Discussing the nature of God and ultimate reality is not an easy task with Buddhists as the two worldviews are so far removed from each other.
For those that don't already know, Buddhism is a reaction against Hinduism that traces its origin to a dissent movement against Hinduism started by Siddhartha Gautama in the sixth century B.C. after Guatama left his two high-caste Brahmin Hindu instructors when he discovered that it was unknown how to break out of the cycle of birth, suffering, death, and rebirth taught in Hinduism.
Gautama had left a life of great wealth and privilege to enter Hindu religious instruction in poverty and had seen the futility of great wealth but also great poverty to deliver him. So he chose the "Middle Way" and meditated for 49 days finally coming to the conclusion that nonexistence was the true escape. From this point on Guatama become known as the Buddha (e.g. Enlightened One) and spread his message for 45 years over the northern part of india until his death from food poisoning at 80 years of age declaring in his dying breath the impermanence of all created things.
Buddha's teaching became known as the dharma and sets forth a middle way free from extremes but open to all and leading to enlightenment and eventually nonexistence. (But not really nonexistence, but rather a merging back into the Brahama consciousness though I hesitate to go into that as it would take too long to explain it in one post).
Various schools of Buddhism have arisen and they take different approaches.
What the Christian needs to understand is that although Buddhism may be functionally theistic, even at times functionally monotheistic, at its deepest level it is clearly nontheistic. Popular Buddhist worship and experience may give the appearance of some continuity with Christianity, but the actual gap between emptiness of mind and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is indeed great.
Only the naive join in the common refrain that declares all religions are basically the same. In fact, while Buddhism and Christianity both claim the ardent allegiance of millions around the world,
these two religions are fundamentally different. To use religious language to mask this difference is to be unfaithful to both the history of Buddhist thought and the integrity of Christian revelation.
For example, Buddhist ethics operate apart from any absolute reality and Christian ethics are closely linked to an absolute reality. The Buddhist ethical system is like an onion that, after peeling back all of the layers, has no substantive core. In Christianity true knowledge is the basis for all ethical actions.
It's important to understand that the nature and existence of God and the reality of the world and self reverberate through the entire structure of a religion. Without true knowledge, these can never be truly known. In Christianity they are, in Buddhism they are not.
A certain rigorous consistency in a false religion is no replacement for true knowledge even when millions of people find that rigorous consistency compelling.
Okay i will get alot of rejection, lets discuss!! In the bible it says that we have the law in our heart, Jeremiah 31:33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people." So for those who dont know Christ and havent heard of him like in places of asia or africa, they will be judged by the law of their heart. Buddhism is not so much on religious rites, but are about loving each other, and getting away from sin and lust and greed. Problem is they dont believe in any god. Buddha isnt our God but buddha is the one who is enlightened to the knowledge of escape, of which enlightenment is the escape from samsara (rebirth). Do think this could be the gospel to those who never heard of Christ in their life. Buddha talks alot about how we must live against sin, and strive for good and love. Its like the only law of good they have since places dont know Jesus or even what a bible is....
