Discussing Buddhism versus Christianity (Note: I found a wonderful link, anything I write couldn't compare)
Ignatius- Catholicism Buddhism
Buddhism is an inner reflection in attempts to remove oneself from the cause of one's suffering: caused by desire.
This is actually useful to the Christian as well whose seven deadly sins are all vast manifestations of selfish desires.
We can see Christian concepts in Buddhism's Four Noble Truths and in the Noble Eightfold Path :
This is a pictorial display of how Christianity and Buddhism have many compatible teachings about suffering (the way) and freedom (salvation.)
But where they differentiate, is about their truths.
Buddhism is inner-peace centered. It sees man in a world full of suffering, and the way man can come to peace is by absorbing an inner conscience which teaches a separation from desire and a unity with all things in the world.
Christianity also promises peace. Even though certain mystics like St. John of the Cross seem to emphasize the separation of oneself from the world, such Christians are also mindful of the world created. Christianity makes distinctions in the world, it is both / and.
Both inner peace and outer peace. The inner peace is a personal salvation but the outer peace is one of human rights, equality, and love of neighbor.
To a Christian, true love is only true when differences are identified. You can only love your wife, if you see your wife as a distinct being with her own dignity, a dignifying love.
If you see your wife as a part of the unifying nature as perhaps a Buddhist, then she is equal and not separate from you, a reflective love.
This separation also is relevant to the opposite of love, hate, or more the result of hate, evil.
With a separation, Christian ideals also identify a separation of good and evil. If someone's nature and dignity is good, then there must be some kind of nature that is bad, it is relational.
In Buddhism, as we see in the yin yang and Buddhism's understanding of suffering, there is no separation in terms of good and evil, but only a reflection of one to each. The only separation occurs when one conquers suffering through salvation by reaching nirvana.
I like to point this out: Communism easily overpowered the Buddhist heavy culture of China. When evil comes a knocking, Christians are aware, Buddhists just stare.
So who is right? The Christian or the Buddhist?
Well, it just so happens after spending my morning talking bout Buddhism with a Buddhist nihilist, the Catholic mass seemed to want to answer this question.
Responsorial Psalm
Lord, your love is eternal, do not forsake the work of your hands.
GOSPEL MATTHEW 16: 13-20
Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[a] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[b] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[c] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[d] loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
This is what it comes down to! The Christian identity, seeing the world as a handwork of God allowing for the Christians to still see Good in what is made.
In the Gospel, if Jesus is who, in this case Peter says He is, and who He alludes to being, then the Buddhists are inflicted with falsehoods.
If Jesus is not who He says He is, his teachings are scorned by His great deceits to man, and the Buddhist carries the day.
SO WHO DO YOU SAY JESUS IS? A LIAR? A LUNATIC? A LEGEND? OR LORD?
Buddha says, I am a man, but I know the Way.
Jesus says, I am God, I AM the Way !
What is the answer? This is what this blog is about !
