Religion – Buddhism 

Contemporary with Lao-tse and Confucius in China, another influential teacher emerged in India. This teacher was a young prophet prince named Gautama Siddhartha. Born in the sixth century BCE in Nepal, he was a real prophet; he challenged the prevailing caste system and advocated against seeking salvation through physical suffering, which was revolutionary for his time. Though he failed to recognize the concept of individual souls and the existence of a Universal Deity, his teachings provided a refreshing alternative to the extreme cult practices of his era.

Gautama made no claims of divinity; however, his followers soon began to call him the enlightened one, the Eternal Buddha.

Founding a school in Benares, he emphasized salvation through faith and sent his followers to spread the message of universal salvation. Gautama's gospel, focusing on salvation through faith without sacrifice or priestly intervention, offered hope to millions despite later distortions. During the school’s second year, a pupil, Bautan, told his teacher the traditions of the Salem missionaries regarding the Melchizedek covenant with Abraham, and while Siddhartha did not have a very clear concept of the Universal Father, he took an advanced stand on salvation through faith – simple belief. It actually came close to being a revival of the Salem teachings of Melchizedek. However, modern Buddhism diverges significantly from Gautama's original teachings, much like Christianity differs from the teachings of Jesus.

Jesus discussed Buddhism with Gonod and Ganid during his Mediterranean Tour while in the mountains of Switzerland. Ganid had asked Jesus questions about Buddha, but he received evasive replies. In the presence of Ganid, Gonod finally asked Jesus what he really thought of Buddha, and Jesus responded.

Jesus said, "Your Buddha was much better than your Buddhism. Buddha was a great man and a prophet to his people, but he was an orphan prophet who lost sight of his spiritual Father, the Father in heaven. His fate was tragic. Despite being without God, he lived and taught as a messenger. Buddha led his ship of salvation to the safe harbor, the entrance to the haven of mortal salvation, but faulty navigation charts grounded it. It has lain motionless and almost hopelessly stranded for generations. Since then, many of your people have stayed. Because the noble craft of the good Buddha grounded outside the harbor, they refuse to enter the safe waters of rest, even though they are within hailing distance. The Buddhist people will never enter this harbor unless they abandon their prophet's philosophy and embrace his noble spirit. If your people had followed Buddha, you would have long since reached your haven of spirit tranquility, soul rest, and salvation.

Buddha knew God in spirit but not in mind, and the Jews knew God in mind but not in spirit. Buddhists struggle with a philosophy that is without God, while my people are pitifully enslaved to the fear of a God without a saving philosophy of life and liberty. You have a philosophy without a God; Jews lack a related philosophy of living. Buddha failed to envision God as a spirit and a Father, so his teaching lacked the moral energy and spiritual driving power a religion needs to change a race and exalt a nation."

One can become a Buddhist simply by publicly reciting the Refuge prayer: "I take my refuge in the Buddha; I take my refuge in the Doctrine; I take my refuge in the Brotherhood."

The original gospel of Gautama comprised four noble truths: the noble truths of suffering, the origins of suffering, the destruction of suffering, and the way to the destruction of suffering.

The Buddhist gospel also encompassed the Eightfold Path: right views, aspirations, speech, conduct, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and contemplation. Additionally, Gautama provided a five-fold set of commandments.

Gautama’s beliefs did not include the immortality of human personality. Followers were encouraged to transcend material attachments in favor of a view toward an eternal future that was not clearly defined, but this ideal state of being was termed Nirvana. This state could be achieved in mortal life, and it delivered mankind from all attachments and desires and the fear of being reincarnated. All effort towards Nirvana was through human effort alone; prayers for divine assistance had no place.

Siddhartha's profound teaching of truth centered on the concept of an inherently just universe. His philosophy, arguably the most advanced form of humanism ever conceived, eliminated superstition, rituals, and fear of supernatural beings. However, the weakness of early Buddhism was its failure to foster a religion focused on unselfish service to others. The early Buddhist brotherhood primarily consisted of teacher-student groups rather than communities of believers. Gautama discouraged the acceptance of money among his followers to prevent the emergence of hierarchical structures. Despite this, Gautama was deeply engaged in social interactions; his life reflected principles beyond his preaching.

Buddhism thrived by promising salvation through belief in the enlightened Buddha, making it more aligned with the Melchizedek teachings than other religions in Asia. Its widespread adoption occurred when the low-caste monarch Asoka embraced it. Asoka's empire expansion relied heavily on Buddhist missionaries, sending over seventeen thousand missionaries in a quarter-century to spread the faith globally. In a single generation, Buddhism became the predominant religion across half of the world, firmly establishing itself in various regions such as Tibet, Kashmir, Ceylon, Burma, Java, Siam, Korea, China, and Japan. Generally, Buddhism was considered superior to the religions it displaced or elevated.

