Are The Teachings Of Buddha Incompatible With The Teachings Of Jesus...?

[Cecilie1200]

I welcome intelligent informed opinions on this subject...

It entirely depends on what you are defining as "the teachings of . . ."

Their core beliefs are completely different, as are their teachings about the nature of the universe and what happens after death.

It is only when you get down to how a person should live his life, which is actually a rather secondary tenet in the Christian faith, that they become comparable.

One could say that they have many similar ideas about how people should live, but for radically different reasons.

 

[Unkotare]

Their core beliefs are completely different, as are their teachings about the nature of the universe and what happens after death.

No, they are not.

 

[IndependntLogic]

Their core beliefs are completely different, as are their teachings about the nature of the universe and what happens after death.

No, they are not.

Okay now I'm all ears. I'd be very interested in hearing your views about how the two are similar in teachings, the nature of the universe and post-mortem existence.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

BBC News | Asia-Pacific | Buddhist brawl in Seoul


Buddhism and Violence - Sangam.org

I anticipated you might come up with the Tamil Tigers but that would be what is called a "Fail".
I was quite specific. I didn't say Buddhists never fight. I said wars have not been dclared in the name of Buddhism or to promote it.
Muslims have attacked and tortured people simply for being non-Muslims. Christians have done this more than any group or country in history.
Of course, Buddhists have been involved in wars but my statement still holds true: Buddhism is the purest of all religions in one aspect: They have not invaded other countries or started wars in the name of Buddha.
All through history, you can names wars, torture and violence on a local scale, in the name of religion. The Holy Wars, The Spanish Inquisition, Al Qaeda, The Arab-Israeli Wars, the KKK, 9/11, the murder of that abortion doctor and so on. You couldn't begin to count all the times people have been hurt or killed specifically in the nae of Jesus or Mohammed. But in the name of Buddha? While i'm sure you might find something better than the example you came up with, it is simply insignificant, compared with Islam or Christianity.

This is why IndependntLogic puts people on ignore. first he demands that they prove something everyone knows, like the fact that Buddhists have not only fought in wars, they have actually started them. When they actually succeed in doing that, he then claims they didn't accomplish it, and tries to move the goal posts to show something else. When he is called on this he eventually puts people on ignore so he can keep pretending he is intelligent to himself.

 

[Unkotare]

Their core beliefs are completely different, as are their teachings about the nature of the universe and what happens after death.

No, they are not.

Okay now I'm all ears. I'd be very interested in hearing your views about how the two are similar in teachings, the nature of the universe and post-mortem existence.

Humility, nonviolence, compassion, the acceptance of suffering, the value of poverty, living this life with in an understanding of its finiteness and the consequences of how that life has been lived, etc. There is even a similar concept of the Saints, and the goal of communion with God (a concept much misunderstood). The more sophisticated a level you understand both, the more similar they appear (all faiths appear?).

 

[Quantum Windbag]

You didn't go through all the links.

LOL! You're in denial. Let's suppose we take the 500 monks and add more people than inhabit all of Sri Lanka.
Let' s double that.

You have a tiny little fraction of a percentge of the number of people who have been killed and tortured in the name of Christ.

Even then, you still fail. Where exactly are those people killing others because they're not Buddhists? They're not. In all of history and all of the world, you have come up with a couple squabbles among themselves.

Now. Name a century in the last thousand years. Millions were killed in the name of Christianity. Name a continent. Same thing - millions have been killed in the name of Christ wherever you name. I'm a Christian but that doesn't mean I have to find something wrong where it isn't, in order to feel good about my faith. When it comes to wholesale violence and murder, ya just can't beat Christianity - although like I said, Islam seems hell-bent on catching up.

Goalpost moved.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Their core beliefs are completely different, as are their teachings about the nature of the universe and what happens after death.

No, they are not.

Oh? Buddhism has the same core beliefs as Christianity? Please show me evidence that Buddhism teaches Original Sin and the need for redemption from same; the existence of a deity; the existence of and need for a savior (see redemption); the eventual return of said savior; the existence of Heaven and Hell; the sorting of human souls into either Heaven or Hell in the afterlife; the eventual ending of the world as we know it via Armageddon.

