Paper Summary:

This paper examines how Jesus as a compassionate and unworldly individual resonates with many aspects of Buddhist teaching. It also discusses how the idea of reverence for a teacher is not absent from Buddhist practices and how this source of common connection between Buddhists and Christians can act as a point of ideological entry for teachers of the gospel to Buddhists. The paper also looks at how like the Buddha, Jesus sought to liberate humankind from sinful anger and help humankind lose its focus upon material rather than spiritual goods. It is spiritual goods that are the real wealth of the world in Christianity, a sentiment that is echoed in the richness provided by spiritual reflection in Buddhism.

Outline:
Introduction
Background & Major Beliefs
Obstacles and Practical Suggestions
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The enlightenment found by the Buddha was a teaching of profound truth and compassion. ``The Buddha said that it didn't matter what a person's status in the world was, or what their background or wealth or nationality might be. All were capable of enlightenment, and all were welcome into the Sangha,'' or the brotherhood of the first monks (Boeree, ``The Life of Siddhartha Gautama,'' 1999). Core to the Buddhist understanding of the world is what the Buddhists call the Four Noble Truths. These are often translated that life is suffering; suffering is due to attachment; attachment can be overcome, and there is a path for accomplishing these facts. This is one of the most misinterpreted aspects of Buddhist teaching. Buddhists do not believe that life is miserable, but that the nature of earthly existence is transient. A failure to understand that how much money we have, if we live in a prestigious area of the country, or the other petty obsessions of our lives, are not important in the grand scheme of things leads to suffering."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Boeree, George C. "The Basics of Buddhist Wisdom." Published by Shippensburg University. 1999. 7 Feb 2009. http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/buddhawise.html
• Boeree, George C. "The Life of Siddhartha Gautama." Published by Shippensburg University. 1999. 7 Feb 2009. http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/siddhartha.html
• "The History, Practice, and Philosophy of Buddhism." Buddha 101. 2000. 7 Feb 2009. http://www.buddha101.com/h_early_frames.htm
• Matthew 19. New International Version. 7 Feb 2009. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2019

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