Similarities Between Christianity And Buddhism

Jesus’ life and Buddha’s life were very different. Jesus is said to be the Son of God, and was born from the Virgin Mary. He was also born a Jew, who were the people already saved by God. His father was a carpenter, and so before he left home he was a carpenter. For most of his later life Jesus

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

These two religions had very different concepts about divinity, Christians believed in one only merciful god, while Buddhists believed in Buddha’s divinity known as enlightenment and his teachings. Christians had a very complex concept of what divinity is, they believe in only one god who can be manifested in three different ways, as God himself, throughout his son Jesus

Between the two religions they both had a different start. Buddhism started when Siddhartha Gautama, who previously lived a rich and luxurious lifestyle, decided to make a change in his life. He wanted to be able to feel pain and suffering that was felt all around the world by everyone else. After being able to find it, he decided to try and find a cure for it through meditation. Siddhartha Gautama, otherwise known as Buddha created the “Four Noble Truths,” as well as the “Eightfold Path” to help people live a peaceful life. Buddhism was modified later on to create three main versions of the religion which are Theravada, also known as the “Way of the Elders” or the “Small Vehicle.” Mahayana Buddhism, which was called the “Great Vehicle” and finally Tibetan Buddhism which also goes by the “Diamond Vehicle.” Yet Christianity formed in a different way,

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).

Christianity and Buddhism are two religions that seem completely different on the surface, but when the layers of ritual and tradition are peeled back they are extremely similar at the core of their beliefs. Beginning at their origin, both religions were founded by men with a miraculous birth. Both of the religions founders set off on their spiritual journey around the age of thirty, and both of the founders lived their lives as an example of how to correctly practice their religions. The only core differences between Jesus Christ and Buddha is that Jesus came from humble beginnings and claimed to be a deity as the son of God and Buddha was a prince but did not claim to be a deity. The creation of their sacred texts has similarities as well. Professor

Christians believe that when they die, they will go to heaven if they had lived according to will of God while in earth. The Buddha believes in rebirth after one dies and thus the patients see sickness and death as a stage in life where every person has to undergo through hence the patient in both religion see death not as the end but as a start of new life. Another similarity that exists between the Buddhism and Christianity religions is the moral precepts in Buddhism and commandments in Christianity. These moral codes in both religions help the patient to make choices on medical care given to him. In both religion for instance, procuring abortion is seen as murder and hence prohibited in both religions (Young & Koopsen, 2006).

In this way Christians must strive to imitate the Heavenly Father by following the example of Jesus the Son of God. God gives the individual one life to prove that they are worthy of eternal life. In contrast, the Buddhist religion, life is relived over and over as it is only the separation of the mind from its body. "one life ends and another begins p.92" Therefore in contrast to Buddhism, Christianity does not accept the notion of reincarnation which provides the evidence that there are fundamental ideological differences between the two religions.

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

God: God in Christianity is the eternal being who created and preserves all things. Christians believe God to be both wholly independent of, and removed from, the material universe and involved in the world. Early Christian views of God were expressed in the Pauline Epistles and the early creeds, which proclaimed one God and the divinity of Jesus, almost in the same breath as in 1. Christian teachings of the immanence and involvement of God and his love for humanity exclude the belief that God is of the same substance as the created universe but accept that God's divine Nature was hypostatically united to human nature in the person of Jesus Christ, in an event known as the Incarnation. Buddhists seek to reach a state of nirvana, following the path of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, who went on a quest for Enlightenment around the sixth century BC. There is no belief in a personal god. Buddhists believe that nothing is fixed or permanent and that change is always possible that is why they don’t believe in a God.

The origin of Buddhism began in nepal in the 6th century, based on the life of a man named Siddhartha Gautama. He saw that all of the riches and substances of this world was not the purpose of life and it did not make people happy. Gautama studied and meditated for years, during this time he observed and educated himself about many different belief systems and lessons. While on this journey, he found ‘the middle path’ which is also known as enlightenment. From a buddhist perspective, enlightenment is having accomplished wisdom as well as understanding. Buddha is not a god nor did he ever claim to be, he simply sought awakening(Compson). Jesus was the son of God and also God in the flesh. He was born of a

Buddhism is centered upon the life and teaching of Gautama Buddha whereas Christianity is centered on the life and teaching of Jesus Christ “ when Jesus was purify, and directly from the water and the heaven was open unto him and saw the spirit of almighty God was descendent like a dove unto his shoulder and there is flame atop him, and there was great sound from atmosphere says this is my dearest son, whom I am please listen to him”(King James version Mathew 3: 16) Christianity believe that Jesus Christ is the only son of God and the messiah and the mediator between God and humanity.