Similarities between Buddhism and Christianity
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What are the similarities? We are not trying to come to a conclusion here. This will be just an intellectual discussion. We will be comparing similarities. So get cracking and start thinking what you think the similarities are. There is another thread on differences.
Only mature people who are sure about their own faiths invited. There is no hurry. Take your time.
I hope the mods will delete the posts made by monkeys but please do it with a light touch and not be trigger happy.
Contributors please go one point at a time and do not write long posts, keep it to less than 100 words per post. You can always elaborate with another post if there are some things you need to clarify. -
For a start we shall consider being "Born Again" and "Enlightenment"
If you cannot see any similarities please post in the other thread. -
i first think of Buddhist percepts and some of Christian's ten commandment.
do not Kill, do not steal, do not lie , do not sexual misconduct/adultery.
or there are many examples in the book:Living Buddha, Living Christ
ps : all real religions from saints are to make people become good.
-- Thich Nhat Hanh
Quoted from "Living Buddha, Living Christ" by Thich Nhat Hanh
To me, religious life is life. I do not seee any reason to spend one's whole life tasting just one kind of fruit. We human beings can be nourished by the best values of many traditions. (p.2)
It is good that an orange is an orange and a mango is a mango. The colors, the smells, and the tastes are different, but looking deeply, we see that they are both authentic fruits. Looking more deeply, we can see the sunshine, the rain, the minerals, and the earth in both of them...If religions are authentic, they contain the same elements of stability, joy, peace, understanding, and love. The similarities as well as the differences are there. They differ only in terms of emphasis. Glucoise and acid are in all fruits, but their degrees differ. We cannot say that one is a real fruit and the other is not. (p194-195).
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OK here we have one similarity proposed: "Thou shall not kill" in the Ten commandments and Buddhist Precepts.
Thou shall not kill. (let me remind you that this is a similarity thread; if you think that there are differences between the 10 commandments and Buddhists precepts, please list them down in the differences thread)
a note to sinweiy: Please give concrete example like: Thou shall not kill
Not generally like Ten commandments and Buddhist Precepts are the same. We can then debate whether the Thou shall not kill in Christianity and Buddhism is the same. I hope that it is very concrete in this manner instead of a general comparison because I can foresee chaos when everybody tries to say many things at the same time. -
http://www.watthai.net/talon/wheel/wheel16_1.htm
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). -
Its registered as a religion in Singapore.
Promises salvation/peace to the individual; accession to a different place is the common key.
They consider themselves good and holy/wise.
Fasting is a common practice, although not exactly the same nature.
Praying helps.
They need believers to spread their faith, though often different means.
Symbols are used as guidance.
Money is needed to run their places/establishments, thus donations are needed. -
Originally posted by casino_king:
Example: thou shall not murder ppl
OK here we have one similarity proposed: [b]"Thou shall not kill" in the Ten commandments and Buddhist Precepts.
Thou shall not kill. (let me remind you that this is a similarity thread; if you think that there are differences between the 10 commandments and Buddhists precepts, please list them down in the differences thread)
a note to sinweiy: Please give concrete example like: Thou shall not kill
Not generally like Ten commandments and Buddhist Precepts are the same. We can then debate whether the Thou shall not kill in Christianity and Buddhism is the same. I hope that it is very concrete in this manner instead of a general comparison because I can foresee chaos when everybody tries to say many things at the same time.[/b] -
A few questions:
Fasting is a common practice, although not exactly the same nature.
I am not aware of fasting in Buddhism... so what nature of fasting are you implying?Symbols are used as guidance.
What symbols do you mean.. -
some buddhists fast during vesek, etc.. fasting may not be complete rejecting of food but sometimes also mean don't eat certain kind of food example meat.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:A few questions:
symbols, like pictures of buddha, cross, etc. something to concentrate on la.. i dun mean worship. -
Promises salvation/peace to the individual; accession to a different place is the common key.
May have misunderstood what you mean, but, the key to 'salvation for oneself' in buddhism (which is not by external means) and 'peace' is not in accession to a different place, but realising Nirvana, the bliss beyond time and space. -
Originally posted by Ito_^:
Hmm yes. Vegetarianism is practised in some traditions and also for the monks esp. theravada, they do not eat after noon.
some buddhists fast during vesek, etc.. fasting may not be complete rejecting of food but sometimes also mean don't eat certain kind of food example meat.symbols, like pictures of buddha, cross, etc. something to concentrate on la.. i dun mean worship.
I see.. -
Must believe and practise what you believe. Don't teach one thing and do another. -
practise wat u preachOriginally posted by king108: Must believe and practise what you believe. Don't teach one thing and do another. -
This is just an intellectual exercise to help each side understand the other deeply and not just at the surface. Nothing to do with preaching and doing what one preaches.
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Do Buddhist believe that praying helps?Originally posted by Ito_^:Its registered as a religion in Singapore.
Promises salvation/peace to the individual; accession to a different place is the common key.
They consider themselves good and holy/wise.
Fasting is a common practice, although not exactly the same nature.
Praying helps.
They need believers to spread their faith, though often different means.
Symbols are used as guidance.
Money is needed to run their places/establishments, thus donations are needed. -
got so many sects.. that pure land counted? amitofu.. amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu all day long.Originally posted by casino_king:Do Buddhist believe that praying helps? -
oh ic.. i was thinking of rebirth into higher realm.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:May have misunderstood what you mean, but, the key to 'salvation for oneself' in buddhism (which is not by external means) and 'peace' is not in accession to a different place, but realising Nirvana, the bliss beyond time and space. -
You might be referring to chanting and not praying?Originally posted by Ito_^:got so many sects.. that pure land counted? amitofu.. amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu all day long. -
Actually Christianity also emphasise that it is not by external means but by personal faith. What do you think is the difference?Originally posted by An Eternal Now:May have misunderstood what you mean, but, the key to 'salvation for oneself' in buddhism (which is not by external means) and 'peace' is not in accession to a different place, but realising Nirvana, the bliss beyond time and space. -
External means that there is a seperate entity out there that grants someone salvation. Of course, faith is still required to 'receive that gift' in Christianity.Originally posted by casino_king:Actually Christianity also emphasise that it is not by external means but by personal faith. What do you think is the difference? -
Rebirth in higher realm isnt bad, but isnt the 'salvation' and 'peace' that Buddhism talks about..Originally posted by Ito_^:oh ic.. i was thinking of rebirth into higher realm. -
sou ka na..Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Rebirth in higher realm isnt bad, but isnt the 'salvation' and 'peace' that Buddhism talks about.. -
That is chanting...Originally posted by Ito_^:got so many sects.. that pure land counted? amitofu.. amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu amitofu all day long. -
example.. guess it was bad. isn't it similar?Originally posted by An Eternal Now:That is chanting...
got other sects dat pray.. -
All sects are founded based upon particular teachings and practises of the Buddha. The Buddha taught 84000 dharma doors to enlightenment - chanting is one of them, meditation is one of them and within the 'meditation' catergory there are dozens of different types of meditation... there is also koan inquiry, visualisation, etc etc really a lot.Originally posted by Ito_^:example.. guess it was bad. isn't it similar?
got other sects dat pray..
Praying is not one of them because you cannot attain enlightenment by praying.