Christ and Buddha - The Difference Between Religions

Christ and Buddha both had disciples who followed their word. They also encouraged peaceful approaches to life, promoting a "turn the other cheek" type of response to conflict, as well as doing the right thing for yourself and for others. However, Christ encourages followers to live sin free, whereas Buddha encourages followers to live in a state of between purity and sin. Christ says that those who serve Him and focus on Him will be happy, whereas Buddha says "He who fills his lamp with water will not dispel the darkness, and he who tries to light a fire with rotten wood will fail.

And how can any one be free from self by leading a wretched life, if he does not succeed in quenching the fires of lust, if he still hankers after either worldly or heavenly pleasures. But he in whom self has become extinct is free from lust; he will desire neither worldly nor heavenly pleasures, and the satisfaction of his natural wants will not defile him.

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However, let him be moderate, let him eat and drink according to the needs of his body." ( Fiero, Gloria K. The Humanistic Tradition. 6th ed., vol. 1,   McGraw-Hill, 2011.)  Another topic that comes up in both texts is that followers of both religions should avoid becoming attached to earthly materials. According to Buddha, "the self-indulgent man is a slave to his passions, and pleasure-seeking is degrading and vulgar." (Fiero, Gloria K. The Humanistic Tradition. 6th ed., vol. 1,   McGraw-Hill,   2011.) Essentially, Buddha is encouraging Buddhists to focus on their spiritual beliefs in order to be happy, as opposed to relying on earthly things that bring temporary happiness.

Likewise, Matthew states "Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and woodworm destroy them and thieves can break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor woodworm destroys them and thieves cannot break in and steal. For wherever your treasure is, there will be your heart too." (Fiero, Gloria   K. The Humanistic Tradition. 6th ed., vol. 1, McGraw-Hill, 2011.) Both teachings encourage their followers to look to their spirituality in order to achieve eternal happiness.

Both texts also address the pain of life in general. Buddha states "Birth is attended with pain, decay is painful, disease is painful, death is painful. Union with the unpleasant is painful, painful is separation from the pleasant; and any craving that is which spring from attachment are painful. This, then, O bhikkhus, is the noble truth concerning suffering." (Fiero, Gloria   K. The Humanistic Tradition. 6th ed., vol. 1, McGraw-Hill, 2011.) Buddha suggests that pain is universal, and humans must learn to accept it as a part of life. Matthew, on the other hand, states "How blessed are the poor in spirit: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs. Blessed are the gentle: they shall have the earth as inheritance. Blessed are those who mourn: they shall be comforted. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for uprightness: they shall have their fill. Blessed are the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them. Blessed are the pure in heart: they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: they shall be recognized as children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of uprightness: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; this is how they persecuted the prophets before you." (Fiero, Gloria   K.  The Humanistic Tradition. 6th ed., vol. 1, McGraw-Hill, 2011.)  Buddhism spread through Asia fairly quickly, while Christianity spread through Rome mostly until after Christ's crucifixion, and became an official religion after it was legalized by the Roman emperor Constantine's Edict of Milan. Siddhartha Gautama was a wealthy Hindu, who gave up his wealth to live as a monk and taught his beliefs about reaching nirvana through practicing "humility and compassion" Fiero, Gloria   K. The Humanistic Tradition. 6th ed., vol. 1, McGraw-Hill, 2011).

Christ also "stressed the importance of faith and compassion" (Fiero, Gloria   K. The Humanistic Tradition. 6th ed., vol. 1, McGraw-Hill, 2011.), however, Siddhartha abandoned everything, including his family, and did not have people close to him. Christ, did the opposite. He had disciples who also spread the message of Christianity, he treated others with the same amount of profound respect his followers gave him, even when they claimed they did not deserve it. Finally, Siddhartha died when he was eighty years old, whereas Christ sacrificed himself on a cross and was resurrected, promising his followers "everlasting life". (Fiero, Gloria   K. The Humanistic Tradition. 6th ed., vol. 1, McGraw-Hill, 2011.)