We might wonder if Buddhism itself has anything to say about monotheism or religion based upon revelation and salvation by a transcendent God. Actually, throughout the Pāli canon, the Buddha did teach a lot of things that are relevant to the claims of Western monotheism. To begin with, the three Western monotheistic traditions all base themselves upon some form of revelation wherein God speaks to humanity. The Buddha, however, saw all teachings based on revelation, tradition, hearsay, or any other system of authority not based on direct experience as doubtful. The Buddha’s teachings about this were famously expressed in the following exchange between himself and the Kalama people of the town of Kesaputta:

“There are, Lord, some ascetics and brahmins who come to Kesaputta. They explain and elucidate their own doctrines, but disparage, debunk, revile and vilify the doctrines of others. But then some other ascetics and brahmins come to Kesaputta, and they too explain and elucidate their own doctrines, but disparage, debunk, revile and vilify the doctrines of others. For us, Lord, there is perplexity and doubt as to which of these good ascetics speak truth and which speak falsehood?”

“It is fitting for you to be perplexed, O Kalamas, it is fitting for you to be in doubt. Doubt has arisen in you about a perplexing matter. Come, Kalamas. Do not go by oral tradition, by lineage of teaching, by hearsay, by a collection of scriptures, by logical reasoning, by inferential reasoning, by a reflection on reasons, by the acceptance of a view after pondering it, by the seeming competence of a speaker, or because you think: The ascetic is our teacher.’ But when you know for yourselves, ‘These things are unwholesome, these things are blamable; these things are censured by the wise; these things if undertaken and practiced lead to harm and suffering’, then you should abandon them. “