Comparison of Christianity and Buddhism

I grew up in a very strict Christian household, i have to say we were scared to blink for fear we might go to hell. Now that i am an adult making my own decisions, Buddhism has been my liberation. It is not fear based, only loving kindness will help us get through life not pointing and judging.

reply to post by filosophia

As a force for social cohesion, promoting cooperation, reciprocity, mutual respect and cutural achievement, Christianity is infinitely superior to Buddhism.

The historical record shows this plainly.

I am the product of a society in which Theravada Buddhism is given pride of place and protected by the State. The history of my country since its independence from Britain is a sorry record indeed.

I am not generalizing from a single example; consider the state of any Theravada-dominant country - Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos - the picture is always much the same.

The Mahayana countries have done slightly better, on the whole, though the societies this faith has built cannot, in my opinion, be compared - in quality of life, in potential for individual self-realization, in simple functionality, or in the achievements of high culture - with those built on a Christian ethos. Indeed, the two high cultures where Buddhism took root - China and Japan - were on their way to greatness long before it arrived on their shores.

This, to my mind, shows the fatal flaw of Buddhism.

It is a fine thing for intellectuals, but it provides few of the consolations simple folk look to religion to provide. Indeed, it denigrates the social emotions as mere manifestations of attachment.

reply to post by gems1


I respect that you have had an unpleasant experience in christianity but isn't really the environment and not necessarily the faith at large that has been the catalyst or did you have a much more sweeping experience?

Originally posted by Astyanax

It is a fine thing for intellectuals, but it provides few of the consolations simple folk look to religion to provide. Indeed, it denigrates the social emotions as mere manifestations of attachment.

...and this is why the esotericism exist. The main point is not to keep information from people that seek it, but just to keep a low profile from the ignorant.

Mainstream religions (or the public image of them) are for the masses, and of course have been turned totally upside down. Weren't i.e. the crusades against everything that Christianity really stands for? Killing, forcing, practicing all-around intolerance?

Again, repeating myself - maybe we should let go mainstream religions. So much evil has be done in their name. And let the original teachings in peace, for those to study who understand them.

And again, they DO have similarities - simply because they're from the same source. Even if these people who wrote the holy scriptures didn't ever meet, and lived in different times. The message never gets old.

Originally posted by Astyanax
reply to post by filosophia

 

As a force for social cohesion, promoting cooperation, reciprocity, mutual respect and cutural achievement, Christianity is infinitely superior to Buddhism.

The historical record shows this plainly.

You see Filosophia, this is what happens when you use 'Christian' ways to promote Buddhism. You attract the same ignorance your trying to teach against, but you do not teach anyone, rather, your just sticking your neck out allowing another to come and cut you with the same argument you use against them. This is how wars are started. This is why it is not 'Buddhist-like' to do. I think the person above me did a good job explaining why some 'Christians' 'Muslims' and even some 'Jews' feel as they do.

I am the product of a society in which Theravada Buddhism is given pride of place and protected by the State. The history of my country since its independence from Britain is a sorry record indeed.

I am not generalizing from a single example; consider the state of any Theravada-dominant country - Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos - the picture is always much the same.

The Mahayana countries have done slightly better, on the whole, though the societies this faith has built cannot, in my opinion, be compared - in quality of life, in potential for individual self-realization, in simple functionality, or in the achievements of high culture - with those built on a Christian ethos. Indeed, the two high cultures where Buddhism took root - China and Japan - were on their way to greatness long before it arrived on their shores.

This, to my mind, shows the fatal flaw of Buddhism.

You make a good point, and this is a question I am often asked, "If Buddhism is so good, than why are so many still in poverty and famine?" But I think you answered yourself, by stating, Buddhist nations such as: India, Nepal, Tibet, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam... have been victims of having their land conquered, people slaughtered (genocide) and had trade embargo's placed against them by non-buddhist people/countries. So to place any blame or guilt upon Buddhism is irrelevant and ignorant. The only argument I could see one making on this subject is "well their too peaceful and do not use war enough to defend themselves from other war/power hungry people/nations." But I think every religion and every culture teaches a common lesson to their children as their growing up, which is "Two wrongs never make a right."