As to the nature of the universe, Christianity teaches that it was conceived of and created by a sentient deity. Does Buddhism? As to the afterlife, Buddhism teaches reincarnation until one eventually achieves nirvana. Does Christianity?

 

[Cecilie1200]

No, they are not.

Okay now I'm all ears. I'd be very interested in hearing your views about how the two are similar in teachings, the nature of the universe and post-mortem existence.

Humility, nonviolence, compassion, the acceptance of suffering, the value of poverty, living this life with in an understanding of its finiteness and the consequences of how that life has been lived, etc. There is even a similar concept of the Saints, and the goal of communion with God (a concept much misunderstood). The more sophisticated a level you understand both, the more similar they appear (all faiths appear?).

Um, those aren't the core beliefs of Christianity. They may be the core beliefs of Buddhism, if you leave out the whole supernatural aspect; I wouldn't know. But everything you listed is secondary and ancillary to Christianity.

 

[Unkotare]

Okay now I'm all ears. I'd be very interested in hearing your views about how the two are similar in teachings, the nature of the universe and post-mortem existence.

Humility, nonviolence, compassion, the acceptance of suffering, the value of poverty, living this life with in an understanding of its finiteness and the consequences of how that life has been lived, etc. There is even a similar concept of the Saints, and the goal of communion with God (a concept much misunderstood). The more sophisticated a level you understand both, the more similar they appear (all faiths appear?).

Um, those aren't the core beliefs of Christianity. They may be the core beliefs of Buddhism, if you leave out the whole supernatural aspect; I wouldn't know. But everything you listed is secondary and ancillary to Christianity.

LOL. It seems you don't understand either very well.

 

[Unkotare]

Most essential element of Christianity: Love
Most essential element of Buddhism: Compassion

 

[Unkotare]

Even the whole Heaven and Hell thing is remarkably similar if you understand it from both points of view at a sufficient level.

 

[Unkotare]

The need for redemption = the wheel of life

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Most essential element of Christianity: Love
Most essential element of Buddhism: Compassion

The essential element of Christianity is accepting the need for forgiveness. If you don't take that first step you can have all the love, do all the good works, and be a perfect Christian on the outside, and still miss out on the core of Christianity.

 

[IndependntLogic]

No, they are not.

Okay now I'm all ears. I'd be very interested in hearing your views about how the two are similar in teachings, the nature of the universe and post-mortem existence.

Humility, nonviolence, compassion, the acceptance of suffering, the value of poverty, living this life with in an understanding of its finiteness and the consequences of how that life has been lived, etc. There is even a similar concept of the Saints, and the goal of communion with God (a concept much misunderstood). The more sophisticated a level you understand both, the more similar they appear (all faiths appear?).[/QUOTE]

Well, I had to study both in college. Actually all religions. I love your comment about how all faiths being similar. This could be said of many philosophies, as well.
Why am I here?
How should I live?
What will make me happy?

Pretty basic questions. The biggest difference I see between Buddhism and other religions is that the core of it is to not even bother trying to be happy.
I'm just not down with that.

 

[Unkotare]

bodhisattvas = angels

 

[Unkotare]

The Buddhas = Saints/savior/enlightened beings

 

[Unkotare]

Of course all this needs to be considered in light of the fact that there are various forms of Buddhism just as there are various forms of Christianity.

 

[Unkotare]

Okay now I'm all ears. I'd be very interested in hearing your views about how the two are similar in teachings, the nature of the universe and post-mortem existence.

Humility, nonviolence, compassion, the acceptance of suffering, the value of poverty, living this life with in an understanding of its finiteness and the consequences of how that life has been lived, etc. There is even a similar concept of the Saints, and the goal of communion with God (a concept much misunderstood). The more sophisticated a level you understand both, the more similar they appear (all faiths appear?).

Well, I had to study both in college. Actually all religions. I love your comment about how all faiths being similar. This could be said of many philosophies, as well.
Why am I here?
How should I live?
What will make me happy?

