Ok...where are the similarities between Christianity and Buddhism?

Question

I wrote a paper long ago that made the point that you can follow both paths because neither contradict...think so? answer and discuss :)

Answer 1

Comparison of Buddhism with Christianity:
Since about 75% of American adults identify themselves as Christian and only 0.5% view themselves as Buddhist, it may be useful to compare Buddhism with the U.S.'s dominant religion.

We define as "Christian" any person or group who thoughtfully, sincerely, prayerfully regard themselves as Christian. This is the definition that pollsters and the census offices of many countries use. It includes as Christians the full range of faith groups who consider themselves to be Christians, including Assemblies of God members, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, Southern Baptists, United Church members, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, etc. Many Christians have a much less inclusive definition of the term "Christian."

Beliefs not shared: Buddhists do not share most of the core beliefs of historical Christianity. These include: An original golden era in the Garden of Eden, and a subsequent fall of humanity.
Original sin shared by all present-day humans, derived from Adam and Eve.
A world-wide flood in the time of Adam, causing the greatest human genocide in history.
The need for a personal savior whose death enabled individual salvation.
A god-man savior who was born of a virgin, executed, resurrected and ascended to heaven.
Salvation achieved through good works, specific beliefs and/or sacraments.
Eternal life spent in either a heaven or hell after death.
Return of the savior to earth at some time in the future.
An end of the world as we know it in the near future.

Some shared beliefs: Buddhism and Christianity share some features: Ethic of Reciprocity: Buddhism, Christianity and all of the other major world religions share a basic rule of behavior which governs how they are to treat others. Two quotations from Buddhist texts which reflect this Ethic are: "...a state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that upon another?" Samyutta NIkaya v. 353.
Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful." Udana-Varga 5:18.
This compares closely to Christianity's Golden Rule, which is seen in: "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." Matthew 7:12.
"...and don't do what you hate...", Gospel of Thomas 6.

Life after death: Almost all religions teach that a person's personality continues after death. In fact, many religious historians believe that this belief was the prime reason that motivated people to originally create religions. Christianity and Buddhism are no exception. However, they conceive of life after death in very different forms: Buddhism teaches that humans are trapped in a repetitive cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. One's goal is to escape from this cycle and reach Nirvana. The mind experiences complete freedom, liberation and non-attachment. Suffering ends because desire and craving -- the causes of suffering -- are no more.
Christianity has historically taught that everyone has only a single life on earth. After death, an eternal life awaits everyone: either in Heaven or Hell. There is no suffering in Heaven; only joy. Suffering is eternal without any hope of cessation for the inhabitants of Hell.

Themes of morality, justice, love: These themes are found through both the Buddha's teaching and the Hebrew and Christian Bible.

Beliefs shared by some Buddhist traditions and Christianity: In its original forms, Buddhism did not teach of the existence of transcendent, immanent, or any other type of God, Gods, Goddess, and/or Goddesses. However, many Buddhists -- particularly in Japan -- do believe in a pantheon of deities.
Some traditions within Buddhism believe in the power of prayer; others do not.
Some Buddhists believe in Miroku, the "future Buddha." They expect him to be reincarnated and spread Buddhism further.

Answer 2

Absolutely. I am a Christian who was once a Zen Buddhist! What I desire persons will notice that Buddhism is extra of a philosophy, a culture; now not a faith. I uncover it feasible to nonetheless adhere to a couple Buddhist ideas AND be a Christian. Let's see, Zen Buddhist ideas/tenets/precepts that fit up with Christianity: Not harming different residing matters, Do now not rationale damage to different persons, No stealing / thievery Avoid sexual immorality Don't lie/slander/gossip Don't be imply or hurtful to others whilst speakme Recognize the reward of the frame- do not pollute it (medicines, alcohol, gluttony, sloth, and so forth.) Importance of the soul, Respect of lifestyles, Each character is a exact character and must be revered, Meditation is essential, Growing in capabilities is essential, Sow goodness in all matters, Stay clear of evil matters/behaviors, Choosing damaging natures to the self will smash the self, Every movement has a outcome, The golden rule (do unto others...), Be beneficiant, See the well in others and cognizance on that, don't factor out any "dangerous," See others as your equals, Do now not supply into anger. Of path there also are quality variations... Peace. :)

Answer 3

The similarities between these two religions extend, if I see it rightly, essentially over three spheres:

(1) the life history of the founder;

(2) ethics; and

(3) church history.


1. The biographies of Buddha and Christ show many similar features. Both were born in a miraculous way. Soon after their birth, their future greatness is proclaimed by a sage (Asita, Simeon). Both astonish their teachers through the knowledge they possess, though still in their early childhood. Both are tempted by the devil before they start upon their public career. Both walk over the water (//Jataka//, 190; //Matth.//, 14, 26). Both feed 500 and 5,000 persons, respectively (//Jataka//, 78; //Mark//, 14, 16ff.) by multiplying miraculously the food available. The death of both is accompanied by great natural phenomena. Also the parables ascribed to them show some similarities as, for instance, the story of the sower (//Samyutta//, 42, 7; //Matth.// 13,3), of the prodigal son (//Lotus of the Good Law//, Chap. IV; //Lk.//, 14), of the widow's mite (//Kalpanamanditika//; //Mark// 12).

2. Both Buddha and Jesus based their ethics on the "Golden Rule." Buddha told the Brahmins and householders of a certain village as follows: "A lay-follower reflects thus: How can I inflict upon others what is unpleasant to me?' On account of that reflection, he does not do any evil to others, and he also does not cause others to do so" (//Samyutta// 55, 7). And Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount: "Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets" (//Matth.// 7, 12; //Lk.// 6, 31) -- this being, by the way, a teaching which, in negative formulation, was already known to the Jewish religion (//Tob.// 15, 4).

Though in many details there are great similarities between Buddhism and Christianity, one must not overlook the fact that in matters of doctrine they show strong contrasts, and their conceptions of salvation belong to entirely different types of religious attitude. Buddhism, in its purest form, presents a religion based on the conception of an eternal and universal law, a conception found in various forms in India, China and Japan. Christianity, on the other hand, belongs, together with the teaching of Zoroaster, the Jewish religion and Islam, to those religions that profess to have a divine revelation which is manifested in history, and these religions have conquered for themselves all parts of the world west of India.

Answer 4

Considering some theories state that there is a belief that in the time Jesus was missing from the Bible (between childhood and adulthood) he may have gone east to study at Buddhist temples, it is certainly possible in my mind.

Answer 5

none of the philosophy of any religion contradict.

people here contradicting other faiths are idiots

if u read carefully ...and find no difference..u r spiritual no more a blind follower of a religion