It is a fine thing for intellectuals, but it provides few of the consolations simple folk look to religion to provide. Indeed, it denigrates the social emotions as mere manifestations of attachment.

The person above me gave a great answer to this.

Anyways on another note, today is the Dalai Lama's B-day!


Dalai Lama's B-day!

It can become problematic for the individual when they internalize an attachment to a religion, and then it almost becomes a person rather than a concept.

IMO the important thing to understand is that no doctrine in itself can save or enlighten anyone. It is the seeker who has to earn their own development depending on the amount of positive energy they put into the work of developing themselves to either salvation, or enlightenment.

Unfortunately there is no easy way to none of these things on the most part.

Any religion is just a theoretical path or guideline to the truth . . . or transcendence, salvation, or enlightenment or whatever adjective one prefers.

Exoteric Christianity needs some association with the mystical aspect of its heritage, I believe. This is a symptom of western religion in general, where you have the split of the esoteric from the exoteric, such as Islam and Sufism, Judaism and Kabala, and exoteric Christianity and mystic and Gnostic Christianity, where the esoteric and exoteric are so divided, unlike Buddhism. Though even in Buddhism there has developed some overly exoteric paths.

For thirty years I have studied all the major religions—the esoteric and exoteric, and have found beauty and truth in all of them, though I have my favorites being an Integral Mystic, I nonetheless have come to think the important thing in the end is people.
And what Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and all of them teach . . . that is compassion . . . for each other is the most important thing that can be utilized to arrive at that elusive attribute of God that we all need —Love!

So let us go on and debate, though I hope in the best manner, in the spirit of the true seekers of truth that is with respect for each other.

Originally posted by inforeal

And what Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and all of them teach . . . that is compassion . . . for each other is the most important thing that can be utilized to arrive at that elusive attribute of God that we all need —Love!

I have nothing to add.

Although, it may not end there..

reply to post by ApacheChief


Faith is important becasue one has to have faith that the religious path one is on will bring change.

A genuine esoteric path has balance—esoteric and exoteric.

To lean too much either way causes imbalance.

Jesus himself, for example, was very mystical yet followed the Hebrew law

Esoteric is just more of the inner meaning of religion.


[edit on 6-7-2010 by inforeal]

[edit on 6-7-2010 by inforeal]

True Christianity is superior to buddhism. The Holy Bible in one huge mystical textbook and most don't realize it.

We get what the gnostics called divine union, whereas "mainstream" christianity calls it the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

We get what the gnostics called the Chrism, whereas mainstream christianity will refer to it as the oil of gladness. The gnostics taught, that if a person receives the chrism, then you have a guarantee to experience all the mysteries. There are many teachings in the Holy Bible on anointing. Jesus stood up in the synagogue and read from the book of Isaiah 'the Spirit of the Lord is on me BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME.'

We all have within us, what the gnostics called a divine spark. This spark must be ignited. A practitioner of kabbalah would call this the lightning flash on the tree of life. In mainstream christianity, John the Baptist said one would come after him that would baptize us with spirit and fire. And Jesus said of his own coming, as 'lightening flashes from east to west' so will the coming of the Son of Man be.......

We get living water! The living water and fire do for the inside of the believer what John's water baptism did for the oustide of us. This water wells up inside you til it can absolutely go no higher. You know you're going down, so find a soft spot to land and let the covenant of love begin! This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The gnostics called it the Bridal Chamber. As man and woman unite in one way, we unite with God another way.

Union of a man and woman produces a child. Union with God produces the Son of God, inside us. He is then the Son of Man - Messiah/Christ in you. And since Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy, he will then guide you into all truth and help you understand all your experiences.

We get dreams, visions, oobe's, signs, miraculous signs etc. We get proven to that he is real and his promises still stand. We get a covenant of love that there is nothing to compare it to, until our time here on earth is done and we go home.

Jesus came so everyone could experience this love. It doesn't get any better than that.



[edit on 6-7-2010 by Myrtales Instinct]

Originally posted by inforeal
reply to post by ApacheChief

 

Faith is important becasue one has to have faith that the religious path one is on will bring change.

A genuine esoteric path has balance—esoteric and exoteric.

To lean too much either way causes imbalance.

