider 568 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:48,440 why you read what you just read. Now, if you're like me, you 569 00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:50,640 might be just going from point A to point B and your Bible 570 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:53,440 reading and you say Cela and you keep right on trucking, right? 571 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:55,960 But there will be nothing wrong with just taking a moment saying 572 00:32:56,200 --> 00:33:00,800 the Lord literally in his Word has preserved a stop sign for me 573 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:03,480 to stop and meditate. This is not the meditation we're 574 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:05,520 talking about. They're talking about emptying 575 00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:08,000 your mind of everything that you are thinking of. 576 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:09,600 Why? Because you're trying to get 577 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:12,880 your place, your mind to that place of Nirvana that you can 578 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:17,160 eventually reach is a very dangerous thing to empty your 579 00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:19,760 mind of all thoughts. You say, pastor, why would it be 580 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:21,560 so dangerous? Well, there is one who would 581 00:33:21,560 --> 00:33:24,320 love to fill your mind with thoughts as you empty it. 582 00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:27,440 And so no, we're not talking about biblical meditation here. 583 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:29,600 It is reaching that place of of them. 584 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:32,360 Well, how do we reach true peace in this life? 585 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:36,280 Well, Isaiah 26 verse 3 says thou will keep him in perfect 586 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:39,960 peace whose mind is stayed on thee, for he trusteth in thee. 587 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:43,000 So what is biblical meditation? I'm staying my mind. 588 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:45,800 I am focusing my mind on Jesus Christ. 589 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:48,280 How do I do that? I focus on his word. 590 00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:51,000 I consider his word, I ponder his word. 591 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:53,640 I read my Bible reading in the morning and what do I do in the 592 00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:55,240 afternoon? I'm still chewing on what I read 593 00:33:55,240 --> 00:33:57,280 in the morning. Remember, reading your Bible 594 00:33:57,280 --> 00:34:00,640 isn't just about making sure check off your box for the day, 595 00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:03,680 read it in the morning and think about it in that afternoon. 596 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:06,360 If you read it at night, sometimes some people that's 597 00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:08,080 better. Sometimes if you're like me, the 598 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:10,600 day got out of hand and it's night and I'm thinking, I said I 599 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:12,040 read my Bible today. I'm going to read my Bible 600 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:13,719 tonight. I have to remind myself in the 601 00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:14,920 morning, what did I just read last night? 602 00:34:15,199 --> 00:34:17,719 Because I want to meditate on it and focus on it's not just about 603 00:34:17,719 --> 00:34:19,600 reading my Bible. So I said I read my Bible, 604 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:20,960 Jesus, I've been a good Christian. 605 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:23,600 I read my Bible today. He said, well, why don't you 606 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:25,199 meditate on it? Something think about what you 607 00:34:25,199 --> 00:34:26,880 read. This is, this is truly what it 608 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:28,920 is. And so not the Zen form of 609 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:31,360 meditation, certainly not the case at all. 610 00:34:31,600 --> 00:34:34,120 The mantra, what is what's your mantra? 