See also: Buddhism and the Roman world and Buddhist influences on Christianity
Mosaic of early missionary to the East St. Francis Xavier
The history of Buddhism goes back to what is now Lumbini, Nepal almost six centuries before Christianity, making it one of the oldest religions still practiced.[1]
The origins of Christianity go back to Roman Judea in early first century. The four Christian gospels date from around 70-90 AD, the Pauline Epistles having been written before them around 50-60 AD. By early second century, post apostolic Christian theology had taken shape, in the works of authors such as Irenaeus[10] Although Christianity is seen as the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy regarding the "Messiah" which dates back much further.
In the 1930s, authors such as Will Durant, suggested that representatives of Emperor Ashoka who traveled to Syria, Egypt and Greece, may have helped prepare the ground for Christian teaching.[11] Modern scholars generally hold that there is no evidence of any such influence, and most modern scholarly works do not support these suggestions.[12][13] Some historians such as Jerry H. Bentley however suggest that there is a possibility that Buddhism influenced the early development of Christianity".[14]
In the Middle Ages there was no trace of Buddhism in the west.[15] In the 13th century, international travelers, such as Giovanni de Piano Carpini and William of Ruysbroeck, sent back reports of Buddhism to the west and noted some similarities with Nestorian Christian communities.[16] When European Christians made more direct contact with Buddhism in the early 16th century, Catholic missionaries such as St. Francis Xavier) also sent back accounts of Buddhist practices.[16]
With the arrival of Sanskrit studies in European universities in the late 18th century, and the subsequent availability of Buddhist texts, a discussion began of a proper encounter with Buddhism.[16] In time, Buddhism gathered followers and at the end of the 19th century the first Westerners (e.g. Sir Edwin Arnold and Henry Olcott) converted to Buddhism, and in the beginning of the 20th century the first westerners (e.g. Ananda Metteyya and Nyanatiloka) entered the Buddhist monastic life.[16]
Similarities and differences[edit]
Similarities[edit]
Main article: Comparison of Buddhism and Christianity
In the 19th century, some scholars began to perceive similarities between Buddhist and Christian practices, e.g. in 1878 T.W. Rhys Davids wrote that the earliest missionaries to Tibet observed that similarities have been seen since the first known contact.[17] In 1880 Ernest De Bunsen made similar observations in that with the exception of the death of Jesus on the cross, and of the Christian doctrine of atonement, the most ancient Buddhist records had similarities with the Christian traditions.[18]
Late in the 20th century, historian Jerry H. Bentley also wrote of similarities and stated that it is possible "that Buddhism influenced the early development of Christianity" and suggested "attention to many parallels concerning the births, lives, doctrines, and deaths of the Buddha and Jesus".[14] Some high level Buddhists have drawn analogies between Jesus and Buddhism, e.g. in 2001 the Dalai Lama stated that "Jesus Christ also lived previous lives," and added that "So, you see, he reached a high state, either as a Bodhisattva, or an enlightened person, through Buddhist practice or something like that".[19]
Differences[edit]
See also: God in Buddhism and God in Christianity
God the Father on a throne, Westphalia, Germany, late 15th century.
There are inherent and fundamental differences between Buddhism and Christianity, one significant element being that while Christianity is at its core monotheistic and relies on a God as a Creator, Buddhism is generally non-theistic and rejects the notion of a Creator God which provides divine values for the world.[3]
The Nicene Creed, the most widely used Christian creed,
11/13/11 Buddhism DBQ Buddhism is one of the most popular religions in Asia and around the world today. It first started in India. Over time it started to spread out as it gained more followers. Today, China is one of the places where Buddhism flourishes, even though there are some who oppose it. Back around the start of Buddhism, when it was reaching China, there was an action similar to this. The people of China either welcomed Buddhism, opposed it, or just agreed to having both Buddhism and Confucianism…
Buddhism DBQ From the beginning of Buddhism to now, it has been compared and critiqued. When it spread it contradicted many well established beliefs and challenged rule. Many people, such as scholars, would come to accept or decline the belief of Buddhism. The many scholars of China would have different views of Buddhism. In Document 4 it states “Buddhism is no more than a cult of the barbarian peoples spread to China. It did not exist here in ancient times.” This scholar, lead Confucian…
Zen Buddhism Jessica Byas-Lurgio REL/133 November 24, 2014 Gerald Grudzen The History of Zen Through the primary centuries in several East Asian nations, words many individuals that were in search for answers to the creation’s, and existence, of the world and mankind. The minute Gotama came to be enlightened, and actively started evangelization the practices of Buddhism was born, having come at such a period at what time the Han dynasty was crumpling, people were weary of Confucianism and…
While Buddhism can lead to spiritual fulfillment, a positive afterlife, and an orderly society, it is also marked with self-deprivation, emptiness and is seen to cause a chaotic society with a disregard for laws. Nirvana, the final goal for Buddhists, is a state of complete relaxation and no desire. Anyone who serves the Buddha and correctly observes the commandments will enter Nirvana at the end of his life. A life of observing Buddhism and an afterlife of Nirvana is seen as the most spiritually…
the teaching of the Buddha, all of us will pass away eventually as a part in the natural process of birth, old-age and death and that we should always keep in mind the impermanence of life. The life that we all cherish and wish to hold on. To Buddhism, however, death is not the end of life, it is merely the end of the body we inhabit in this life, but our spirit will still remain and seek out through the need of attachment, attachment to a new body and new life. Where they will be born is a result…
finger representing the “hearers” of the teachings, the ring finger representing the “solitary realizers” and the little finger representing the “Mahayana” or “Great Vehicle”. On the left hand, the three extended fingers symbolize the ‘Three Jewels of Buddhism’ namely the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. This mudra is thought to symbolize one of the most important moments in the life of Buddha: the occasion when he preached to his companions the first sermon after his Enlightenment in the Deer Park…
5/30/13 PM Zen Buddhism “To enjoy good health,to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.” as the Buddha had once said clearly shows the depth of meaning Zen Buddhism has and its ultimate goal. Zen translated means meditation meaning meditation was a big thing in Zen. Starting in India around the fourth century…
World Religions Buddhism is the only world religion I find makes the most sense to me or that I believe in what they teach. It’s a sense of reality – from the beginning of the Four Passing Sights where he escapes the material world he was living in and sees a sorrowful old man, an ill man, a dead man, and a monk calmly walking alone in a yellow robe; he wakes up only to realize the world he was living in and seeing wasn’t it all. I couldn’t agree anymore with the Four Noble Truths – First: Life…
northwest, Kushan kings patronized Buddhism, and as a result many legends about and relics of the Buddha in this area appeared there. During the early centuries of the common era, Buddhist monasteries developed into institutions far larger, more affluent, and much more complex than the earlier sanghas. Buddhist theology also became far more complicated than the pristine teachings of the Buddha had been. Among the many Buddhist schools of that time, Mahayana Buddhism became the most prevalent. Two mutually…
Buddhism The chief learnings that I have learned from this session was that to practice Dharma means to apply Buddha’s teachings in your daily life and its purpose is to enable us to attain permanent liberation from lower rebirth and is the world's most ancient culture and the religion of over one billion of the earth's inhabitants. Dharma is an understanding of nature and oneself which gives peace to the atman or soul and elevates oneself to the higher chakras, and one lives life in higher…