A Christian View of Buddhism

Buddhism is very different from Christianity. One teaches that all humans can achieve enlighten, the other that no one can reach heaven without Christ's sacrifice. The first teaches that humans are the highest form of being, while the other says that there is one God that created everything. Yet as different as they are in worldview, Buddhists and Christians practice many of the same behaviors in an attempt to be happy in this life and the next. Both believe they can emulate and teach each other, which bodes well for future religious tolerance and harmony.

Buddhism differs from most other religions, and especially Christianity, in the fact that it does not worship anyone in particular. The original guide, and thus "founder" of Buddhism, was Siddh�rtha Gautama (Robinson). It is unclear when he lived, but historians put it somewhere between the ninth and fifth centuries BCE. Buddha, which means enlightened one, is the title bestowed on him because he reached enlightenment. His followers follow his teachings in order to achieve this same state as quickly and easily as possible. They do not consider Buddha a God, but rather the epitome of what a human can become.

In his experience of enlightenment, Buddha discovered four noble truths.

4. There is a path that ends the suffering (Robinson)

Buddha spent the rest of his life imparting these truths upon his followe

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centrate more fully on spiritual matters. This can either be temporary, in as a retreat, or a permanent vocation of monastic life. Those who take on a permanent vocation divide their life between prayer and service to mankind in some form or another. These people are treated with great respect and are revered for their wisdom. Buddhists speak of taking the "middle way". Buddha himself tried both a path of complete meditation and one of physical mortification. Neither gave him the balance and peace that he sought. He found that both could be tools in achieving enlightenment, but that neither alone was the proper path. Catholics agree. Unlike various protestant denominations that prohibit alcohol, game playing, certain books, association with certain groups, etc., Catholics believe in moderation in all things. For example, overuse of alcohol is damaging to one's life. At the same time refusing to drink and admonishing friends, relations, and hosts for doing the same can lead to a certain amount of vanity. Likewise people can wear flashy clothes to get attention, but can also wear rags to show off their "humility". Catholics teach that Jesus was more interested in the thinking and believing behind your choices rather than the

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