Jesus himself, for example, was very mystical yet followed the Hebrew law

Esoteric is just more of the inner meaning of religion.


[edit on 6-7-2010 by inforeal]

[edit on 6-7-2010 by inforeal]

I'll agree with you. if I may ask what do you find mystical about Jesus? because I find that his teaching very matter of fact. if you mean the parables I agree that it is a kind of hidden knowledge thing.

If Christianity and Buddhism philosophy is non-fiction writing then there's a author for the literature

There's no author for the literature.

Therefore, Christianity and Buddhism philosophy is not non-fiction writing.

Ah! You'll tell every poster that you forgot your sixteenth birthday?

reply to post by filosophia

In reply to Op, being a Christian Mystic myself, and seeing Buddhism as integral for furthering ones own Christian path, I feel the need to speak on this:

Buddhism is a superior philosophy to Christianity.

Actually you can say they work hand in hand. It is difficult for the working man, mothers, children, and the busy nature of people in societies for the last 2-3,000 years to set aside so much meditation and work on oneself the way Buddhists have in monasteries and such.

SO enter Christianity. Its more of a Grace path, you do some work and God meets you half way and blesses you with experiences and the Holy Spirit which then enable you to meditate and go within.

Then when going within, since there is not much written in the Christian tradition of goes on within ...you can study Buddhism as there are blueprints of an individuals internal realms.

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

Forgiveness needs to be done in Buddhism also. You can't move forward until this happens. Christianity works through one's own means also because one has to make their own decision to go down the path or not.

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

I'll skip this part for now. It would require me to write a book that branches out into all sort of philosophical, relative, metaphysical topics to even begin to scratch the surface. I can say that in buddhism you do have Karma and it is established through wrong actions or Sins. The word Sin actually simply means to fall short of the ideal. Both Buddhism and Christianity hold that there is an ideal state ....so to sin simply means the same as in buddhism would be wrong action.

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).

In certain denominations of Christianity, especially Eastern Orthodoxy, they also hold that through the direct experiences of God ...you become blessed with Gnosis (spiritual hidden knowledge) on how you operate, blueprints of the ego, physiology, and also the relinquishing of suffering. One also gains Union w/ God or enlightenment which also becomes freedom from Sin and suffering.

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

I can also say, the main point of the Bible is the teachings and actions of Christ who experienced enlightenment and taught the highest knowledge possible, albeit he dumbed it down using parables.

But to say "which everyone can verify" well that's a faulty statement. Its relative and subjective so inconclusive.

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

In Easter Orthodoxy, they say the Garden of Edan was Oneness with God or a Nondual state (the original state of being aimed for in Buddhism). Then somehow there was a putting on of the ego which equals the Illusion that we are all separate and the experience of illusuory duality which is both sides of spectrums such as good and evil, love and hate, etc. Before that there was just Nonduality. Completely compatible!!!

Buddhism holds that the cause of suffering is desire.

Christianity holds that the cause of suffering is being born into this world through putting on of the ego, the cause of all duality, desire, illusions, and sin!!!

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

Yes from a nondual point it would seem so. But for someone in Union with God, all things are One.

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

Christianity holds that God is the same God now, is God was then. Meaning if God is infinite nonduality, then its easy to see how that Being always is. Change happens in the Now and the Now always is. Compatible for both sides!!!

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

In Buddhism they have the Bardo of the afterlife. Also a sort of hell, punishment, suffering, and testing grounds for the soul. The only way through it is being enlightened. A sin Christianity, then only way into Heaven is also to have a sort of Enlightenment through Christ and with God.

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

In Christianity, you eventually reach a state of transcendence (I have had this state for the last 5-6 years and its awesome!!!) You no longer have any attachments and no longer fear death amongst many other awesome things!!

Christianity believes the individual is born a sinner.

ANybody born into this world eventually slips into ego/illusion mode. Completely compatible

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.

Many monks, mystics, saints, and theologians within Christianity would also agree. You just described the ego!!!

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

Would require a book to explain.

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

We can say then, that Buddha-Nature was simply Buddha tapping into God ...and that "God" found in all things, is the way, the truth, the life. Well of Jesus also was tapped into God ....well you can catch my drift from there...

