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20One’s Future in Hinduism, Buddhism and Islamas individuals. Also necessary is a religionin which men and women can participatefully without becoming monks ornuns but can carry on the ordinaryvocations essential for society’s wellbeing.The subsequent changes both in theoriginal “Teaching of the Elders” andin the development of Mahayana Buddhismdemonstrate how Buddhismadded those features for which peopleyearn. As a result the teaching regardingthe foremost bodhisattvas of MahayanaBuddhism comes close to competingwith the Bible’s teaching that Godwill rejoice with his whole heart andsoul to work for the welfare of the peoplewho wait for him. That the greatBodhisattva, Amitabha, will bring to paradisea person who does nothing morethan meditate on his name for one daybefore death, sounds as if divineblessing could be received by grace. It isopen to abuse, however, by those whowish to live sinfully during this life butnevertheless spend eternity in paradise—providedthey could accurately predictwhen they would die. I certainlydo not suggest that all who revere Amitabhaare like that, for the teachers ofMahayana Buddhism urge people to befull of good works and to aspire tobecome bodhisattvas themselves.Nevertheless the problem arisingfrom the possible abuse of Amitabha’sgrace does exist, which could neverarise with the God of the Bible, whoworks for those who simply wait forhim. Waiting for God means bankingone’s hope for an eternity of happytomorrows exclusively upon what Godhas promised to do; it means havinghim as one’s hope for the future. Accordingto Psalm 33:20, “We wait in hopefor the Lord; he is our help and ourshield.” A pronounced change of conductthen occurs in those having such confidencein what the loving andsupreme Creator-God of the universe willdo for them, for such a hope is theroot cause of all virtuous living. PeopleINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FRONTIER MISSIONSwho confidently wait for God to bringthem the desired fulfillment for theirlives will not abuse others and use themas means whereby they might gainsome happiness for the future. Insteadthey seek to serve others, becausethey know that God will provide for everyneed. All would feel at ease livingalongside a person with such a hope inGod.So the Bible teaches that the conditionpeople must fulfill in order tohave the loving God work for them is notto wait for him just for one day but tomake waiting on him their purpose fromthe time they first trust him untildeath. To be sure, the Christian believesin the validity of death bed conversions,for Jesus told the thief on the crosswho believed in him that he woulddwell with him that very day in paradise(Luke 23:43). But the Bible gives noencouragement whatsoever to think thatone could live sinfully for most of lifeand then be assured of paradise by thinkingabout God for a day or so beforedeath.An important advantage Christianityhas over Mahayana Buddhism isthat people need never feel ashamedto go to heaven. In Mahayana Buddhism aperson could never refuse rebirthwithout feeling guilty that in so doing heor she was being selfish by denyingothers help so they too could find paradise.But there is no reincarnationtaught in the Bible: “[A person] is destinedto die once” (Heb. 9:27). ThereforeChristians need never choosebetween enjoying heaven and actinglovingly toward others.We also noted the tendency inBuddhism toward a personal transcendence.Thus Buddha himself becamepersonalized, even though much of hisindividuality may have been lost inthe indefinite nirvana. Herein lies Christianity’sgreatest advantage overMahayana Buddhism: it explicitly teachespeople to worship a living Lord nowand to look forward to the enjoyment of aclose family relationship with him foreternity.During his life on earth Jesus wassubjected to much suffering, personallyexperiencing all the hurts life canbring. So we Christians “do not havea High Priest who is unable to sympathizewith our weaknesses, but we haveone who has been tempted in every way,just as we are, yet without sin” (Heb.4:15). Indeed, in Mahayana Buddhismthere are highly personal beings whohave experienced the full range of sufferingduring their innumerable reincarnations.Amitabha, for example, dwells ina land one step removed from nirvana.He remains there because he stillwants to use his vast store of merit,constantly increased by his unselfishnessin postponing nirvana for himself, tobring millions and millions of people tohis place next door to nirvana–theultimate hope in Buddhism.So the impersonal and individual-suppressingnirvana is still held to bethe final goal of salvation, eventhough the history of Buddhism givesample evidence that its adherentsyearn not for cessation of individualitybut rather for contact with a highlypersonal, transcendent being. Hence thisbasic tension, lying at the very heartof Buddhism, remains unresolved.In Christianity, however, thistension is resolved. According to Revelation21:1-5, the Christian will finallybe in the closest fellowship with God,who “will wipe every tear from theireyes.” There will be no more death ormourning or crying or pain, for theold order of things has passed away.Discussion Questions1. Contrast the bases for the experienceof peace as set forth in Christianityand Hinduism. Which would youprefer, and why?2. Though Hinduism sees good andbad as merged together in Brahman,the impersonal, ultimate reality underlyingall things, nonetheless it does
