by Randi J Task

Created on: March 28, 2009

As a Buddhist I am increasingly impressed by the importance of stressing the similarities between religions, particularly between Buddhism and Christianity, given that certain religions are very intolerant and that conflicts arise by stressing the divisions too much. When looking at any religion, look to the lives of the founders. Many world religions have several or no founders such as Sikhism, Hinduism and Judaism. Buddhism and Christianity both had their origins in a single individual. Although they claimed some level of uniqueness, they did not let that uniqueness become a stick to beat other people with. Neither Jesus or the Buddha ever urged their followers to kill those who abused them. The Buddha taught love, patience and tolerance in the face of adversity, and Jesus said - turn the other cheek.

Of course, I would say that we know far more about the historical Buddha than the historical Jesus. A lot of what is attributed to Jesus comes from a narrative largely created by St Paul - the real Jesus is a somewhat shadowy figure - a wise teacher who died a violent death. So many of Jesus' surviving teachings are not looked at seriously by believing Christians who prefer to relate more to the abstract God - rather than Jesus as a man. I'm trying to bring out what we may deduce of Jesus as a teacher in comparing him with the Buddha.

As a friend of mine quipped - Jesus Saves, Buddha Invests! Ultimately, Jesus was a teacher. He did not claim to be God's only begotten son (a meaning implied later) or even if he did, he did no imply exclusivity - sons of God was a common compliment at the time. Similarly, the Buddha stood for a type rather than an individual and he said there had been previous Buddhas and there would be ones in the future who taught more or less the same teaching.

In these, Christianity and Buddhism emphasize love, forgiveness and compassion: "He who has not sinned cast the first stone" is an amazing utterance given there are many today who would prefer us to return to the stoning age. The Buddha said: Let one cherish all living beings, may all beings be free and happy. In Buddhism, tolerance and compassion should extend not just to humans but takes into account animals and other inhabitants of our Universe, many not obvious to our perception. Jesus' "eleventh" commandment highlights an aspect of compassion.

Often, the Buddha and Jesus spoke in parables and they also uttered pithy sayings collected by the followers. Many of those attributable to Jesus

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>