611 00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:35,679 Now people will say things like that. 612 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:38,239 Well, my mantra is I don't have mantras, All right, that's my 613 00:34:38,239 --> 00:34:39,320 mantra. Why? 614 00:34:39,320 --> 00:34:42,679 Because mantra comes from Buddhism, and it means a sacred 615 00:34:42,679 --> 00:34:46,360 syllable word or phrase that is often repeated during 616 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:52,440 meditation. That could be a mantra in and of 617 00:34:52,639 --> 00:34:55,199 itself. In secular context today, 618 00:34:55,320 --> 00:34:58,320 usually people mean it's like a motto or a principle that you 619 00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:00,040 would live by. This is my mantra. 620 00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:04,840 This is what I live by. But yet when you continually 621 00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:09,080 utter the same phrase over and over and over again, you're not 622 00:35:09,080 --> 00:35:11,200 accomplishing what you think you're accomplishing. 623 00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:15,240 I always go back to paganism because paganism constantly 624 00:35:15,240 --> 00:35:18,600 reminds people to say the same thing over and over again. 625 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:22,640 What does the the Lord tell us? Avoid vain repetitions. 626 00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:26,040 That's what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount. 627 00:35:26,240 --> 00:35:28,800 He says you think that you shall be heard for your for your much 628 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:30,560 speaking. This is Matthew chapter 6. 629 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:33,920 He said, he said, be ye not therefore like unto them, for 630 00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:36,840 your Father knoweth what things you have need of before you ask 631 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:38,360 them. That's what Jesus said. 632 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:40,440 But the mantra is this. In fact, when I think of a 633 00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:42,880 mantra you just mentioned, when I think of the mantra, I go back 634 00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:45,440 to Mount Carmel. And when Elijah was in that 635 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:48,800 great contest with the prophets of Baal, and it says that for 636 00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:51,520 hours the prophets of Baal, attempting to be able to have 637 00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:56,440 Baal hear them, chanted, O Baal hear us, O Baal hear us, O Baal 638 00:35:56,440 --> 00:35:58,600 hear us. That was their mantra, if you 639 00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:00,960 will. But Elijah didn't have to go. 640 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:03,480 O Jehovah, hear us. O Jehovah, hear us. 641 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:05,280 The Bible says he prayed a simple prayer. 642 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:08,080 He repaired the altar. And what happened? 643 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:11,160 The fire fell down from heaven and they consumed the sacrifice, 644 00:36:11,360 --> 00:36:13,720 the wood, the water and the altar. 645 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:16,000 That's some kind of fire. Why? 646 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:19,520 Because God was just saying I don't need your mantra, I need 647 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:22,880 you. And obviously Israel saw the 648 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:26,360 power of God that day. I just mentioned Matthew chapter 649 00:36:26,360 --> 00:36:28,440 6 verse 7. But when you pray, use not vain 650 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:32,320 repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they shall 651 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:33,560 be heard for their much speaking. 652 00:36:33,560 --> 00:36:36,760 We don't need a mantra. The mandala. 653 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:39,680 The mandala. Now, you may not be familiar 654 00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:42,840 with this term, but you may be familiar with the actual item 655 00:36:42,840 --> 00:36:44,880 itself. This is a geometric design. 656 00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:48,040 I'm kind of kicking myself that I did not put a photo of it here 657 00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:49,880 today, but you could look it up yourself. 658 00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:53,320 The mandala. This is a geometric figure which 659 00:36:53,320 --> 00:36:55,840 is often used for focus during meditation. 