The teachers who carried Buddhism to all of Asia were brave and devoted. But the faith eventually evolved into a religion that deified Gautama. As it spread farther and farther, it became less and less like its original form, adapting itself to the religions it displaced. After a thousand years, Buddhism faded away in India, being replaced by Islam. Over time, it was nearly unrecognizable in the Orient. Here, the Chinese and northern Indian followers of Gautama began developing the Mahayana teaching of the "Great Road," which has continued to evolve in China and Japan.

Buddhism spread to China in the first millennium CE, integrating smoothly with the region's religious practices, particularly ancestor worship. It merged with Taoism's rituals, becoming the predominant belief system in China, Korea, and Japan, complete with temples and ceremonies.

Despite the distortion of Gautama's teachings, which turned him into a divine figure surrounded by miraculous tales, this embellished narrative appealed to many. Some followers even claimed that his spirit reincarnated as a living Buddha, leading to the proliferation of Buddha images and rituals that Gautama had opposed.

A significant aspect of Buddhist philosophy was its recognition of the relative nature of truth, allowing for the reconciliation of diverse religious scriptures and perspectives. It taught that a divine nature resides within every individual, a concept akin to the presence of the indwelling spirit of God.

However, a flaw in early Buddhism was its pursuit of liberation by detachment from reality, which contrasted with true self-realization through alignment with cosmic reality. Despite the corruption of its ceremonies, Buddhism's philosophies attracted intellectuals across Asia for over two millennia as they sought to understand absolute truth and the nature of the Absolute.

The concept of the Absolute evolved through various streams of thought and intricate reasoning. Unlike the clear progression of the God concept in Hebrew theology, the development of the Absolute was more nuanced among Buddhists. However, they reached certain milestones on their journey towards understanding the Primal Source of universes, including the Gautama legend, the many Buddhas, and the Absolute Buddha. As the idea of countless Buddhas became unwieldy, it was unified into the concept of a higher essence, an Eternal One, from which all Buddhas emanated. This elevated the Deity concept beyond Gautama's human persona, reaching a transcendent, Absolute Source of reality.

While the notion of the Absolute Buddha did not gain widespread popularity, it provided intellectual cohesion and cosmological harmony for Asian philosophers. However, such abstract concepts lacked the emotional resonance of a personal deity like Yahweh in Hebrew theology. The spiritually hungry masses sought the comforting promise like that of Melchizedek’s Salem gospel: that simple faith in God would assure divine favor and eternal survival.

Buddhism is one of the most notable religions that does not worship God. However, it eventually departed from its godless origins.

Over time, Buddhism saw the emergence of the concept of God alongside the Absolute, originating from the early division between followers of different paths. This dual understanding reached maturity within the Greater Road of Buddhism. Through centuries, this concept evolved until it found its highest point in Japan with figures like Ryonin, Honen Shonin, and Shinran, leading to the belief in Amida Buddha – the Buddha of Limitless Light.

Among believers in this tradition, it's taught that souls, upon death, may choose to spend time in Paradise before reaching Nirvana. Salvation is attained through faith in Amida, the God of the Western Paradise. Amidists acknowledge an Infinite Reality beyond mortal understanding and find solace in faith in Amida's boundless mercy, ensuring that those who sincerely call upon his name will find eternal happiness in Paradise.

Today, Buddhism thrives as a vibrant and expanding faith due to its ability to preserve the loftiest moral principles cherished by its followers. It advocates for tranquility and self-discipline, fostering inner peace and joy while mitigating sorrow and grief. Those who embrace its teachings often lead very fulfilling lives.

Buddhism's remarkable strength lies in the freedom it grants its followers to embrace truths from various religions – a rarity among faiths in our world. In this regard, the Shin sect of Japan stands out as one of the most forward-thinking religious communities globally. It has rekindled the missionary zeal of Gautama's disciples, actively dispatching teachers to diverse cultures. This openness to embracing truths from all quarters marks a praiseworthy trend among religious adherents.

Buddhism is experiencing a resurgence in contemporary life, particularly through interactions with Christianity, which have enriched its social aspects. The thirst for knowledge has been reignited among monk priests, and the spread of education within the faith promises new advancements in religious development. Across Asia, hopes are pinned on Buddhism, wondering if it will embrace new cosmic realities as eagerly as it once did the teachings of its founder.

In the future, Buddhism, Christianity, and all other earthly religions of our world can optimistically evolve past centuries of dogma and doctrine and respond to the most ennobling and unifying message of our Creator Son, Jesus of Nazareth – the living spiritual reality of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven.