Comparison of Christianity and Buddhism

Buddhism is a superior philosophy to Christianity.

Christianity believes in a creator God that one must worship unquestioningly for the sake of achieving a heavenly reward.

Buddhism holds that one gains enlightenment through their own means, not through another's means or through a God's will or forgiveness.

Christianity holds that through acceptance of Jesus Christ as the Lord and savior, one is forgiven of their sins.

Buddhism holds that through gnosis of the cause of suffering, and the relinquishing of suffering, one gains unsurpassed nirvana, which is freedom from suffering (sin).

Christianity is based on the teachings of the bible, a book inspired by God.

Buddhism is based on the experience of enlightenment attained by the Buddha, which can be verified by everyone.

Christianity holds that the cause of suffering is Adam and Eve's sin of eating a forbidden fruit.

Buddhism holds that the cause of suffering is desire.

Christianity holds that God created all things, good and evil.

Buddhism states that all things are impermanent and subject to change.

Christianity believes that good people go to heaven, bad people go to hell.

Buddhism believes that life is the result of the causes preceding, and that each lifetime is co-dependent upon a preceding moment (the law of karma, which is the law of cause and effect).

Christianity believes that all of life can be traced back to Noah, the only person to survive the great flood.

Buddhism believes transcendence is more important than finding the origin of life (long since gone as it happened in the past).

Christianity believes the individual is born a sinner.

Buddhism believes the individual is a series of connected moments, called in temporary terms a 'self' but is in fact a series of dependent and therefore impermanent material states of consciousness.

Christianity believes that Jesus is the way, the truth, the life

Buddhism believes the Buddha-nature, found within all things, is the way, the truth, the life.

So is it to safe to say, you are pro buddhism and anti christianity? Well one involves meditation, and one involves prayer. Obviously meditation enhances mental ability. To me buddhism is like taking drugs, except taking drugs is a lot less work. And there is no guarantee you will retain a good moral compass!
just my thoughts

Originally posted by The Endtime Warrior
So is it to safe to say, you are pro buddhism and anti christianity? Well one involves meditation, and one involves prayer. Obviously meditation enhances mental ability. To me buddhism is like taking drugs, except taking drugs is a lot less work. And there is no guarantee you will retain a good moral compass!
just my thoughts

The moral compass points at transcendence. Contemplation of the absolute and meditation and knowing of this absolute.

Originally posted by filosophia

Originally posted by The Endtime Warrior
So is it to safe to say, you are pro buddhism and anti christianity? Well one involves meditation, and one involves prayer. Obviously meditation enhances mental ability. To me buddhism is like taking drugs, except taking drugs is a lot less work. And there is no guarantee you will retain a good moral compass!
just my thoughts

The moral compass points at transcendence. Contemplation of the absolute and meditation and knowing of this absolute.

I was talking about drug use not buddhism!

Buddha and Christ get along perfectly well, it is only the followers who are at odds with each other due to a long history of distorted teachings and error-prone traditions.

Love and peace will get you where you belong...

Namaste.

There are numerous contemplative, meditative, and mystical strains of Christianity that involve union with the Godhead very similar to that of Eastern religions. Not just ancient Gnosticism, but also up through medieval Christianity (Spanish mystics, etc.), Eastern Orthodox hesychasm, Syriac solitary monasticsm, Quietism, the Quaker faith, the Amish beliefs, and so on.

It is a true shame that Christianity has become associated so closely with biblical literalism and idiotic funadmantalist absolutism in the last 50 years or so. Historically, a more broad-minded and mystical form of Christianity is the norm. People forget so easily.

Well that's some proof of superiority of Buddhism over Christianity:
"Christianity believes that Jesus is the way, the truth, the life

Buddhism believes the Buddha-nature, found within all things, is the way, the truth, the life."




More seriously, if Buddhism teaches that the cause of suffering is desire, well, Buddhists as any "faithers" must suffer a lot from a deep belief/desire!

It's the belief of having a soul!
This belief comes from the intense desire to overcome death.
This is the ULTIMATE desire, Eternal life, immortality!

What a convenient belief that the one of the soul... and here (with Buddhism) of reincarnation and the possibility of hundreds (thousands?) of life!

The "true" reason/cause of suffering is fear, NOT desire. Desire is merely a attempt to compensate the fear of precisely... CEASING TO EXIST!

As we are afraid of dying, we CREATE a desire to compensate this fear... The desire of immortality. As we know it to be unlikely through the body, we create the concepts of afterlife and/then soul and we believe our own illusion (delusion) to be real!!

That's what we call faith and that's the common problem of any religion: Faith, not logic, is required!

[edit on 2-7-2010 by Project_USA]

Originally posted by Project_USA
Well that's some proof of superiority of Buddhism over Christianity:
"Christianity believes that Jesus is the way, the truth, the life

Buddhism believes the Buddha-nature, found within all things, is the way, the truth, the life."

More seriously, if Buddhism teaches that the cause of suffering is desire, well, Buddhists as any "faithers" must suffer a lot from a deep belief/desire!

It's the belief of having a soul!
This belief comes from the intense desire to overcome death.
This is the ULTIMATE desire, Eternal life, immortality!

What a convenient belief that the one of the soul... and here (with Buddhism) of reincarnation and the possibility of hundreds (thousands?) of life!

The "true" reason/cause of suffering is fear, NOT desire. Desire is merely a attempt to compensate the fear of precisely... CEASING TO EXIST!

As we are afraid of dying, we CREATE a desire to compensate this fear... The desire of immortality. As we know it to be unlikely through the body, we create the concepts of afterlife and/then soul and we believe our own illusion (delusion) to be real!!

That's what we call faith and that's the common problem of any religion: Faith, not logic, is required!

[edit on 2-7-2010 by Project_USA]

while fear is a desire that affects the ego, faith can not save the ego from this fear, only knowledge of the corruptibility of the ego and the incorruptibility of the true self. Liberation is achieved through knowledge alone. Not not-knowledge or faith.

reply to post by filosophia


I thought this was a comparison and not an opinion.

How is buddhism superior to christianity? they are too entirely differently religions, and I don't believe one is better than the other because they are just the records of old, flawed perceptions.

Originally posted by Miraj
reply to post by filosophia

 

I thought this was a comparison and not an opinion.

How is buddhism superior to christianity? they are too entirely differently religions, and I don't believe one is better than the other because they are just the records of old, flawed perceptions.

wrong, historical reductionism, (if it's old, it must be flawed). Buddhism is based on the liberation of spirit, Christianity is based on biblical stories. One has a logical system behind it, the other does not.

Don't lump all of Christianity and Christians as one. The only truth is the books, not the culture that develops. The Christianity that people think about has absolutely nothing to do with Christianity, it is just culture. Christians in India would interpret things and practice Christianity much differently than Americans, who is right? The books are all that exists, the emphasis of Hell for example is no where in the Bible.

"Buddhism holds that one gains enlightenment through their own means, not through another's means or through a God's will or forgiveness."

So you're saying one gains "spirituality" through their own means, that applies to any religion. YOU have to experience it.

"Buddhism holds that through gnosis of the cause of suffering, and the relinquishing of suffering, one gains unsurpassed nirvana, which is freedom from suffering (sin)."

The term gnosis is more Christian than Buddhist. And there is no "gnosis of...." gnosis is gnosis, period. A Christian develops and understands community. What does a buddhist offer a community when they've let go of everything?

It's more than reasonable to not believe in Hell as a Christian. The concept of "sin" can be applied to any religion. It's not the word, but the thought. We're all sinners, we're all ignorant of higher realities, we're all *fill in the blank*. Depends on what a person actually thinks there is doing in this world.

[edit on 2-7-2010 by ghaleon12]

reply to post by ghaleon12


we do not all have to be ignorant of higher realities, they can be known through a negation of the lower realities, from physical up through the psychological states, until we view all phenomenon as impermanent and subject to change, the true self alone is the revolving order that is unchanging.

Perhaps the delusions of Christianity are founded on the belief in Jesus Christs name not the path he represented?
How many born again Christians or sunday catholics ect affirm their belief in Christ each week or more.....but never follow his teachings?

Buddhism is a path of understanding ie know or suffer.
Christianty western style is do what you want and then come back to Church and Jesus will wash away your sins.
Only understanding makes love natural to sinners .
Pray to Jesus Christ, but he meant you to follow his path to God, not ask him to save you just by reciting his name?
Christ was not soft, he demanded obedience and action.
Buddhism likewise.
Buddha knew he was in ignorance, and tried not to sin , as he sensed he would pay for every transgression, Christ told us as much, both religions however teach hope , the exit that love created and leaves clear and open.

Although I like the idea of comparative debate, your statement "Buddhism is superior to Christianity" is in fact not very Buddhist-like at all.

I don't disagree with you, I am just saying, giving people an honest comparison is fine, but let them determine what is what. Otherwise your just bringing the same propagandizing theme into Buddhism that you despise of Christianity.


This is one problem with the sudden increase of interest into Buddhism by Westerners.


Keep it real, or don't keep it at all.


ps. UrbanShaman gets my co-sign for that comment.

[edit on 2-7-2010 by LifeIsEnergy]

Originally posted by LifeIsEnergy
Although I like the idea of comparative debate, your statement "Buddhism is superior to Christianity" is in fact not very Buddhist-like at all.

I don't disagree with you, I am just saying, giving people an honest comparison is fine, but let them determine what is what. Otherwise your just bringing the same propagandizing theme into Buddhism that you despise of Christianity.


This is one problem with the sudden increase of interest into Buddhism by Westerners.


Keep it real, or don't keep it at all.


ps. UrbanShaman gets my co-sign for that comment.

[edit on 2-7-2010 by LifeIsEnergy]

To say one is superior to the other is Buddhist like, as Buddhism is about nobility, and nobility is about superiority. Buddhists engaged in great debates with other ideologies in order to disprove one and claim a superior system over another. Otherwise, everyone would just do as they feel, with no real need for moral precepts or philosophical contemplation. If you think the Buddha is a 'nice' guy that wouldn't offend modern day Christians, you are wrong. A Buddha is one who has gained knowledge of the absolute, and can teach same to others. To not point out the superiority or inferiority of one ideology compared to another is like teaching a student that they can make up any answers they want on a math test.

God is an illogical concept, as any atheist would tell you. However, atheists fail to understand the soul, and further more they fail to understand metaphysics, which is a logical system because it is based on Monism, and has a definite goal (transcendence).

[edit on 3-7-2010 by filosophia]

One man believes that Washington is a city in America.
Another man believes that Washington is a city in Africa.

Which of those belief systems is superior?
Answer; whichever belief system coincides with what happens to be the case.

If the Biblical belief in a Creator God coincided with objective reality, then that belief would be superior to a belief system which conflicted with reality. The other criteria you bring forward therefore pale into insignificance.

Originally posted by filosophia
Buddhism is a superior philosophy to Christianity.

There are many voices in the wind but only ONE who saves a soul from sin.

Since many people are commenting on the line that says "Buddhism has a superior philosophy to Christianity," I might as well say something about it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the only judgment made in the thread, everything else is simply the literal difference between the two, with this line being the only one claiming one is superlative than the other, although that attitude is implied in every comment.

What's funny about that line, is that I used to date someone when I first thought that thought, and they also became very angry. But, is it so surprising? Christianity openly claims they are the one true religion, so I guess it is just a good one to rile some people up. But if you think about it, and have any grasp whatsoever about philosophy, it will become clear that Buddhism is a superior philosophy to Christianity, since Christianity really has no philosophy.

Buddhism states that all things are impermanent, empty of inherent existence, summed up in the phrase "form is emptiness," form being any characteristic of an object, and emptiness being a lack of an eternal reality to it, not necessarily that it doesn't exist, only that it is less than absolute reality which exists indefinitely.

Compare this to Christianity, what is their philosophy on objects? God created the objects, and he deemed they were "good," but some things in life are not good, and how could things be imperfect if it was created by a perfect God? How can anything be mortal if it was created by an immortal power, THE immortal power? There really is no answer, some theologians throughout history have tried to explain this, suggesting that God uses evil for good purposes, but this would mean that the 'evil' thing is not really evil. So, while some Christians tried to speak philosophically about Christianity, it ended up mostly as a contradictory theology.

