Buddhism and Christianity

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gustavobarese

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Recently I have seen people relating Buddhism with Christianity and they said that both are quite same.
Christianity:
Main purpose of Christianity is get to the heaven by putting your whole hearted belief in Jesus Christ
Buddhism:
In pure land buddhism related to Amida Buddha (Amida buddha is believed to be the Buddha of different era), by chanting the mantra of Amida Buddha, we can get to the Pure Land of Amida Buddha.
There are also various questions arising like Does Buddhist celebrate Christmas?
I totally disagree with the statement.
Buddhism doesn't believe in one omnipotent God and no re-incarnation.
Yeah Lord Buddha have omnipotent powers, Buddhist monks doesn't regard Lord buddha as one omnipotent Gods rather they regard Lord Buddha as the supreme teacher who had left the path for all sentient beings to walk that path in order to become arhant and be free from the cycle of suffering.
 
gustavobarese said:
Recently I have seen people relating Buddhism with Christianity and they said that both are quite same.
Christianity:
Main purpose of Christianity is get to the heaven by putting your whole hearted belief in Jesus Christ
Buddhism:
In pure land buddhism related to Amida Buddha (Amida buddha is believed to be the Buddha of different era), by chanting the mantra of Amida Buddha, we can get to the Pure Land of Amida Buddha.
There are also various questions arising like Does Buddhist celebrate Christmas?
I totally disagree with the statement.
Buddhism doesn't believe in one omnipotent God and no re-incarnation.
Yeah Lord Buddha have omnipotent powers, Buddhist monks doesn't regard Lord buddha as one omnipotent Gods rather they regard Lord Buddha as the supreme teacher who had left the path for all sentient beings to walk that path in order to become arhant and be free from the cycle of suffering.
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Largely true in which Buddhists don't recognize God in the manner that people are accustomed to as that in Christianity or other theistic based religion. There is no actual worship of Buddha involved, but rather venerated through formal postrations, giving way to some confusion in that respect for some who don't recognize the differences.

Pureland remains symbolic and metaphorical throughout it's practices and remains an ideal practice for those who may have a difficult time letting go of theism. I don't practice Pureland but there are a few in my area who do. It's an interesting form of Buddhism.

Sometimes you find folks that incorporate Buddhism with another religion that may be inclusive of God's and spirits, making a mix of sorts that can bring about a life of it's own whenever its debated and discussed. In Japan, I hear its Shinto in life, Buddhist in death. :0)
 
I've only glanced at Thich Nhat Hanh, but the comparisons he draws could, I suggest, be drawn between any two traditions, because they're about our dealings with our neighbour. It's the Golden Rule, which is universal? Love, compassion.

I doubt the book addresses fundamental differences or distinctions of either tradition in any great depth, what they seem to do is bring out the common moral message of both.

In his address to the Vatican, he said:
Each of us, according to the teaching of our own tradition, should practice to touch deeply the wonders of Nature ... (my emphasis)
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And that is the salient point that is often overlooked: he walks according to his tradition, I walk according to mine. Some universalists too often and too readily play one tradition off against another to find a reason to follow neither, or follow a path of their own creation, which they think is better because it's got elements of both.

When I look at interfaith spokespersons, this is what stands out for me. They follow their tradition and speak across 'borders', but they do not give up those doctrines that define their respective traditions, nor do they assume they've transcended them.

My favourite interfaith moment is when the Dalai Lama stood up to speak to a community of monks of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) in Oxford. He looked out and then said, "I can't think of anything to say. We're both about the same thing." And then went on to compare notes on the practice of the monastic life ... he did discuss reincarnation, but saw the validity of both Christian and Buddhist teachings.
 
Nowhere Man said:
In Japan, I hear its Shinto in life, Buddhist in death. :0)
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LOL! I heard that too! I was told you bring up your kids Shinto for all the processions and the festivals, then you become Christian for a white wedding, then when you get old and contemplate your mortality, you turn to Buddhism!
 
The different kinds of Buddhists seem to parallel some of the different kinds of Christians. Pure-land has an equivalent and very similar form in some branch of Christianity. I think Theravada has an equivalent form in a branch of Christianity, too. I cannot really explain why there are so many similarities.
 
NM,

You said,

"In Japan, I hear its Shinto in life, Buddhist in death."

--> I used to live in Japan and I speak Japanese. The saying is, "We are born Shinto, get married a Christian, and die a Buddhist"!
 
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waggindraggin said:
The different kinds of Buddhists seem to parallel some of the different kinds of Christians. Pure-land has an equivalent and very similar form in some branch of Christianity. I think Theravada has an equivalent form in a branch of Christianity, too. I cannot really explain why there are so many similarities.
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Its a very natural thing to be demonstrative of loving kindness and compassion.

Something that can be focused upon between Christianity and Buddhism when noting the similarities both religions share, and that of people in general as well.
 
Nick the Pilot said:
NM,

You said,

"In Japan, I hear its Shinto in life, Buddhist in death."

--> I used to live in Japan and I speak Japanese. The saying is, "We are born Shinto, get married a Christian, and die a Buddhist"!
Click to expand...

Ha ha ha!! I'll have to update that.

I love the Japanese. Maybe someday I'll meander over if I can just make it to retirement. I would love to tour the Soto and Rinzai temples there.
 
Nowhere Man said:
Its a very natural thing to be demonstrative of loving kindness and compassion.
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Quite. I think that's a given before one even discusses religion. After all, even atheists can be loving and compassionate! :D
 
gustavobarese said:
There are also various questions arising like Does Buddhist celebrate Christmas?
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Atma (my person, once gave an answer on Stakeexchange, maybe its useful, Gustavo.

Generally is to say, that the pratice following Jesus Christ, has all needed good factors to be able to even develope the Eithfold Path. It includes Dana (Generosity), Sila (ethical moral) and even certain amounts of Bhavana (thinking and observing arround certain benefical objects, like death, heaven, the problems of sensuality...). It just lacks of wisdom which is simply carried by "just believe" and does not encourage to see for one self nor does it teach how to be able to see.

As far as Atma has seen, most serious practicing Chistians in the "modern" world have much more chances to gain real benefical fruits and accumulate merits than most of Western Buddhist have, since they never got taught rightly but merely seek for opposition and a runaway of what they don't like in their cultural tradition and those are the roots for both traditions/schools: people dont like generosity and virtue.

That is the reason why in the west mostly or nearly everywhere only "fake" or wrong understood teaching of the Buddha are taught and known.

A traditional Christ follower, who seriously followed for a good while would quickly and easy understand of what the Buddha had actually taught. So when ever Atma had met real practicing Christ followers, it was always amazing how quick and joyfull they received also the path going beyound and what is not taught by their teachers.

An easy access would be, if having been taught about cause and result, kamma, well, to simply replace "God" with the law of "cause and effect. At this point, aside of that, that without further knowledge, one is limited to good future existences still in Samsara, one is securce to have good results anyway.

The Buddha was not up to gain a great following but to give people the best they can take to make a good journey in the sphere of their possible Vision.

Maybe Gustavo could find a good anchor here and it would be no problem to start to pull on the chain if he feels that it could have found a grip and ask further if feeling that it seems to hold.
 
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