Compare And Contrast Christianity And Buddhism

Religion is one of the oldest and most sacred traditions of the human species. Religion started off as a basic belief in an afterlife, and then further developed into tribal religions, which evolved into ancestral worship, then to polytheism, and lastly into monotheism. Monotheism in the form of Christianity is the largest religion of the modern world, and it has similar beliefs to other world religions such as Buddhism. Christianity and Buddhism are similar because both religions teach about the equality of people and that making good choices reflects the positive teachings of that religion. They are also similar in how they formed, as both broke off from another religion that was exclusive, and both became popular and spread easily

Both Buddhism and Hinduism are well known religions. They are two of the most popular polytheistic faiths in the world. Some people believe them to be sects of the same religion, but they are mistaken. Buddhism and Hinduism have some similarities, but many things set them apart from each other as well. They are each their own religion in many aspects.

If a Christian follows Buddhist traditions, then one must assume that there is an overlapping of similarities in both teachings; a Christian’s worldview must be complementary to that of a Buddhist’s. Though I am arguing the similarities between Christianity and Buddhism, I do not completely shut down the obvious differences between the two traditions. Christians are devoted the Jesus Christ’s teachings, while Buddhists believe in the Buddha’s teachings. Jesus is God in human form while Buddha was a human being who reached supreme insight under the Bodhi tree. Roderick Ninian Smart, a Scottish writer and university educator of religious studies, argues in his book, Buddhism and Christianity: Rivals and Allies, “Jesus saved humanity through his deeds and death, while the heart of liberation for Buddhists is through the Eightfold Path” He then continues to defend

In the past few weeks of class we talked about so many different religions around the world. Three religions we discuss in class were Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity. These are three of the major religions in the world that still exist today. I will be focusing on how all three religions started, and I will compare and contrast Hinduism and Buddhism. Then at the end, I will discuss on how I feel about the three different religions.

According to our text, Huston Smith believed that all religions were essentially the same, whereas Stephen Prothero believes that they are all fundamentally different. These two differing opinions can be looked at further by comparing two of the world religions: Christianity and Buddhism. I believe that all religions are a mixture of both; religions are essentially the same and are also fundamentally different. Christianity and Buddhism both have similar aspects within them, and they have different aspects as well. In order to make sense of the world, one needs to have knowledge of religion and the implications it has on society (Prothero).

We can define rituals as repeated actions that provides us with meaning and significance. Symbols are a small unit of a ritual. Both rituals and symbols play an active role in religion. According to Clifford Geertz, religion can be defined as “a system of symbols which acts to establish powerful, pervasive and long lasting moods and motivations in both men and women by formulating conceptions of general order of existence”. Every religion has some assembly of rituals and/or symbols that help form and shape its practices. However, do some religions have more rituals and symbols than others? When comparing Buddhism to my own religion, Christianity, Buddhism appears to have more rituals and symbols that shape their religion.

Hinduism and Buddhism are among the oldest traditions in the world. Incidentally, both traditions have their roots in India. Since their beginning, both traditions have co-existed peacefully and even spread beyond India in similar patterns. Most people have scattered information about the traditions and make assumptions that they are similar. However, they also have clear distinguishing features. This paper intends to study the similarities and contrasts between the two traditions in various contexts. First, the traditions will be compared and contrasted based on how they began. The development processes of both religions will then be contrasted. The paper will then discuss the similarities and differences between the two religions based on the social and the political roles they played.

4. Morality – This is the area where Christians and Buddhists mostly agree. The Christian “golden rule” is similar to that of the Buddhists. You are not to do anything to others that you wouldn’t want done to yourself. Christians hold a lot of the same morals as Buddhists such as the eightfold path and five precepts. The Christian and Buddhist Worldviews are shaped by their moral codes.

According to Buddha 's teachings, the purpose of life is to end suffering and develop compassion for all living things without discrimination. He taught that meditation must be used to move beyond selfish concerns and desires. Only by quieting the mind can people connect with the power of the larger universe and reach a state of enlightenment and peace. Buddha 's teaching, or dharma, begins with the Four Noble Truths. He disclosed

“Rivers, ponds, lakes, and streams—they all have different names, but they all contain water. Just as religions do—they all contain truths,” said by Muhammad Ali. Religion is the belief and reverence for a supernatural power and powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe (2003). The religions I’ve chose to compare and contrast would be non denomination/ Christianity and Buddhism. Each religion would be broken down by their religious belief, religious ritual, and religious experience. The definition of these religious things are: religious belief is a statement to which members of a particular religion adhere, religious ritual is a practice required or expected of members of a faith, and religious experience is the feeling or

Christians also believe in such polarities as good and evil, God and Devil, Heaven and Hell -- none of which form an important part of any Buddhist teachings. Christianity is likewise authoritarian and dictatorial -- "you must believe this or you will be condemned" -- whereas Buddhism tends to be more liberal and allows people to believe more or less whatever they like. Christians ban certain teachings as heretical, evil and harmful, but

At first glance the traditions of Christianity and Buddhism appear very different from each other. One centers around a God that was at one time physically manifest on earth in the human form of his "son" Jesus Christ, the other primarily worships a historical figure that gained divine status through enlightenment. This assessment is broad at best, especially in the case of Buddhism where the Theravada and Mahayana traditions differ significantly. Christianity also has division within itself, the most prominent being between the Roman Catholic and Protestant systems. There are however, despite obvious differences, some very interesting similarities between Buddhism and

Christianity and Buddhism are two very prominent religions dating back from early years up until today. Both are offshoots of other religions-- Christianity from Judaism, and Buddhism from Hinduism. The Buddhists follow the teachings of Gautama Buddha, while Christianity is centered upon the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christianity is monotheistic while Buddhism is nontheistic. Christians believe that Christ is the son of God, while Buddhists do not believe in God as the creator of the universe.

More importantly, the main beliefs in both religions have points in common. Buddhism and Christianity teach people and help them to escape the sufferings, and both of them

Compassion is basically considered to be one of the most virtues in almost all religious traditions such as Buddhism and Christianity. Buddhism and Christianity are two different religions but both of them are interrelated. Both religions have hope of life after death, hope of reincarnation of Buddhists, eternal life of Christians, but live consciously. Both Buddhism and Christianity were founded by spiritual leaders and masters who tried to prove a way of salvation. Based on religious writings, this paper explores the way Buddhism and Christianity are different and in what ways they similar from the point of salvation, life after death, and love.