Daniel P. Fuller21teach that there is sin. In what does this sinconsist?3. Why would Krishna’s exhortationquoted above, to behaveas a true warrior and not toworry about killing relativesand friends, be a counselof despair?4. What tends to be discouragingabout theHindu teaching of karma?5. “Why would it bewrong for a Hindu to aspireto the highest (Brahmin)caste?6. How might aHindu argue against Buddha’steaching that thedesire to become one withBrahman was fostering a desire forattachment rather than detachment?7. “What is more hopeful about“the Buddhism of the Elders” than Hinduism?8. Contrast the Buddhist nirvana withthe biblical heaven? What wouldcause you to choose one rather than theother?9. What is the strongest objection toBuddhism, which led to the developmentof “Upper Vehicle Buddhism”?10. How does Christianity avoidthe objection that one is selfish to want togo to heaven?11. Under what circumstances can aChristian’s desire to go to heaven bean extreme form of selfishness?12. What great problem confrontsboth forms of Buddhism and causes UpperVehicle Buddhism to teach somethingthat at first glance seems to be a gospel ofgrace?13. Why must it take as long as 1.25billion years for one to become abodhisattva, an “enlightenment being”?Why cannot one who renounces nirvanafor the good of others start preachingBuddhism in the near future as soon asreaching maturity in his or her next reincarnation?14. The teaching of MahayanaBuddhism about the god AmitabhaIn perusing the paradisepassages in the Koran, onenotes that the ultimate blessingsfor the Muslim do not gobeyond a superabundance ofthe most pleasurable thingsto be enjoyed in this life. Thereis no indication whatsoeverthat heaven’s joys culminate infellowship with God.sounds like salvation by grace, whichwould seem to prove Isaiah 64:4 false.But why does Isaiah 64:4 remaintrue?15. Why do the bodhisattvas,despite all the merit for others they haveaccumulated, finally become valuelessin Upper Vehicle Buddhism?The World of IslamIslam, or “submission to the will ofGod,” is the most recent of theworld’s great religions and claims 970million followers, or 18.4 percent ofthe world’s population. This monotheisticreligion directs all worship to Allahas the creator and almighty God andregards Muhammad, whose teachingsare set forth in the Koran, as the finalprophet, superseding all previousprophets such as Abraham, Moses, andJesus.Muhammad was born around A.D.570 in the region of Mecca in Arabia.With no acting father and a mother whodied when he was six, he was caredfor by his grandfather for a short time andthen by his uncle. Becoming a shepherdboy, he lived in poverty as a nomadnear Mecca. Some verses in theKoran may echo this time: “Did [Allah]not find thee an orphan and shelter thee?Did he not find thee erring, and guidethee? Did he not find thee needy, and sufficethee?”(93:6-8). 8Later Muhammad accompaniedcaravans organized by his uncle;these took him as far north as Syriaand as far south as Yemen. Inthis work he gained a reputation forbeing dependable and honest,and around 595 these qualitiescaught the attention of thewealthy widow Khadija, whoentrusted her business affairs tohim and later married him, thoughfifteen years his senior. Withher wealth supporting him, he nowhad more leisure time.By the seventh century bothJudaism and Christianity hadextended their influences into Arabia, andthe frequent references to the OldTestament and to Jesus in the Koran indicatethat Muhammad had beenexposed to them both as a dweller inMecca and during his travels as a caravaner.Their teaching of the one Godwho was not to be represented by anyimage or picture may have aroused withinhim a loathing for the idolatry of thepagan Bedouins. In any event, around 610Muhammad formed the habit of withdrawingat night to a cave at the foot of amountain north of Mecca, where hemeditated and prayed. About a year lateron the night of 26-27 Ramadan, hereceived his first revelation when theangel Gabriel appeared to him andsaid, “Recite: In the Name of thy Lordwho created, created Man of a bloodclot.Recite: And thy Lord is the MostGenerous, who taught by the Pen,taught Man that he knew not” (96:2-5).Mecca had long been the destinationof the pagan polytheistic Bedouinsbecause of the sacred black meteoriteresting in the corner of the Kaabah—acube-shaped sanctuary for their gods.Since the economy of the town dependedheavily on the money brought bythese pilgrims, at first Muhammad wasVOL 14:1 JAN.-MARCH 1997
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