Similarities of Buddhism and Christianity

[Clovis]

I started reading Buddhist text and have found many similarities with Christianity, particularly the sermon on the mount, as well as many other views of the soul and truth. In many ways, Christ was a type of Buddha for ‘Monotheistic Religions’ going all the way back to Hebrews, Islam, Zoroaster, Mani, and Gnostic ideas. Several quotes of Christ are very akin to Buddhism. Central is the concept of the Christ-like ideal which humanity must require to be free from tribulation. Christ’s quote, “The Spirit of God is within you.”; This perhaps in relation to basic moral truths we all know, while the process of becoming Christ-like, is how to fulfill ourselves fully into spiritual rebirth, free from suffering, as akin to The Buddha. The great similarities of righteous ideals among all religions is proof of the universality of God.

 

[exoflare]

There are more differences between the two religions, than there are similarities. It’s just that some people love to pay a disproportionate amount of attention to the similarities.

 

[Clovis]

All I was saying is that the message of morality is, ‘spiritually speaking’, a very universal phenomena; Despite however dissimilar the particulars, this you simply can’t argue.

 

[exoflare]

Sorry, I guess I don’t follow. How is it a universal phenomena? Do you mean the fact that all cultures have some form or another of “morality” that they hold to?

 

[Clovis]

more that the moralities are have extraordinary similarities in the concepts of righteousness, compassion, human suffering, evil, and so on. . .

 

[water]

The most common thing among many religions is Love.

Buddhism and Christianity are like two paintings. They two are painted with the same colors, but each of the painting painted by different artist. They are not the same.

Another note, many people, especially New Age, think that because Buddhism and Christianity have things in common, Buddhist and Jesus must be the same God.

 

[inthecloud]

Buddhism is monistic.
Christianty is theistic.
Big difference.
But yes, in morality and in mysticism there are similarities.

 

[deb1]

I know that the bible says that God put his laws on all mens’ hearts. So, it is very possible that Buddhism would have some truth and beauty in it. Maybe because God knew that Christianity would not reach Asia for a long time, he allowed Buddhism to develop more truth then he did other nonChristian religions.

 

[deb1]

Buddhism is monistic.
Christianty is theistic.
Big difference.
But yes, in morality and in mysticism there are similarities.

I know that in true Buddhism, Buddha is not a God, but I think that there are some forms of Buddhism in which he is viewed as a diety.

 

[Rocky]

While many Buddhists display a lot of Christ-like behavior, I do not think that Christ is a Buddha-figure nor did he come to teach us a method to make us “free from suffering”. In fact He said we must take up our cross and follow Him, and that we would be blest when we are insulted and persecuted and even slandered because of our belief in Him.

Having said this, however, I do believe that much of Buddhist thought can be compatible with Christian belief, but certainly not all.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I think it was Chesterton who commented that religion is a thing of naughts and crosses. He characterized Christianity by the cross, reaching out to all. He characterized Buddhism by the circle, looking inward.

 

[jerry_h_1700]

Even though this does not pertain to Buddhism, Funny part is we Christians are actually somewhat closer to another Dharmic religion, Hinduism, than Jews, in the sense that Jews and Muslims believe in a Unitarian God while we believe in a Trinitarian God (Hindus also believe in a primary trinity, composed of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva)

 

[Ahimsa]

Even though this does not pertain to Buddhism, Funny part is we Christians are actually somewhat closer to another Dharmic religion, Hinduism, than Jews, in the sense that Jews and Muslims believe in a Unitarian God while we believe in a Trinitarian God (Hindus also believe in a primary trinity, composed of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva)

:bigyikes::bigyikes::bigyikes:

 

[Publisher]

Perhaps the similarities stem from the same source of Light all humanity shares.

 

[Contarini]

I think it was Chesterton who commented that religion is a thing of naughts and crosses. He characterized Christianity by the cross, reaching out to all. He characterized Buddhism by the circle, looking inward.

It’s a wonderful image, and very illuminating about Christianity (and arguably about a kind of pseudo-Eastern spirituality). But Chesterton quite simply didn’t know anything about Eastern religions. There was a lot for him to like, if he had bothered to inform himself and get past his prejudices. Nothing he says about non-European cultures should be given any weight whatsoever. And I say that as someone who has been impacted by Chesterton as much as (maybe more than) by any other writer.

Edwin

 

[Bennie_P]

Perhaps the similarities stem from the same source of Light all humanity shares.

That is impossible since one is found within oneself and the other is from God.

Catholicism and Buddhism: Compatible Beliefs?

Tranquility or the Cross?
The Dangerous Appeal of Buddhism
**

If we insist upon calling it a religion, we must realize that we are using the term in a very loose sense and that there are some radical differences between Buddhism on one hand and the three great monotheistic religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Mohammedism. A spirituality that eliminates the question of God’s existence is structurally different from ours where the existence of a transcendent being is its very foundation. Buddhism teaches the way to self-redemption. Christianity gives us a Redeemer.

**

 

[rtconstant]

Even though this does not pertain to Buddhism, Funny part is we Christians are actually somewhat closer to another Dharmic religion, Hinduism, than Jews, in the sense that Jews and Muslims believe in a Unitarian God while we believe in a Trinitarian God (Hindus also believe in a primary trinity, composed of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva)

You know I think I recall something from C.S Lewis that more or less stated that Hindu was the only other religion that was as complete as Christianity. I hadn’t really thought about it but it is actually kind of interesting that the Hindus were able to recognize God as a Triune being. While obviously Christianity and Hinduism understand this in different ways it does speak very well that the Hindu’s desire to understand God and truth led them to this revelation.

 

[jerry_h_1700]

You know I think I recall something from C.S Lewis that more or less stated that Hindu was the only other religion that was as complete as Christianity. I hadn’t really thought about it but it is actually kind of interesting that the Hindus were able to recognize God as a Triune being. While obviously Christianity and Hinduism understand this in different ways it does speak very well that the Hindu’s desire to understand God and truth led them to this revelation.

A priest at my church many years back made an interesting comparison of the story of Vishnu with the suffering of Jesus, many of you here probably have seen images of Vishnu and noticed his skin is blue in color, the reason for this is because there is a story of Vishnu where he made himself a sacrifice to save people in a village, he saw that poison was put in a river to kill off the people of the village, in quick haste he dunked his head in the water and drank all the poison before it reached their well. Just as Jesus had the holes in his body as signs of his sacrifice, so did Vishnu have his skin discoloration as a sign of his sacrifice too.

 

[Montalban]

A priest at my church many years back made an interesting comparison of the story of Vishnu with the suffering of Jesus, many of you here probably have seen images of Vishnu and noticed his skin is blue in color, the reason for this is because there is a story of Vishnu where he made himself a sacrifice to save people in a village, he saw that poison was put in a river to kill off the people of the village, in quick haste he dunked his head in the water and drank all the poison before it reached their well. Just as Jesus had the holes in his body as signs of his sacrifice, so did Vishnu have his skin discoloration as a sign of his sacrifice too.

Do priests at your church often refer to Hindu events in order to illuminate points?

 

[jerry_h_1700]

Do priests at your church often refer to Hindu events in order to illuminate points?

What crawled up your rear today? Would you ever ask “Do priests at your church often refer to Jewish events in order to illuminate points?” The priest in question was a missionary who worked in India during the 70’s and found that the best way to reach and convert Hindus to the Catholic church was through this thing you may have never heard of called “interreligious dialogue” which worked well with John Paul II.