Buddhism & Christianity: A Comparative Study

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Among the five great religions to which nearly nine-tenths of present-day humanity belong. Buddhism and Christianity have been the most frequent subjects of comparison. And rightly so. Because, together with Islam, and unlike Hinduism and Chinese universalism, they are "world religions", that is to say, forms of belief that have found followers not merely in a single though vast country, but also in wide regions of the world. Buddhism and Christianity, however, differ from Islam in so far as, unlike the latter, they do not stress the natural aspects of world and man, but they wish to lead beyond them. A comparison between Buddhism and Christianity. however. proves so fruitful mainly because they represent, in the purest form, two great distinctive types of religion which arose East and West of the Indus Valley. For two millennia, these religious systems have given the clearest expression of the metaphysical ideas prevalent in the Far East and in the Occident, respectively. The similarities between these two religions extend, if I see it rightly, essentially over three spheres: (1) the life history of the founder: (2) ethics and (3) church history. The biographies of Buddha and Christ show many similar features. Both were born in a miraculous way. Soon after their birth, their future greatness is proclaimed by a sage (Asita, Simeon).¹ Both astonish their teachers through the knowledge they possess, though still in their early childhood. Both are tempted by the devil before they start upon their public career. Both walk over the water (Játaka, 190; Matth., 14, 26).2 Both feed 500 and 5,000 persons, respectively (Játaka. 78: Mark, 14, 16ff.) by multiplying miraculously the food available. The death of both is accompanied by great natural phenomena. Also the parables ascribed to them show some similarities as, for instance, the story of the sower (Saiyutta, 42, 7; Matth. 13.3),3 of the prodigal son (Lotus of the Good Law, Chap. IV; Lk.. 14).4 of the widow's mite (Kalpanamanditika; Mark 12). From these parallels some writers have attempted to conclude that the Gospels have drawn from Buddhist texts. But this contention goes much too far. If there is any dependence at all of the stories in the Gospels on those of India, it could be only by oral tradition, through the migration to the West of certain themes which originated in India, and were taken over by the authors of the biblical scriptures. But that is in no way certain, because many of those similarities are not so striking as to exclude the possibility of their independent origin at different places. Both Buddha and Jesus based their ethics on the "Golden Rule". Buddha told the Brahmins and householders of a certain village as follows: "A lay-follower reflects thus: How can I inflict upon others what is unpleasant to me?" On account of that reflection, he does not do any evil to others, and he also does not cause others to do so (Saiyutta 55, 7). And Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount: "Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets" (Matth 7,12; Lk. 6, 31) this being, by the way, a teaching which, in negative formulation, was already known to the Jewish religion (Tob. 15. 4).7 Also the principle "Love thy neighbour like unto yourself ( Lk. 10,27) which, in connection with Lev. 19,18, was raised by Jesus to a maxim of ethical doctrine, is likewise found in Buddhism where it was given a philosophical foundation mainly by the thinkers of Maháyána (Qántideva, beginning of Qikáásamuccaya). As to the injunction that love should also be extended to the enemy there is also a parallel statement by the Buddha. According to the Majjhima Nikaya, No. 21, he said: "If, O monks. robbers or highwaymen should with a double-handled saw cut your limbs and joints, who so gave way to anger thereat would not be following my advice. For thus ought you to train yourselves: 'Undisturbed shall our mind remain, no evil words shall escape our lips; friendly and full of sympathy shall we remain, with heart full of love, free from any hidden malice. And that person shall we suffuse with loving thoughts; and from there the whole world'." A practical proof of the love of enemies was given, as the report goes by the Buddhist sage, Aryadeva. After a philosophical disputation, a fanatical adversary attacked him in his cell with a sword, and Aryadeva was fatally wounded. In spite of that, he is said to have helped his murderer to escape by disguising him with his own monk's robe. Schopenhauer, and others after him, believed, in view of these ethical teachings, that the Gospels, "must somehow be of Indian origin" (parega II. sec. 179). 10 and that Jesus was influenced by Buddhism with which he was said to have become acquainted in Egypt. For such a supposition, however, there is not the slightest reason, since we encounter similar noble thoughts also among Chinese and Greek sages, and, in fact, among the great minds of the whole world. without having to assume some actual interdependence. Also the historical development of both religions presents several parallels. Both, setting out from the countries of their origin. have spread over large parts of the world, but in their original homelands they have scarcely any followers left. The number of Christians in Palestine is very small today, and on the whole continent of India proper, there are at present not even half a million Buddhists. The brahmanical counterreformation starting about 800 A.C., and the onslaught of Islam beginning about 1000 A.C.. have brought about the passing of already decadent Buddhism in its fatherland, while it counts millions of devotees in Sri Lanka. Burma, Thailand, China, Japan. Tibet. Mongolia and so on. It is strange how little that fact of the disappearance of Buddhism from the land of the Ganges has been apprised by even many educated persons in the West. Some still believe that Buddhism is the dominant religion of India proper, though out of a population of 400 million, about 95 million belong to the Islam, and 270 million are Hindus (that is devotees of Vishnu and Shiva) among whom the caste system prevails, with Brahmins constituting the hereditary priestly gentry. 12 It is also significant that today the overwhelming majority of the followers of Buddhism and Christianity belong to a race and linguistic group different from those of their founders. Buddha was an Indo-Aryan; but, with a few exceptions, most of his devotees are found today among yellow races. Jesus and the Apostles were Jews. but the main contingent of Christians is made up of Europeans speaking Indo-Germanic languages. This shows, very strikingly, that race, language and religion are entirely different spheres. There is perhaps a deep law underlying that fact. Nations of foreign blood accept a new religion with such a great sympathy and enthusiasm probably because it offers them something which they did not possess of their own, and which, therefore, supplements their own mental heritage in an important way. 13 This holds true also in the case of Islam, since among the nearly 300 million Mohammedans, those of the prophet's race, the Semites, are in a minority compared with the Muslims of Turkish, Persian, Indian, Malayan and African extraction.

Dr. Dhirendra Kumar, Born in 1951 at the village Bishanpur, Wajirganj, District Gaya. He has obtained his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Magadh University, Bodh-Gaya. Specialization: 1. Pali language & literature 2. History of Buddhism Published Books: 1. Bhartiya Baudh Kendra (In Hindi), Janaki Prakashan, Patna, 2003. 2. Skandha Mimansa (In Hindi), Janaki Prakashan, Patna, 2007. Participated and presented papers in national and International Seminars and published research articles in various research Journals. Appointed as lecturer in the year 1976 and presently Professor and Head of the Post-Graduate Department of Pali and Prakrit, Magadh University, Bodh-Gaya.

In this present book we have tried to focus on the various aspects of Buddhism and Christianity alongwith a comparative analysis of both the great religion as well. Buddhism is a great social-cultural tradition in Asia. Born of a revolution in Indian social formation and thought it found its way in many Asian countries outside India. Buddhism is a religion of common man, the modern proletariat'. It is a religion without elaborate ritualism and without even the priests in the conventional sense. The denotes propagated the knowledge of Nirvana to all irrespective of caste and social status. As far as Christianity is concerned it is to be mentioned that the Gospel is rooted in event. Not only Jesus, teachings are important to the Christian believer, but also how he lived and died and rose again. Jesus did not come to confirm what was already known of God, but he came to give men a new knowledge of God. We hope this book may be useful for the readers and researchers.