Evangelism to Easterners Sibu Rajappan

sibu_rajappan@yahoo.com

Outline

• Brief Overview on Eastern Religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism)

• Major Obstacles

• Witnessing to Easterners

Hinduism

• Sanathana Dharma • Sanathana – eternal • Dharma (Dhri) – which binds/upholds

• Monotheistic, Atheistic, Polytheistic, and Pantheistic belief systems.

Hinduism

Scriptures • Shruti (‘heard’) – by rishis

• Vedas Samhitas (hymns) Brahmanas (prose) Aranyakas (forest literature) Upanishads (philosophical lit.)

• Smriti (‘remember’) – tradition • Bhagavad Gita, Mahabharatha, Ramayana,

Puranas etc.

• 4 Vedas- Rig, Sama, Yajur, Atharva

Hinduism

• Yajur Veda • Brahmanas: Satapatha, Taittiriya • Aranyakas: Brihadaranyaka • Upanishads: Isa, Brihadaranyaka, Katha, Svetasvathara

• Atharvaveda Veda • Brahmanas: Gopatha • Aranyaka: Not known • Upanishad: Mundaka, Mandukya

Hinduism

• The six schools of thought • Purva Mimamsa (‘investigation’) • Vedanta (Uttara Mimamsa) • Samkhya (‘enumeration’) • Yoga (samkhya plus God) • Nyaya (system of logic) • Vaisheshika (‘particularity’/atomism)

Hinduism

• Vedanta • Advaita (Adi Shankara (8th AD) – non-

dualism) • “Man is identical with Brahman or the Eternal Soul”

• Dvaita (Madhavacharya (13th AD) - monotheism) • “Man is the servant of God”

• Vishitadvaita (Ramanuja (12th AD)– attributive non-dualism) • “Man is a ray or spark of God”

Hinduism: Basic Tenets

• Soul is neither created nor destroyed (BG 2:20) • Cycle of creation and destruction of universe.(Srimad Bhagavadam

3.11) • Law of Karma (Karma defined as duty one must do) • Reincarnation (BG 2:22) • Moksha

• Vedic (ritualism) • Upanishadic (mysticism/knowledge) • Puranic & Gita (Bhakthi/devotion)

Hinduism: 4 Questions

• Origin – No absolute beginning – eternal.

• Meaning – Life is to pay off the karmic debts. The reason why you are in this life is because of previous life.

Hinduism: 4 Question

• Problem of Evil • In Pantheistic view, although they claim there is evil, there exists no

basis for evil and good because all is one reality.

• Other views account the presence of evil to one’s bad karma.

• Future – Moksha or rebirth • Vedic (ritualism)

• Upanishadic (mysticism/knowledge)

• Puranic & Gita (Bhakthi/devotion)

Buddhism

• Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, a prince (5th Century BC), also known as Shakyamuni

• Buddha means ‘enlightened one’

Buddhism

• Seeing sights of aging, sickness, and death, he realized that everything is impermanent.

• Eventually, he abandoned his wife and son in an attempt to attain enlightenment.

• Not satisfied by the methods of his self-mortification, he decided to meditate to attain enlightenment or die of starvation.

Buddhism

• Finally he attains enlightenment.

• Gautama eventually died after eating spoiled food; cremated at Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Buddhism: Basic Tenets

• 4 Noble Truths • Truth of Suffering (Dukka)

• Truth of the origin of Suffering (Desire/Attachment, Ignorance (misconception/delusion), Aversion(not accepting what is not desired))

• Truth of the cessation of Suffering (Nirvana – means blown out)

• Truth of the 8 noble paths

Buddhism

• Major traditions of Buddhism: • Theravada (minority- spreading south)

• Buddha was a mere man. He is not to be worshipped. • No self (annatta) • Only monks can attain nirvana; lay people can only attain a better birth by serving the

monks • No higher deities (or boddisattvas) to help humans. • Scriptures used is Pali Canon (Tripitaka).

• Mahayana (majority- spreading north) • Buddha is an eternal being. • No Self; but there is not extra-mental reality. • Lay people also can attain nirvana. • There are boddhisattvas who can help with human spiritual problems (Avalokiteswara). • Scripture used in addition of Tripitaka, Lotus Sutra.

Buddhism

• Major traditions of Buddhism: • Vajrayana (Tibetian)

• Known for Dalai Lama (incarnations of Avalokiteshvara). • Boddisattvas are important in this tradition than enlightened Buddha. • These have female counterparts. • Monks have higher change to attain nirvana. • Reality is a projection of mind. • Scripture used is Tibetan book of the Dead.

• Scriptures: • Tripitaka (Vinaya - Discipline, Sutra - Discourses, Abhidharma – Philosophy and also

Dhammapada) • Lotus Sutra

Buddhism

• 8 Noble Paths • Right view – understanding truth of existence. • Right intention – willing to achieve nirvana • Right speech – saying that which is required and only what is required • Right action – doing what is required and only what is required • Right livelihood – being a monk • Right effort – directing one’s energy properly • Right mindfulness – meditating properly • Right concentration – maintaining continuous focus.

(Taken from Winfried Corduan, Neighboring Faiths, p.321.)

Buddhism

• 10 vows of a monk • Ahimsa (take no life) • Not to steal • Not to commit sexual immorality • Not to lie • Not to take intoxicating drinks • Not to eat in excess or after noon • Not to attend any entertainment • Not to decorate oneself • Not to sleep in high/wide beds • Not to touch gold or silver

(Taken from Winfried Corduan, Neighboring Faiths, p.321.)

