Absolutely. Yes. Absolutely. The Buddhist who responds in love has responded to Christ, and is saved by Christ. The catechism speaks of the concept of invincible ignorance when describing the eternity of non-Christians, and like unbaptized babies, places those whose hearts are open to the grace and love of Jesus Christ in the hands of God’s mercy.
Here is one great irony in the division between Protestant and Catholic beliefs. Protestants believe that the Catholic sacraments are “empty works and religiosity”, and accuse Catholics of having a works-based theology. However, in the instance above, the Protestant insists that a Buddhist must understand a formulaic salvation prayer and must have intellectually assented through belief to Christian doctrine or he is damned.
Who is preaching a man-made doctrine? Hmm… Go back and read the Scripture again. The good Samaritan inherited eternal life without the benefit of the Protestant formula prayers.