660 00:36:56,160 --> 00:36:57,800 You're meditating, you're clearing your mind and you're 661 00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:01,560 focusing on this picture. Few years ago there was this 662 00:37:01,560 --> 00:37:07,200 really popular trend of having coloring books for older people. 663 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:10,200 You know, I want to say adult coloring books, but I, I, you 664 00:37:10,200 --> 00:37:12,600 understand, I'm, I'm, I'm talking about the fact that 665 00:37:12,920 --> 00:37:16,440 these are not little kids that are coloring, you know, pictures 666 00:37:16,520 --> 00:37:18,000 of Paw Patrol or something like that. 667 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:21,320 This is adults and using, well, don't knock it, you know, if you 668 00:37:21,320 --> 00:37:25,440 haven't tried it, but but you know, color pencils and stuff 669 00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:28,200 like that. A lot of those are actually 670 00:37:28,840 --> 00:37:31,160 Mandelas. A lot of people don't realize 671 00:37:31,160 --> 00:37:34,080 that if you look at those, those are actually for the purpose of 672 00:37:34,080 --> 00:37:36,240 focusing during meditation. I'm not saying that if you 673 00:37:36,240 --> 00:37:38,040 happen to color one of those, you're accidentally going to 674 00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:40,240 become a Buddhist. I'm not saying it, but all I am 675 00:37:40,240 --> 00:37:43,400 saying is to be aware of those things because they slip into 676 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:45,680 popular consciousness without us even realize. 677 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:48,160 He said, well, that's a kind of a cool little figure right there 678 00:37:48,400 --> 00:37:51,640 where other people would look at it and say, boy, that is what 679 00:37:51,640 --> 00:37:55,160 I'll focus on to get to the place of Zen during my 680 00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:57,000 meditation. And so we need to be careful how 681 00:37:57,000 --> 00:37:58,960 we let these things slip into our lives. 682 00:37:58,960 --> 00:38:01,760 Again, I would not suggest that if you colored this and you 683 00:38:01,760 --> 00:38:04,360 didn't even I'm, I'm a Buddhist. I don't even know how this 684 00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:06,920 happened. But again, we're to be wise as 685 00:38:06,920 --> 00:38:10,000 serpents and harmless as doves. At the same time, we should be 686 00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:13,800 aware of what Satan uses to soften our defenses to things 687 00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:15,720 that are not of the Lord, but of Satan. 688 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:18,240 And then here's the last one that we're very familiar with is 689 00:38:18,240 --> 00:38:21,080 the guru. That's a financial guru. 690 00:38:21,080 --> 00:38:24,240 Hey, that guy is a political guru. 691 00:38:24,560 --> 00:38:26,720 These are terms that we use often, and we just mean that 692 00:38:26,720 --> 00:38:28,960 somebody is very knowledgeable in their field. 693 00:38:28,960 --> 00:38:31,320 That's what we would mean. But at the same time, in 694 00:38:31,320 --> 00:38:33,600 Hinduism, the guru is a spiritual teacher. 695 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:37,160 It is someone who is like that gentleman that you saw just a 696 00:38:37,160 --> 00:38:39,480 few moments ago. I would assume that he would be 697 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:43,200 considered a guru to a following that he has. 698 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:46,440 And so the term guru is one that, you know, again, we would 699 00:38:46,440 --> 00:38:49,640 use in a much different way, but it doesn't come from our own 700 00:38:49,640 --> 00:38:53,000 popular way of talking, but rather it is a term that has 701 00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:57,400 been borrowed from Buddhism. Now I want to very quickly gives 702 00:38:57,400 --> 00:39:00,880 you some Christian apologetics, some some problems with Buddhism 703 00:39:00,880 --> 00:39:03,120 on top of what we have already read here today. 704 00:39:03,360 --> 00:39:07,000 Buddhism offers the solution to life'll problems as an 705 00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:09,720 impersonal solution. You need to extinguish yourself. 706 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:12,480 That's the issue. Suffering is the key. 707 00:39:12,480 --> 00:39:15,680 Find the middle way. Yourself is not yourself, but 708 00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:18,800 you must find your own path. But Christianity teaches 709 00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:21,400 something much different. Biblical Christianity teaches a 710 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:25,160 personal God who loves humanity and acts throughout history. 