In a chanting book received from a Thai Buddhist temple there is a section entitled “The Five Subjects for Frequent Recollection”. The first four of these concern suffering and the fifth, clearly related, concerns kamma (karma). The four concerning suffering are as follows:
I am of the nature to age (or decay),
I have not gone beyond ageing (or decay).
I am of the nature to sicken,
I have not gone beyond sickness.
I am of the nature to die,
I have not gone beyond death.
All that is mine, beloved and pleasing, will become otherwise, will become separated (from me).
The key phrase here is “not gone beyond”. It is presupposed that this life, once the inevitable processes of ageing, sickness and death are complete, will lead to a rebirth in which the same processes will operate and so on and so on rebirth after rebirth. To go beyond suffering, beyond ageing, sickness, death and the suffering involved in being separated from loved ones and that which is pleasing, involves a change of nature. For the problem, according to this Buddhist philosophy, is that “I am of the nature” to so suffer.
There are fundamental differences in the biblical perspective on this matter. First, there is no sequence of rebirths, no samsara, just one life, one death and after that judgment by almighty God (Hebrews 9:27). Second, God created people in his image (Genesis 1:26-27) and at creation people’s nature was “very good”, sinless and free from suffering. It was because of the introduction of sin that human nature became corrupted and what the New Testament calls “the flesh”, that is, the sinful man or sinful “Adam”. However, in Christ every believer has put on a new humanity, the New Adam who is Christ.
Buddhists look to “go beyond” this present nature, wrongly presupposing that this propensity to suffer is essential to human identity. The Bible teaches sin not suffering is the fundamental problem and Christians seek to “go beyond” not the nature inclined to suffer, but the nature inclined to sin. It is in Christ that they are able to do this as they learn to put on the New Man and put off the Old Man. The ultimate “going beyond” is described in 2 Corinthians 5:1-5:
Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Posted November 4, 2008
Upon clicking 'Buy now' you will be redirected to paypal.com where you can securely and quickly complete your purchase with a few clicks.
Immediately after payment at PayPal you will be redirected to a download page which
provides you instant access to your purchase.
