Buddhism and Christianity
Buddhism and Christianity A Differing of Practice, A Oneness of Thought Buddhism, the religion of reason and meditation, was born in India in the sixth century before Christ and has continued to spread across the Asian continent and in recent years has become increasingly popular among Western cultures. ... Buddhism spread gently from northeastern India, without crusades, authorities, or dogmatic emphases. During its long centuries of quiet pilgrimage by land and sea, much of Buddhism’s powerful influence “may have had its source in the deliberate avoidance of claims to exclusive Truth, adherence to inflexible dogma, or the authority of any final, sacrosanct, theocratic hierarchy” (Ross, p. ... Buddhism contained, and still contains, the power to evoke emotions within people and calls people to discover its meaning, its beauty, its mystery. ... Buddhism, unlike Christianity- is not a “revealed” religion. ... ” As I have read about and studied Buddhism and Christianity I have found several similarities and differences between the two striving religions. Buddhism is not a single system of philosophy or a specific dogma set up to counter other dogmas, as is Christianity. ... It is Buddha’s essential emphasis on man as the instrument of his own destiny that sets it apart from other world faiths, particularly Christianity. ... The word “sin” is not appropriate when speaking of Buddhism. ... In direct contrast, Christianity is based on rituals, sacrifice, and prayer. ... The earliest Sangha, an order of dedicated believers of Buddhism, is similar to Jesus’ disciples. ... Buddhism is not constructed on principles; there are no rituals, vows of obedience, hierarchical system, or rites of prayer. Buddhism’s flexibility is rooted in the absence of any single, authoritarian, never to be questioned “Word of God” as taught in Christianity.