Buddhism: Basic Tenets

• No existence of soul (annatta) – There is no soul, there is no self. There is no ‘I’, ‘mine’, ‘we’.

• A human is a combination of five aggregates: body or form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations or thought process, and consciousness, which is the fundamental factor of the previous three.

• Karma defined as ‘voluntary actions that has consequences’.

Buddhism: Basic Tenets

• Everything is changing constantly.

• Nirvana is neither existence nor nonexistence.

• No creator God. There is no use or need of a God as first cause and for attaining nirvana.

Jainism

• Founded by Nataputta Vardhamana known as Mahavira. • He was also from Kshatriya caste. • He became an ascetic after the death of his parents. • Mahavira continued to be an ascetic till death unlike Buddha. • He wore no clothes, sought no shelter, wore a veil over his

mouth, ate only that was thrown out. • Eventually he attains enlightenment – he is called jina

(conqueror). Jain means ‘one who follows the conqueror.’ • Mahavira’s followers tried to imitate his ways of asceticism.

Jainism: Basic Tenets

• Infinite number of souls. Uncreated Universe.

• Karma (microscopic particle; consciousness interacts with karma. Karmic particles are attracted through actions in life.) Goal is to remove these particles to attain enlightenment.

• Non Absolutism – No one can know truth absolutely!

Jainism: Basic Tenets

• Ahimsa (non-violence) to all living creatures is central.

• Concept of Tirthankaras – There were 24 other beings who attained enlightenment. These act as deities to answer prayer.

Jainism

• Two main traditions: • Digambaras (sky clad)

• Extreme self-mortification similar to Mahavira’s • Wear no dress (women excluded) • Women cannot attain salvation due to their natural deficiencies.

• Shvetambaras (white clad) • Wear white robes with face masks. • Women can attain salvation

Sikhism

• Founded by Guru Nanak; relatively young religion.

• Born 1469 to a Hindu father and Muslim mother.

• He taught, “no Hindu and no Muslim.” Only one God.

Sikhism: Basic Tenets

• Only one God designated ‘Ekankar’ or Ek-Aum-Kar (one and one only)

• Scripture used is Adi Granth or Guru Granth Sahib.

• Both concepts of a personal and impersonal Pantheistic god are expressed in their scriptures

• Soul emanates from God and goes back to God.

• Teaches Karma (defined as what you sow) and Reincarnation

Sikhism: Basic Tenets

Bible in Adi-Granth • “Practice within your heart the teachings of the Koran and the Bible;” (GGS,

1083)

• “Do not say that the Vedas, the Bible and the Koran are false. Those who do not contemplate them are false.” (GGS, 1350)

• “The Vedas and the Bible do not know the mystery of God.” (GGS, 1021).

Sikhism: Basic Tenets

Salvation not possible without the grace of one true God and chanting (Determinism?) • If it pleases God, one attains salvation. If it pleases God, then even stones can

swim. If it pleases God, the body is preserved, even without the breath of life. If it pleases God, then one chants the Lord Glorious Praises. If it pleases God, then even sinners are saved. He Himself acts, and He Himself contemplates. He Himself is the Master of both worlds. He plays and He enjoys; He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. As He wills, He causes actions to be done…Tell me what can a mere mortal do? Whatever pleases God is what He causes us to do. (GGS, pg 277)

SummaryReligion Origin Meaning/Purpose

Of LifeProblem of Evil

Future

Hinduism Cycles of creation and destruction

Eternal soul; to pay off karmic debt

- Due to past sins - Illusionary

- Rebirth or Moksha (merge with God)

Jainism Eternal Universe (No creation)

Eternal soul; to remove the karmic particles accrued

Nature of life - Rebirth or Moksha

Buddhism Cycles of creation and destruction

No Soul; no meaning in life; eliminate all attachments/desires

- Nature of life - Illusionary

- Rebirth or Nirvana

Sikhism Many cycles of creation and destruction

Chant/Say the name of God all the time and virtuous living.

Ultimately no evil - Rebirth or merge with God

Christianity God created universe

To Know God (John 6:29; Phil 3:8)

Caused by Sin (Gen 3:17; Rom 8:21, 5:12)

- Heaven or Hell

Witnessing to Easterners

• Be mindful • Eastern religions (esp. Hinduism and Buddhism) are

diverse. • Not many are well versed with their own scriptures.

• Religion is built into family and society (Hard for a person to accept Christianity) • Many have no prior exposure to Christ (Minimize

Jargons).

Major Obstacles

• Atrocities committed by church/leaders • All religions are/teach the same things

(Jain analogy of the blind men and elephant) or

• There are many roads to the same Ultimate Reality.

Major Obstacles

• Salvation by Karma/Works (point out its inefficacy) • Reliability of the Bible

• Deity of Jesus Christ • Spiritual Warfare (2 Corinthians 4:4)

Witnessing to Easterners

• Approach subtly • No bible thumping! • No “Holier than thou” (eg. Use “we’re” sinners than “you’re”

sinners). • No “My aim is to convert you to ‘my’ religion”

• Love/relate genuinely • Probe sincerely (ask them about their beliefs) • Proclaim boldly (with conviction) • Witness prayerfully

Closing Remarks

• There are 3 views of life: • Annihilation or Universal Salvation • Reincarnation; many live • One life, eternal future.

• If there is only one life and then eternal future; This IS a “serious problem”.

• Hebrews 9:27

• Acts 4:12

Closing Remarks

• Romans 1:16

• Paul at Areopagus

• … it is appointed for man to die once and after that to face judgment… (Hebrews 9:27)

• Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

sibu_rajappan@yahoo.com

Q & A