711 00:39:25,440 --> 00:39:29,040 Psalm 145 verse 18 The Lord is nigh unto all of them that call 712 00:39:29,040 --> 00:39:31,400 upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. 713 00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:35,800 And of course John 316 as well. Salvation by works versus 714 00:39:35,800 --> 00:39:39,600 salvation by grace. A Buddhism emphasizes self 715 00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:43,960 effort To reach Nirvana you have to find your own Nirvana. 716 00:39:44,240 --> 00:39:47,520 But Christianity emphasizes grace through faith. 717 00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:51,440 Ephesians 2894 by grace are you saved through faith and that not 718 00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:53,400 of yourself. It is the gift of God, not of 719 00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:56,960 works, lest any man should boast moral authority. 720 00:39:56,960 --> 00:40:00,280 This is a big one. Buddhism relies on karma as an 721 00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:02,920 impersonal moral law. How do you know if you've done 722 00:40:02,920 --> 00:40:04,720 well or not? Well, it's all about karma. 723 00:40:05,400 --> 00:40:08,760 And the best you can tell about how your moral your life is, is 724 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:10,240 if good karma is coming your way. 725 00:40:10,440 --> 00:40:13,800 And perhaps you are not doing so well because you found bad karma 726 00:40:14,040 --> 00:40:16,240 is coming your way again. There's a problem with that. 727 00:40:16,320 --> 00:40:19,760 We have found, as I mentioned just a few services ago, that 728 00:40:19,760 --> 00:40:21,920 the rainfalls on the just and the unjust. 729 00:40:22,240 --> 00:40:25,480 And so there could be some that think, wow, the rain came today. 730 00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:28,480 I must have good karma when it really is just. 731 00:40:28,480 --> 00:40:32,800 God is merciful and gracious upon you, and you might perceive 732 00:40:32,800 --> 00:40:36,920 that as God is blessing your efforts when your efforts are 733 00:40:36,920 --> 00:40:39,440 wicked. And so that's a problem. 734 00:40:39,440 --> 00:40:42,840 But rather, Christianity grounds morality in God's character. 735 00:40:43,120 --> 00:40:46,040 What's moral, What's holy? Can we put it that way again, to 736 00:40:46,240 --> 00:40:48,400 tie into what we're going to be looking at at 11:00 this 737 00:40:48,400 --> 00:40:50,560 morning, What is holy? Well, it's not what is holy, 738 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:53,080 it's who is holy. We look at who is holy and we 739 00:40:53,080 --> 00:40:55,760 see what His Holiness is, and then we understand true 740 00:40:55,760 --> 00:40:58,360 holiness. Isaiah 33, verse 22. 741 00:40:58,360 --> 00:41:02,120 The Lord is our judge. The Lord is our lawgiver, the 742 00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:04,280 Lord is our king. He will save us. 743 00:41:04,440 --> 00:41:09,080 Psalm 119 One O 5 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a what 744 00:41:09,200 --> 00:41:12,520 light unto my path, Hope of eternal life. 745 00:41:12,520 --> 00:41:14,480 Here's another place that we could see differences. 746 00:41:14,720 --> 00:41:17,080 Buddhism offers Nirvana based on self. 747 00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:20,200 This is what you have done. Christianity offers resurrection 748 00:41:20,200 --> 00:41:24,800 and eternal life through Christ. John 1125 and 26 I am the 749 00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:28,320 resurrection and the life he that believeth in me, though he 750 00:41:28,320 --> 00:41:31,160 were dead, yet shall he live first. 751 00:41:31,160 --> 00:41:34,080 John 511 and 12. This is the record that God has 752 00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:37,920 given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 753 00:41:37,960 --> 00:41:39,800 This is where we find eternal life. 754 00:41:40,240 --> 00:41:43,520 Buddhism teaches to overcome suffering you must become 755 00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:46,040 detached. This is the way to overcome 756 00:41:46,040 --> 00:41:48,320 suffering. However, Christianity teaches 757 00:41:48,320 --> 00:41:51,880 transformation through Christ and finding purpose in 758 00:41:51,880 --> 00:41:53,600 suffering. Could you imagine if the Apostle 759 00:41:53,600 --> 00:41:56,600 Paul tried to live like Buddha? The Apostle Paul had all kinds 760 00:41:56,600 --> 00:42:00,160 of troubles and tribulations and trials, but instead of doing 761 00:42:00,160 --> 00:42:03,520 that which would have removed himself from those troubles, 762 00:42:03,760 --> 00:42:06,240 what did God teach him? My grace is sufficient for Thee, 763 00:42:06,880 --> 00:42:08,760 he says. That is what will bring you 764 00:42:08,760 --> 00:42:11,280 through the trials and difficulties of life. 765 00:42:11,480 --> 00:42:13,840 Why? For my strength is made perfect 766 00:42:14,160 --> 00:42:16,760 and weakness. This is what Paul says so much 767 00:42:16,760 --> 00:42:19,600 different from that which is taught by the Buddhist. 