Dana Bratton &
Asher Mathew
2005
Buddhism
Understanding
Thai Buddhism for
Evangelism
The Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama

(563-483 BC)
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy founded in
India c.525 B.C. by Siddhartha Gautama, called
the Buddha. There are over 300 million Buddhists
worldwide. Born a prince and raised in luxury, he
left his family and possessions at the age of 29 to
search for an ultimate solution to the
problem of the suffering.
Basic Beliefs and Practices
o
The basic doctrines of
early Buddhism,
which remain common
to all Buddhism,
include the four noble
truths.
The Three Refuges
(Jewels)
o
o
o
The Buddha
The Dharma
(teachings,
doctrine)
The Sangha (the
Order)
Tripitaka

1.
2.
“Three baskets”
Vinaya Pitaka—monastic rules
Sutta Pitaka—teachings of the Buddha
a. Versions of the Law
b. Other Lives
3.
Abhidhamma Pitaka—supplement to the
doctrines (esoteric)
The Teachings of the Buddha
The Four Noble Truths
Preface to the Four Noble Truths:
The Middle Path
Two extremes to be avoided:
(1) Hedonism
(2) Asceticism
This Middle Path is the Noble
Eightfold Path, namely, Right
Views, Right Intent, Right
Speech, Right Conduct, Right
Livelihood, Right Effort, Right
Mindfulness, and Right
Concentration . . . .

By avoiding these two
extremes, we discover a
Middle Path, a path
which opens the eyes,
which bestows
understanding, and
which leads to peace of
mind, to wisdom, to full
enlightenment, to
Nirvana.
http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
1. The Noble Truth of Suffering
Birth is suffering, aging and deterioration is suffering,
disease is suffering, death is suffering. The presence
of hateful objects is suffering; the absence of lovable
objects is suffering; not getting what we desire [i.e.,
getting what we don’t want and not getting what we
do want] is suffering. To put it briefly, the fivefold
clinging [attachment] to existence [through the body,
sensation, consciousness, perception, and volition -the five skandhas or components of human
personhood] is suffering.

http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
2. The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering
The cause is the selfish craving [tanha, “thirst,”
“desire”] that leads to rebirth and which is
accompanied by lust for pleasure, seeking
satisfaction now here, now there. This selfish
craving takes three main forms: (a) craving for
pleasure, (b) craving for [continued] existence, and
(c) craving for non-existence.*
*Some traditions make (c) a craving for
prosperity or for personal happiness.

http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
3. The Noble Truth of the
Cessation of Suffering
Suffering ceases with the complete cessation of selfish
craving – a cessation which consists in the absence of
every passion [nirvana, “no passion,” the “blowing
out” of tanha]. Suffering ceases with the laying aside
of, the giving up of, the being free from, the dwelling
no longer upon this selfish craving.

http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
4. The Noble Truth of the Path that
leads to the cessation of suffering
It is the Noble Eightfold Path, that is
to say, Right Views, Right Intent,
Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right
Livelihood, Right Effort, Right
Mindfulness, and Right
Concentration.

http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
Elaboration of the Noble Eightfold Path

Wisdom (prajna)
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Morality (sila)
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Meditation (samadhi)

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Right views (Samma ditthi)
Right intent (Samma sankappa)
Right speech (Samma vaca)
Right conduct (Samma kammanta)
Right livelihood (Samma ajiva)
Right effort (Samma vayama)
Right mindfulness (Samma sati)
Right concentration (Samma samadhi)
http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
(Eightfold Path, continued)
1. Right Views
The Four Noble Truths
 The doctrine of no-self (anatta, anatman)

– Transitoriness (anicca): impermanence
– The Five Components or Aggregates
(skandhas) of human personhood
– Interdependent Origination
Karma & Samsara (rebirth)
 Nirvana (what is it?)


http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
(No-self, cont’d)
The Five Components
(skandhas) of personhood
Body (rupa)
Person
Sensation (vedana)
Consciousness (vinnana)
Perception (sanna)
Volition (sankhara)
Mind (nama)
(No-self, cont’d)
The doctrine of
Interdependent Origination
(Paticca Samuppada)
The interdependence & relativity of
all things

http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
The wheel
of
becoming
11.
Birth
12.
Aging &
Dying
1.
Ignorance
Heaven
2.
Impulse
to Exist
3.
Demon ConRealm sciousGreed
ness
Delusion
4.
9.
Hatred
Hungry
MindCling- Animal
Ghost
Realm
Body
ing
Realm
8.
Six 5.
Hell
Craving
Senses
6.
7.
Sensations Contact
10.
Becom- Human
Realm
ing

http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
(Eightfold Path, continued)
2. Right Intent
(Resolution)
Right intent or resolution
is the intent or resolution to live & act
in accordance with right views.

http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
(Eightfold Path, continued)
3. Right Speech

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No lying
No slander
No harsh or rude talk
No profanity
No impolite or abusive
language
No idle or foolish
chatter

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Strive to use language
meaningfully &
usefully

Learn to maintain
“noble silence”
http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
(Eightfold Path, continued)
4. Right
Conduct
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No harming & killing
No stealing
No lying & deceitfulness
No sexual immorality
No use of intoxicants
The Five Precepts (for
everybody) & the Ten
Precepts (for monks & nuns)

