Comparing the words of Buddha vs Christ:- Core Teachings

[Buddha Dharma]

I agree with those who have said that in morality, Jesus and Buddha may not have been highly different. Christians and Buddhists have different reasons for morality, but much of our morals are the same. Jesus taught non-violence and universal brotherhood. This too, the Buddha taught in his ways- teaching to despise nothing, hate no one, act not in anger or aversion, and wish that all beings might be free of suffering and it's causes.

Christians and Buddhists are both supposed to be cultivating universal love and pity. I say supposed to be cultivating, because both movements have had people that acted contrarily to this ideal. We've allowed ugly forms of nationalism to override the love sense at times.

Buddhists and Christians also agree on life having value, but for Buddhists it's because Buddha-nature is at the core of everything in essence. Christians believe it is because God created things. Buddhists historically believe in the sanctity of life, and see abortion as not ideal for similar reasons to Christians. I think there are many similarities in practice, but definitely much difference in theory.

 

[Buddha Dharma]

Jesus and the Buddha also seem to have been similar in their seeing the human scope and universal condition, rather than limiting their message to just the persons of their ethnic groups. The Buddha is called one of the first human spiritual figures to see humanity, in that he wanted his Dharma to be for everyone- to address common human problems. Jesus, if we take the great commission as accurate- did the same. He saw that humans all have in common certain characteristics, including our misled views and suffering. Both figures gave a message to the world.

 

[ajay0]

I would use the mountain roads analogy to explain this. They are two paths climbing to the summit of the same mountain starting from different sides of the mountain (religious traditions; India vs. Israel). The roads look considerably different in the beginning but the higher up on the mountain climb you go, the more things start to resemble each other. At the top they can shake hands and the differences so big to some in the beginning no longer are of interest.

Yes, this is similar to the ancient Silk Route that connected ancient India and Israel. You can start from India or Israel, and after a few months of hitchhiking the numerous travelling merchant caravans , can get to the other side.

So if you keep travelling steadily in the spiritual path, in the end you are bound to find that Nirvana or 'the kingdom of God ' are actually one and the same, as Ramakrishna found out for himself through his practice of Christianity.

This is what the Bahais also preach.

 

[whirlingmerc]

I have long been interested in a systematic comparison of the ministry of Jesus and Buddha to see how similar or different they are. Universalists often claim great similarity while exclusivists claim stark differences.
In this thread let us focus on the words and sayings and deeds that illuminate the core teachings of the two men and what you think of them. I will focus on Buddha mainly while Christians can focus in the words and deeds of Jesus. I am hoping for a theme by theme comparison to keep the discussion interesting.

As a start, I will start with looking at the opening words of both Jesus and Buddha (according to the texts) that illuminate much of the focus of each man's message.

Jesus

The most distinctive thing that we hear from the Bible about Jesus was that he proclaimed the coming of the Kingdom of God as prophesized in the Old Testament.

This Mark writes in chapter 1




Luke elaborates this idea of the incoming Kingdom where Jesus recites from the OT and then asserts that those prophesies are now fulfilled through him.




This Kingdom of God is supposed to usher in a new era where the poor will rejoice, captives and those in bondage would be released, blind will have sight again and all inequities will be eliminated. This change in the status of those who are suffering in the "old" world is also proclaimed by Jesus in Luke 6




I think the picture is pretty clear. The Kingdom of God will bring about a radical transformation in the ways of the world, where the oppressed and disenfranchised will be glorified and the those who are privileged in and wedded to the world will have their come-uppance. This Kingdom is already appearing on earth through the ministry of Jesus, and hence one must be ready and renounce their old worldly ways. Most of the gospel deals with how the coming of the Kingdom has been definitively established by Jesus's words, deeds and finally death and resurrection.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Buddha

The most distinctive thing that Buddha says in his teachings is that he has found a way to eliminate suffering in this life and instructs his followers how to gain that final state of non-suffering,Nibbana. Buddha's first discourse clearly identify the goals and the means to acheive them.




This Middle Way with its benefits as depicted in the quote, is taught by Buddha as an antidote to both sensual pleasure seeking and mortifying self-denial.

This Middle way is described by Buddha in terms of Eight major points:-




Most of what Buddha teaches is centered around explaining what these eight points mean. Here I will briefly state the formulation of Right View as the realization of the Four Truths.




At first glance the two goals seem like chalk and cheese. One proclaims a Kingdom of God where the world will be reset, another a way to eliminate suffering all together by following the Middle Way. Both start from a position of discontent, the world and human existence is full of frustrations of many kinds. But while Jesus proclaims the resolution as a final change in the way of the world from the Outside (whom he proclaims and represents), Buddha prescribes a path by which human beings can right it themselves, within and without.

Hope a few Christians will join in and compare the message of Jesus with that of Buddha further. Also comment on the the passages I have quoted and reflection on it.

Best,

There will be some similarities but also some differences as 'poor' also can mean 'poor in spirit' and those who 'hunger and thirst for righteousness' and even Jesus is portended in messianic psalms as being 'a poor man' Jesus tho He was rich became poor than thorugh His poverty we might have riches in Him

In some forms of Buddism, desire is looked down on and Nirvana is emptying of all desire including love. In Christianity, desire is not the problem it's what desire rests on that makes it good or bad and even God is pictured as having desires in the Bible.

 

[whirlingmerc]

I think Christianity has a category of delight that doesn't lead to suffering, in the long run
There are delights at God's hand. Delight yourself in God and He will give you the desires of your heart. There is suffereing in this life but someday 'God will wipe every tear from the eyes" of the redeemed

As far as the poor that is a large subject in the Bible as well
Psalms on Humility, Pride, Rich, Poor, Low and High

 

[Sand Dancer]

I think Christianity has a category of delight that doesn't lead to suffering, in the long run
There are delights at God's hand. Delight yourself in God and He will give you the desires of your heart. There is suffereing in this life but someday 'God will wipe every tear from the eyes" of the redeemed

As far as the poor that is a large subject in the Bible as well
Psalms on Humility, Pride, Rich, Poor, Low and High

What is troubling is that the Old Testament is violent and negative but the New Testament is positive.

 

[Buddha Dharma]

In some forms of Buddhism

Thank you for clarifying this. It's a complex subject that would need it's own thread. In brief, things you said is reasons Mahayana has sometimes called Theravada> Hinayana.