768 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:23,720 I have to draw short here this morning, but just in summary, 769 00:42:23,720 --> 00:42:27,160 Buddhism offers profound insights on suffering, 770 00:42:27,360 --> 00:42:31,280 meditation, and ethical living. There are very ethical people, 771 00:42:31,560 --> 00:42:34,280 but in very ethical people does not mean that they are 772 00:42:34,280 --> 00:42:38,080 biblically correct. They lack a personal God. 773 00:42:38,360 --> 00:42:41,200 They lack divine revelation, they lack eternal hope. 774 00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:44,440 Buddhism cannot even agree with itself what it is. 775 00:42:44,680 --> 00:42:47,360 Do we worship the Buddha or not? Is it a religion? 776 00:42:47,360 --> 00:42:49,040 Is it a philosophy? Is it a way of life? 777 00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:52,080 As we saw in the video just a few moments ago, Christianity 778 00:42:52,080 --> 00:42:55,560 rather provides salvation by grace, a personal God, eternal 779 00:42:55,560 --> 00:42:59,240 life and moral certainty. And so I would caution you as we 780 00:42:59,240 --> 00:43:02,040 look here at the conclusion, first of all, let's be careful 781 00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:05,920 in Co opting the terms of those who do not believe in the Bible. 782 00:43:06,320 --> 00:43:08,480 Let's be careful in incorporating those to our daily 783 00:43:08,480 --> 00:43:11,560 life because it could mean that we are not having the influence 784 00:43:11,560 --> 00:43:14,040 that we want to have with the lost as we're around them. 785 00:43:14,280 --> 00:43:16,960 If somebody has something good happened to them and you say, 786 00:43:16,960 --> 00:43:19,640 wow, I found 20 bucks on the street right there, man, that's 787 00:43:19,640 --> 00:43:22,960 some good karma you got today. What you may not be realizing is 788 00:43:22,960 --> 00:43:25,640 you're reinforcing error in someone's life. 789 00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:27,240 You don't know how they will take that. 790 00:43:27,240 --> 00:43:28,920 You just mean it as another word. 791 00:43:29,080 --> 00:43:32,040 But to them, they might think, you know what, maybe maybe 792 00:43:32,040 --> 00:43:34,480 that's just the way life is, good karma and bad karma. 793 00:43:34,760 --> 00:43:37,400 You may reinforce error and make it actually harder for the next 794 00:43:37,400 --> 00:43:40,160 person to come by and teach truth from the Bible. 795 00:43:40,280 --> 00:43:42,200 So let's be careful on how we use those terms. 796 00:43:42,360 --> 00:43:46,720 But if I was to give you just a couple of thoughts here that I I 797 00:43:46,720 --> 00:43:48,480 put together as summarizing thoughts. 798 00:43:48,960 --> 00:43:52,200 Buddhism may encourage moral behavior, but it fails to 799 00:43:52,200 --> 00:43:53,920 address the ultimate source of morality. 800 00:43:54,200 --> 00:43:57,480 When right and wrong are based on human opinion, humanity 801 00:43:57,480 --> 00:44:00,160 effectively sets itself up as its own God. 802 00:44:00,400 --> 00:44:02,560 That's problem number one. Problem 2. 803 00:44:02,600 --> 00:44:04,760 Buddhism may emphasize the pursuit of peace after this 804 00:44:04,760 --> 00:44:08,640 life, but it overlooks the truth that Jesus is the only way, the 805 00:44:08,640 --> 00:44:11,600 true and eternal life. There is no peace any other way 806 00:44:11,800 --> 00:44:14,600 than through Jesus Christ. And the Buddhist may be peaceful 807 00:44:14,600 --> 00:44:17,880 people, the Buddhist people may be moral and ethical people, and 808 00:44:17,880 --> 00:44:20,200 for that in this life we applaud them. 809 00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:23,520 However, it will not achieve them eternal life. 810 00:44:23,840 --> 00:44:28,160 They will be much better to find what true morality, true ethics 811 00:44:28,160 --> 00:44:31,160 are and that is found through Jesus Christ. 812 00:44:32,080 --> 00:44:34,720 Thank you for listening to this sermon from the pulpit of 813 00:44:34,720 --> 00:44:37,640 Liberty Baptist Church. If this message was a blessing 814 00:44:37,640 --> 00:44:41,120 to you, or if there's any way we can serve you, please let us 815 00:44:41,120 --> 00:44:45,720 know by contacting us at info@mylibertybaptist.org. 816 00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:50,520 Or you can visit us this Sunday at 800 Washington St. in Easton, 817 00:44:50,520 --> 00:44:53,360 MA. May the Lord bless you as you 818 00:44:53,360 --> 00:44:54,560 grow in His Word.