Buddhism vs Christianity Essay Example

Emerging during the classical period, Buddhism and Christianity are both similar and different in many ways.
Christianity and Buddhism each arose where important religious developments had already occurred. After the classical period they both experienced great success, and they offered hope for religious advancements. Each religion sought to disperse with what their leaders viewed as excessive ceremonies and religious officialdom in favor of spiritual focus, with a belief in the afterlife. Both expressed suspicion of worldly things, and spurred a new interest in "otherworldly" goals. They also offered an ethic designed to help religious people avoid giving into temptation. Each religion sent missionaries to spread their religion. In addition, they sponsored monastic movements, where small groups could seek holiness apart from normal world causes (Christianity had a man called Benedict who wrote a schedule for monks). Each religion was attractive to the people because they offered social mobility within a lifetime, unlike the other major religions of they time (Hinduism for example). Eventually, these religions even gained government support. Though each religion gained government support, Buddhism gained the support of Ashoka, and Christianity gained Constantine's support. Also, Christianity was a reaction to Judaism, while Buddhism was a reaction to Hinduism. Each religion had its own individual representatives, as well. Gautama inspired Buddhism, while Jesus inspired Christianity. These religions had their own attitudes to the world and its doing. Buddhism places an emphasis on misery, while Christianity stressed sins, and they each had different teaching on how to deal with these miseries and sins; this lead to different views on how to lead a holy life and on the intervention of divine forces. To achieve holiness in Buddhism one had to free oneself of desire, by following the Eight Fold Path. In Christianity, to achieve holiness one had to free oneself of