J. Isamu Yamamoto - Buddhism: Buddhism, Taoism and Other Far Eastern Religions

The Zondervan Guide to Cults and Religious Movements comprises fifteen volumes, treating many of the most important groups and belief systems confronting the Christian church today. This series distills the most important facts about each and presents a well-reasoned, cogent Christian response. The authors in this series are highly qualified, well-respected professional Christian apologists with considerable expertise on their topics.

We have designed the structure and layout to help you find the information you need as quickly as possible. All the volumes are written in outline form, which allows us to pack substantial content into a short book. With some exceptions, each book contains, first, an introduction to the cult, movement, or belief system. The introduction gives a brief history of the group, its organizational structure, and vital statistics such as membership. Second, the theology section is arranged by doctrinal topic, such as God, Christ, sin, and salvation. The movements position is set forth objectively, primarily from its own official writings. The groups teachings are then refuted point by point, followed by an affirmative presentation of what the Bible says about the doctrine. The third section is a discussion of witnessing tips. While each witnessing encounter must be handled individually and sensitively, this section provides some helpful general guidelines, including both dos and donts. The fourth section contains annotated bibliographies, listing works by the groups themselves and books written by Christians in response. Fifth, each book has a parallel comparison chart, with direct quotations from the group's literature in the left column and the biblical refutation on the right. Some of the books conclude with a glossary.

One potential problem with a detailed outline is that it is easy to lose ones place in the overall structure. Therefore, we have provided graphical signposts at the top of the odd-numbered pages. Functioning like a you are here map in a shopping mall, these graphics show your place in the outline, including the sections that come before and after your current position. (Those familiar with modern computer software will note immediately the resemblance to a drop-down menu bar, where the second-level choices vary depending on the currently selected main menu item.) In the theology section we have also used icons in the margins to make clear at a glance whether the material is being presented from the group's viewpoint or the Christian viewpoint. For example, in the Mormonism volume the sections presenting the Mormon position are indicated with a picture resembling the angel Moroni in the margin; the biblical view is shown by a drawing of the Bible.

We hope you will find these books useful as you seek to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (1 Peter 3:15).

Series Editor

Part I:
Introduction

I. Historical Background

A. Buddhism

1. Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha

a. The problem of constructing an accurate biography

(1) The first attempt at composing a formal biography of Siddhartha Gautama was probably at the end of the first century A.D ., and it was entitled Buddhacarita by Asvaghosa.

(2) Since the oral transmission of the accounts of Gautamas life occurred over several centuries, and since different Buddhist traditions hold to their own distinct version of his life, the trustworthiness of any biography of Gautama is subject to debate.

(3) Moreover, many historians who do not profess to be Buddhists question whether any word about Gautamas life and teachings can be ascribed to him with unqualified certainty.