Jesus Buddha Paper
"Jesus and Buddha have much in common in the realms of ethical behavior" writes
Marcus Borg, "but much of who they are as people is very different." Both Jesus and Buddha played an important role in the development of many religions and because of that, their teachings live on today. Through Christ, Christians were shown the path to salvation while
Buddha was a model to others of how to attain enlightenment. Understanding the life and teachings of Jesus and Buddha provides us with an understanding of two of the most significant religions from around the world because of their heavy influence as founders, teachers and models of spiritual success.
Christianity and Buddhism share some similar teachings as a result of the ethical code by which Jesus and Buddha lived. Ethics, from a religious standpoint, are the moral principles that govern a person's behavior. While Jesus taught his disciples to “treat others the way you want to be treated,” Buddha believed that you must “consider others as yourself” (
Holy Bible
, Luke 6:31;
Dhammapada 10:1) From each statement, the core beliefs of both religions are understood and the true teachings of Jesus and Buddha are revealed. In a similar way, Jesus and Buddha emphasized altruism, or the disinterested and selfless concern for the wellbeing of others. From this teaching, followers of Jesus and Buddha develop selfless interests, which helps guide them toward the end goal of their faith, whether it be salvation or nirvana, respectively. It is important to note that although Jesus and Buddha instruct their followers to live selfless lives, the way in which they want their followers to pursue that good is very different (Sherman). Jesus taught about how to treat others because “
We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other ” in which we are a communion of saints (Holy Bible, Romans 12:5). In comparison,
Buddha’s teachings are considered to be more selfcentered and less communal
Marcus Borg, "but much of who they are as people is very different." Both Jesus and Buddha played an important role in the development of many religions and because of that, their teachings live on today. Through Christ, Christians were shown the path to salvation while
Buddha was a model to others of how to attain enlightenment. Understanding the life and teachings of Jesus and Buddha provides us with an understanding of two of the most significant religions from around the world because of their heavy influence as founders, teachers and models of spiritual success.
Christianity and Buddhism share some similar teachings as a result of the ethical code by which Jesus and Buddha lived. Ethics, from a religious standpoint, are the moral principles that govern a person's behavior. While Jesus taught his disciples to “treat others the way you want to be treated,” Buddha believed that you must “consider others as yourself” (
Holy Bible
, Luke 6:31;
Dhammapada 10:1) From each statement, the core beliefs of both religions are understood and the true teachings of Jesus and Buddha are revealed. In a similar way, Jesus and Buddha emphasized altruism, or the disinterested and selfless concern for the wellbeing of others. From this teaching, followers of Jesus and Buddha develop selfless interests, which helps guide them toward the end goal of their faith, whether it be salvation or nirvana, respectively. It is important to note that although Jesus and Buddha instruct their followers to live selfless lives, the way in which they want their followers to pursue that good is very different (Sherman). Jesus taught about how to treat others because “
We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other ” in which we are a communion of saints (Holy Bible, Romans 12:5). In comparison,
Buddha’s teachings are considered to be more selfcentered and less communal