Before you post another comparison, it would be important that you see that there are multiple branches of CHristianity and multiple branches of Buddhism and all of these branches bicker amongst themselves over who is right and wrong.

It is proper to have a vast knowledge of all these different branches and also to know that what you label something as one thing ....is just a label and not the actual thing.

Buddha-hood and Christ-hood are extremely compatible. The only thing I find lacking in Buddhism is the Holy Spirit experience. What I find lacking in Christianity is inner guidance on how to traverse the dynamics of the inner life (psychology, physiology, ego, energy, etc)

I can you can consider me a Christian Mystic Buddhist (nondualist) and as one, I say that your points lack weight without a proper deeper investigation behind the labels and concepts that are not the actual.

I think buddy's main problem is that he can't forgive exoteric Christianity of being so paltry in reality compared to what it hypes itself up to be. So he's bashing it because he's found Buddhism to be a lot more straightforward, and thus he's found what he originally wanted, which was a religion that is esoteric on the surface.

I felt the same way for a time. Now I realize that mystical Christianity is really no different from Buddhism in that it offers transcendence, peace, a wide variety of mystical states, etc. Thing is I myself don't feel like forgiving Christianity, and thus, though I feel that mystical Christianity is perfectly workable, I would never want to use it to attain any spiritual goals. Why hyperfocus on the mysterious magic words of mystical Christianity when other magical systems use language that is so much more direct? I know the mind loves emotionally charged symbols and psychodrama, but does that really require such childish terminology?

[edit on 7-7-2010 by Merle8]

Originally posted by Erad3
If Christianity and Buddhism philosophy is non-fiction writing then there's a author for the literature

There's no author for the literature.

Therefore, Christianity and Buddhism philosophy is not non-fiction writing.

Ah! You'll tell every poster that you forgot your sixteenth birthday?

Okay I've seen a similar reply of yours in another thread. but what you say doesn't stand up to common sense; namely, the works exists so there had to be an author or authors- whether fiction or non fiction if it exists then it has an author.

Let us unify our religions, in the name of unity, rather than continue to separate each other from ourselves. Some of us may need Christianity and some of us may need Buddhism for the salvation or enlightenment of our souls.

What is transcendent is that we are one people, under one transcendent truth!

There is no separation of God and man. We are one under the truth of love!

UNIFY!

Inforeal

From the heart

We all are only different colors on the rainbow of truth.
Be compassionate to each other!



[edit on 7-7-2010 by inforeal]

[edit on 7-7-2010 by inforeal]

In the end there will be only us and reality!

[edit on 7-7-2010 by inforeal]

Same Chicken Differant feathers



Kind Regards,

Elf

reply to post by LifeIsEnergy

This is a question I am often asked, "If Buddhism is so good, than why are so many still in poverty and famine?" But I think you answered yourself, by stating, Buddhist nations such as: India, Nepal, Tibet, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam... have been victims of having their land conquered, people slaughtered (genocide) and had trade embargo's placed against them by non-buddhist people/countries. So to place any blame or guilt upon Buddhism is irrelevant and ignorant.

It is your words, here quoted, that are irrelevant and ignorant.

India is not a Buddhist country. Buddhism began declining in India in the fifth century and had almost totally disappeared by the twelfth. This decline pre-dates the Mogul conquest and has nothing to do with genocides (!) or trade embargoes.

Thailand was never conquered by any Western power.

Even at their peak, the Buddhist kingdoms of Asia were indistinguishable in terms of moral and social development from their neighbours. In fact, they tended to be far more fragile and vulnerable to internal strife and external assault. In Indonesia and elsewhere, Buddhism was superseded by Hinduism before its total eclipse by Islam.

Your response is historically uninformed and clearly sectarian in its tenor.

Anyways on another note, today is the Dalai Lama's B-day!

Another damned religious charlatan, like Jerry Falwell and the Pope. Who cares?

[edit on 10/7/10 by Astyanax]

reply to post by Astyanax


LOL, again irrelevant and ignorant, no need for me to pick apart your statement and show you that, you already know. Keep trying to convince yourself otherwise tho!

And what is your dislike for the Dalai Lama? Again, no comment, you already know.