Compare And Contrast Buddhism And Christianity

Research Paper

Compare and contrast Buddhism and Christianity.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Buddhism and Christianity at first both seem as different as night and day.

While Buddhism is considered as a non-theistic religion, meaning it does not acknowledge an all-powerful God, Christianity is a monotheistic religion and is based on the belief of a God and in Jesus Christ who is God’s Son. www.diffen.com/difference/Buddhism_vs_Christianity

On closer inspection, however, it is possible to find some close similarities between these two major world religions.

Christianity is centred on Jesus of Nazareth who is the Messiah, Christ or Anointed One. Buddhism

www.pewforum.org/2011/12/19/global-christianity-exec/

Buddhism is also considered a world religion with approximately 488 million Buddhists in the world, which is about 7 percent of the world’s population. www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-buddhist/ Though both Buddhism and Christianity are two very different religions, they can be compared on their origins and founders, teachings/doctrines, sacred texts, divisions, rituals and practices.

Origins of Buddhism and Christianity

Christianity and Buddhism originated in different parts of the world and at different moments in history. The founder of Buddhism was Siddhartha Gautama, who was born around 563 B.C.E. in Lumbini Grove located in Nepal, northern India. (Robinson & Rodrigues, 2006, pg. 186)

Christianity’s founder, Jesus Christ, was born in 6 B.C. in Bethlehem, a town located in southern Palestine. (Robinson & Rodrigues, 2006, pg. 85)

Christianity was promoted 300 after its founding by the Roman Emperor Constantine. Buddhism was propagated 300 years following the Buddha’s death by the Indian Emperor Ashoka. http://frimmin.com/faith/lotuscross.php

A comparison of the lives of Jesus and the

The Buddhist festival of Vesak is celebrated on the day of full moon in May by Theravadin Buddhists (Robinson & Rodrigues, 2006, pg. 201). It commemorates the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death. On the day of Vesak, devotees go to the Buddhist temple to listen to the Buddha’s life story, to clean the statues of the Buddha, to make offerings of flowers, candles and incense, and abide by the Five Precepts (Fisher, 2008, pg. 168).

Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas , which is December 25th. On Christmas Eve, churchgoers observe a “watch-night” service in candlelight, which signifies the turning of night into day with the arrival of Christ. (Fisher, 2008, pg. 352).

Many churches re-enact the story of Jesus’ birth in the manger and set up a crèche or scene of the navitity of Jesus.

Christians observe Lent, which is a forty-day period of fasting and repentance of sins, and begins on Ash Wednesday, when ashes are placed on the foreheads of Christians by a priest. Lent is followed by Easter, which commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday, and his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Another Christian celebration is Pentecost, which marks the event where the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Pentecost is also the time of baptism of new members of the church. (Fisher, 2008, pg.