| Buddhist Enlightenment |
Christian Salvation |
| Man’s nature remains fundamentally unchanged; the individual Buddhist accomplishes “enlightenment” but this is only a new perspective on life undergirded by carefully cultivated altered states of consciousness (the experience of “nirvana” in meditation) |
Man’s nature is changed forever. This is accomplished wholly by God and constitutes an inner change of one’s nature (regeneration) a new legal standing before God (justification) and, logically, a corresponding “outer” transformation (sanctification) |
| Eradicates “ignorance” of the truths of Buddhism and ostensibly, in the end, suffering |
Eradicates sin |
| History is irrelevant; salvation is experientially based and possible through mysticism. Inner experience supplants historical concerns. The person of Buddha irrelevant to process of enlightenment |
Historically based; salvation is objectively based and impossible apart from the person of Jesus Christ of Nazareth |
| The believer is saved from life; sin is not forgiven |
The believer is saved from divine judgment; all his sins are forgiven |
| Humanistic: man instituted |
Theological: God instituted |
| Escapist (salvation from the world) |
Realist (salvation of the world, i.e., of all believers) |
| One cannot be reconciled to an impersonal nirvana, one can only “realize” it or “achieve” it; technically, one cannot even experience it. |
Reconciliation to God |
| Eternal existence allegedly constitutes an ineffable existence somewhere in between (i.e., not comprising either) total annihilation or personal immortality |
Eternal life constitutes personal immortality and fellowship with a loving God |
| Derives from a finite source of change utilizing the power of self-perfection |
Derives from an infinite source of change utilizing the power of divine grace |
| Ultimate Reality is the experience of emptiness or ineffable impersonal “existence.” |
Ultimate Reality is the infinite personal triune God |
| Faith is denied or placed in Buddhist gods plus works |
Based on faith in Christ alone apart from works |