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Eat moderately & not after
noon.
Stay away from dancing,
singing, & dramatic
spectacles.
Do not use garlands,
scents, unguents, or
ornaments.
Do not use high or broad
beds.
Do not accept gold or
silver (money in general?).
http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
(Eightfold Path, continued)
5. Right Livelihood
(Vocation)
Choose professions that promote life, peace,
& spiritual progress (especially life in the
 Specifically prohibited professions: poison
peddler, slave trader, prostitute, butcher,
manufacturer & trader of liquor & other
intoxicants, weapons manufacturer & trader,
tax collector, caravan trader.


http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
(Eightfold Path, continued)
6. Right Effort
(purification of the mind)
Preventing evil & unwholesome states of mind
from arising
 Getting rid of such states of mind that may
already exist
 Bringing about good & wholesome states of mind
 Developing & perfecting good & wholesome
states of mind that are already present


http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
7. Right Mindfulness
Focusing of attention on:
Activities of the body (breathing, walking,
sitting, eating, heartbeat, etc.)
 Feelings (anger, fear, joy, pleasure, pain, etc.)
 States of mind (thoughts, ideas, etc.)
 Ways of conceptualizing things (the Four
Noble Truths, the Wheel of Becoming, etc.)


http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
(Eightfold Path, continued)
8. Right
Concentration

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One-pointed concentration
The four absorptions:
Preliminary concentration
on the Four Sublime
Moods: love, compassion,
cheerfulness, & impartiality

1 Detachment from all sense objects &
from negative states of mind; thought
processes accompanied by joy
2 Cessation of all mental activities;
internal calm, peace of mind, joy to
the point of great elation
3 Cessation of all passions &
prejudices; continued sense of joy
4 Cessation of joy; total tranquillity &
equanimity -- Nirvana (& arhatship)
http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
Four Stages of Advancement
along the Noble Eightfold Path
1 Belief in permanent self
2 Doubt
3 Belief in religious rituals
4 Sensual craving
5 Ill will
6 Desire for rebirth in worlds of form
7 Desire for rebirth in formless realms
8 Pride
9 Self-righteousness
10 Ignorance of the true nature of things

http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
The Historical Evolution
of Buddhism
The Major Buddhist Traditions

Theravada (“The Way of the Elders”) - Sri Lanka &
Southeast Asia

Mahayana (“The Greater Vehicle”) - China, Korea, &
Japan (& Tibet & Mongolia)

Vajrayana (“The Way of the Diamond Thunderbolt”) Tibet & Mongolia
Vajrayana is a development within
the Mahayana tradition.

http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
The Spread
of Buddhism
Spheres of
Influence
Buddhism
out of India
by 1000 AD
Theravada
Mahayana
Vajrayana

http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt
Dharma (Buddha’s Teaching)
Dharma (Buddha's Teachings)
Mahayana
(large raft)
Theravada
(hinayana, or small raft)
Theravada/Mahayana
China
Burma
United States
Japan
Thailand
Canada
Tibet
Sri Lanka
Europe
Taiwan
Malaysia
Chinese
Buddhist
celebration
The monks come daily to each
home for an offering
Coming of age to be a monk
Monks
Tiger Cave Mountain where they
have a foot bone of the Buddha
Atop
Tiger
Cave
Mountain
Atop Tiger Cave Mountain
Revering the foot of Buddha
Why haven’t they responded to
the Gospel?
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Not sharing the Gospel with Thai
Buddhists in an understandable Way
Communication gap between Thai
Buddhists and missionaries
To be Thai is to be Buddhist
Lack of contextualization is partly
responsible for lack of response among the
Thai people
II. General approach to
contextualization in Thailand
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Right attitude towards Thai culture
All that God created is good
Acknowledging Thai values which are biblical values
Use caution in choosing Thai Buddhist words to explain
Christian truth
Using Buddhist words to express Christian concepts
Designing new vocabulary to Christian concepts
Necessity of on-going contact to produce biblical
understanding among Thai Buddhists
Sharing the Gospel with Buddhists, not Buddhism
Necessity of loving people as they are
III. Thai concepts that may be
adopted to explain the Gospel
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The origin of suffering (dukkha) and the attainment of
true happiness
Happiness is impossible because life is suffering (dukkha)
True origin of Dukkha is Adam and Eve’s ignorance
(avijja)
True happiness is possible when the true source of
Dukkha is identified
Dukkha, Anicca, and Anatta may be used to describe
God’s relationship with man
Israel is a source of suffering (dukkha) to God
Israel’s devotion to God is impermanent (anicca)
Israel destroys herself by her actions and disobedience to
God (anatta)
Sharing the Gospel continued
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A probable misunderstanding by Thai Buddhist listeners
Merit transference (pattidana) and the Cross of Christ
Theravada Buddhism denies existence of merit transference
Two examples of merit transference as practiced by Thai
Buddhists i. Cloth Offering Ceremony at a Funeral ii.
Entering the Buddhist Priesthood
Double transference of merit in Christ Jesus has infinite merit
which is transferred to man
Man’s guilt is transferred to Jesus
Discussing merit transference with Thai Buddhists
Merit transference provides an escape from Karma
IV. A Motivation to Avoid Sin:
Shame
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Shame orientation versus guilt orientation
The nature of shame in Thai Society Motivation to avoid
sin because of shame
V. Illustrations from Thai history used
to illustrate the biblical truth of
substitution and sacrifice
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The self Sacrifice of Queen Suriyothai.
The Contest for Chiang Mai, determined by who could
stay underwater the longest.
These two girls accepted
Christ!
Teach ESL, Christian songs, and the Bible
Tsunami devastation on Phi Phi
Island
A horrible tragedy, but an opportunity to
help and for evangelism