To answer quickly: Not many at all.
So, as a former Buddhist, a convert to Christianity, I'd like to know what the reason for spending a life according to the teachings of Buddha, when it's virtually impossible to reach ultimate enlightenment?
I'd also like to question how Buddhism could be seen as pure logical and empirical form of religion, when using metaphysical and unscientific claims like reincarnation, karma and... for example Mara, the great demon said to be holding the wheel of life, and keeping people in an illusion that is imagined as reality. All of it seem to not be contipable with atheism, as it sometimes is explained as.
Hello. I am a former Christian, a convert to Buddhism.
I found great peace in the Lord Buddha's teachings, and found great appeal in that it prescribed a methodical, gradual training regimen in the early suttas: "
I do not say that the attainment of gnosis is all at once. Rather, the attainment of gnosis is after gradual training, gradual action, gradual practice." (
Kitagiri Sutta, MN70).
It is akin to one who wishes to reach mastery in any field: he must first start in the elementary grades, learning the foundational basics, before progressing to secondary and higher levels of education. Achieving a doctorate degree does not happen all at once, and neither does nibbana.
I consider it a logical and empirical religion, by the fact and virtue of that testable, progressive training. E.g.: I have confidence that stage "A" is attainable, as I can observe relevant results (a measure of cessation of suffering) in one who is more mature than myself. That confidence propels me to train to attain stage "A" for myself. Once I attain it, that confidence I used to have becomes direct knowledge. That direct knowledge then fuels confidence that stage "B" (a greater measure of cessation of suffering) is also attainable. Such confidence propels me to train to attain stage "B" for myself. Training produces mastery, and mastery fuels confidence onwards, etc., all the way to the total cessation of suffering - nibbana.
So, you asked: "
what the reason for spending a life according to the teachings of Buddha, when it's virtually impossible to reach ultimate enlightenment?". Even if I don't completely reach the final stage - nibbana - reaching even an intermediate stage along the Buddhist Path has already brought an immense measure of peace, far more than I've ever experienced before. I understand that there is still a measure of suffering even in these intermediate stages, and that understanding also fuels the desire to reach more advanced stages.
Early Buddhism does not teach
reincarnation (transmigration of a soul); instead, it teaches rebirth (an ongoing lifestream). I can directly observe rebirth occurring even now, so no blind faith is needed.
Kamma is simply the quintessential Law of Cause and Effect. For every cause, there must be an effect. I can also directly observe kamma, so no blind faith is needed here either.
Mara is not a demon, but a title for any consciousness (usually referring to extremely powerful consciousnesses which many might consider a kind of deity) which harbors unskillful intent. As the heavens in early Buddhism consists of mind, I find no difficulty here, as "things which are experienced in the mind" does not equal "unreal", but is instead quite "real" as I know from direct experience.