Compare this to Buddhism, why are things impermanent under Buddhist theory? Because in Buddhism and traditional metaphysical systems, the One reality emanates or illuminates all inferior realities below it, such that the Buddha is an all-enlightened one that can see all states of mind, but not necessarily a part of that mind. In Buddhism this is translated as illusion and so taken to the extreme it appears as if the world has no reality at all, which is not true, rather, as an illusion, it is an image of the more primary. So rather than a creator God creating imperfect things, and sometimes creating evil things, in traditional metaphysics, the absolute state emanates a lower reality that is an image of the higher, not based on a self-conscious choice, but instead based on the principle of its nature. In terms of Buddhism, all suffering is caused by ignorance, and once ignorance is eliminated through the Dharma, there no longer appears the world of maya, things no longer have their mortal nature to them, but rather all that is seen is the eternal (nirvana).

So, Christianity states that a perfect God creates things that are imperfect, but metaphysics such as Plotinus states that the world is an image of the more perfect, and in Buddhism, things are impermanent because they are lacking in true self, and knowing this transcends the realm of samsara and makes one a fully enlightened Buddha, in which their knowing knows nothing inferior, and their mind is clarified and freed from the mortal realm.

Buddhism promises transcendence here and now, Christianity promises forgiveness and eternal life with Jesus, after you die. Is it really so hard to see that one is superior to the other?

Originally posted by filosophia

Originally posted by LifeIsEnergy

This is one problem with the sudden increase of interest into Buddhism by Westerners.

Keep it real, or don't keep it at all.

[edit on 2-7-2010 by LifeIsEnergy]

To say one is superior to the other is Buddhist like, as Buddhism is about nobility, and nobility is about superiority. Buddhists engaged in great debates with other ideologies in order to disprove one and claim a superior system over another. Otherwise, everyone would just do as they feel, with no real need for moral precepts or philosophical contemplation. If you think the Buddha is a 'nice' guy that wouldn't offend modern day Christians, you are wrong. A Buddha is one who has gained knowledge of the absolute, and can teach same to others. To not point out the superiority or inferiority of one ideology compared to another is like teaching a student that they can make up any answers they want on a math test.

[edit on 3-7-2010 by filosophia]

Well, I still stand on my position that what you are doing is not very Buddhist-like at all. Buddhism is not about nobility (go read the definition en.wikipedia.org...), and definitely not about superiority over others. I don't know where you read or heard that, but that is wrong.

Buddhism teaches many things, one being virtue which leads to compassion and wisdom. Pure compassion will not let you judge others for purposes of claiming superiority and pure wisdom will make you wise enough to know you cannot, and so you shall not, try and convert others to your own beliefs.

You can search within yourself and teach others what you have found, but to say your beliefs are superior to theirs is egotistical. Buddhism teaches the 'ego' is a false notion that must be overcome in order to reach nirvana.

You said "Buddhists engaged in great debates with other ideologies in order to disprove one and claim a superior system over another.", can you name what Buddhists engaged in this and/or what debates you are talking about?

Have you ever heard the Dalai Lama speak about other religions? He has very little to say and when he does have something to say it is compassionate and wise but without judgment or comparison.
Seems like you are bringing the same Judeo/Christian/Islamic ways that you despise, into Buddhism, as many Westerners do, which is why I stated previously to "keep it real or don't keep it at all".

Just like your other post that was titled something like "Ask me any question about Buddhism/Nirvana and I will answer". This implies that you are an enlightened master and since it is obvious you are not, it shows that your desire to speak upon these matters ( I can't say teach) comes from the need to supplement your ego. In this day and age, realizing the ego is there and then realizing it is false and then finding the path to move beyond and without it is one of the most difficult things we must achieve. That is why there are a very small amount of truly enlightened ones and real gurus, while most who claim to be so only do so for either the same reason as you have (notoriety/attention/satisfaction of the ego) or to make money.

So again, "keep it real or don't keep it at all"!

reply to post by filosophia


what is making people all uppity is not that you or anyone else has made the assumption of superiority but that the title of your thread is a comparison but you then make a judgement. to me the whole concept is in one sense apples and oranges because there is an objective reality to the claims of many religions such as christianity stating that man is sinful and buddhism stating that life is suffering. in other words things are not believed for no reason, everyone has a valid reason to believe what they believe and to act according to belief.

I am not a universalist, but religions, one can say are really just different solutions to the same problems we all face in life such as suffering and sin.