Pretty basic questions. The biggest difference I see between Buddhism and other religions is that the core of it is to not even bother trying to be happy.
I'm just not down with that.[/QUOTE]


But the idea in Christianity is not to be "happy" in this life, it is to follow Christ's example, love thy neighbor and be humble and receive your reward in heaven = accept the suffering that is part of the wheel of life so that you may strive to escape the cycle of death and rebirth (hell) and achieve enlightenment (heaven). You don't imagine that "happy" means the same thing when you have transcended this life as it does here, do you?

"Just not down with that" is why it is so hard to really be a good Buddhist, or a good Christian.

 

[IndependntLogic]

Humility, nonviolence, compassion, the acceptance of suffering, the value of poverty, living this life with in an understanding of its finiteness and the consequences of how that life has been lived, etc. There is even a similar concept of the Saints, and the goal of communion with God (a concept much misunderstood). The more sophisticated a level you understand both, the more similar they appear (all faiths appear?).

Well, I had to study both in college. Actually all religions. I love your comment about how all faiths being similar. This could be said of many philosophies, as well.
Why am I here?
How should I live?
What will make me happy?

Pretty basic questions. The biggest difference I see between Buddhism and other religions is that the core of it is to not even bother trying to be happy.
I'm just not down with that.

But the idea in Christianity is not to be "happy" in this life, it is to follow Christ's example, love thy neighbor and be humble and receive your reward in heaven = accept the suffering that is part of the wheel of life so that you may strive to escape the cycle of death and rebirth (hell) and achieve enlightenment (heaven). You don't imagine that "happy" means the same thing when you have transcended this life as it does here, do you?

"Just not down with that" is why it is so hard to really be a good Buddhist, or a good Christian.[/QUOTE]

Here I disagree with you. The Bible is very specific. We are to be happy. "This is a day the Lord has made, I shall rejoice and be glad in it."
One of my favorite verses.
The Bible also tells us to try hard to accomplish good works. "Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, as if you were doing it for God and not for man." Another of my favs.
The Buddha teaches that all pain begins with desire. That the passions which Christ himself displayed, are our flawss and the cause of all human misery.
Pretty different.
I'm way too passionate, ebullient, goal oriented etc... for the Fat Guy. I'd make a reall crappy Buddhist!

 

[Unkotare]

Humility, nonviolence, compassion, the acceptance of suffering, the value of poverty, living this life with in an understanding of its finiteness and the consequences of how that life has been lived, etc. There is even a similar concept of the Saints, and the goal of communion with God (a concept much misunderstood). The more sophisticated a level you understand both, the more similar they appear (all faiths appear?).

Well, I had to study both in college. Actually all religions. I love your comment about how all faiths being similar. This could be said of many philosophies, as well.
Why am I here?
How should I live?
What will make me happy?

Pretty basic questions. The biggest difference I see between Buddhism and other religions is that the core of it is to not even bother trying to be happy.
I'm just not down with that.

But the idea in Christianity is not to be "happy" in this life, it is to follow Christ's example, love thy neighbor and be humble and receive your reward in heaven = accept the suffering that is part of the wheel of life so that you may strive to escape the cycle of death and rebirth (hell) and achieve enlightenment (heaven). You don't imagine that "happy" means the same thing when you have transcended this life as it does here, do you?

"Just not down with that" is why it is so hard to really be a good Buddhist, or a good Christian.

Here I disagree with you. The Bible is very specific. We are to be happy. "This is a day the Lord has made, I shall rejoice and be glad in it."
One of my favorite verses.
The Bible also tells us to try hard to accomplish good works. "Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, as if you were doing it for God and not for man." Another of my favs.
The Buddha teaches that all pain begins with desire. That the passions which Christ himself displayed, are our flawss and the cause of all human misery.
Pretty different.
I'm way too passionate, ebullient, goal oriented etc... for the Fat Guy. I'd make a reall crappy Buddhist![/QUOTE]


Being "happy" doesn't necessarily mean running around with a stupid grin on your face, though Buddhists do laugh and smile you know. Christianity recognizes the danger inherent in desires as well. Leads to discontent and coveting and all that. Christ experienced our mortal life so that he could save us from it. A Buddha has experienced many, many lives and all the trouble that desires can bring (again, coveting, and ambition, and hate).

Pick it up, turn it this way and that, and you'll see things line up. We are all human after all.