Christianity and Buddhism

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the four specific aspects of Christianity and Buddhism are based on philosophical and moral doctrines--personal worth, the fellowship of man, the freedom to be a creative person and the role, which hope plays in the lives of believers while living in a world filled with suffering and disillusionment. The author points out that, in the realms of Christianity, these four aspects seems to based on the philosophical doctrines of Jesus Christ as they appear in the New Testament; in Mark 12:33, Jesus says to a curious scribe that a person must "love his neighbor as himself" and then reiterates this principle in John 13:34. The paper relates that Buddhist doctrines associated with hope are firmly linked with one's own transcendental state, which leads to enlightenment and peace of mind; but suffering does play a major role, for as Buddha declared, "Birth, old age, illness, death, grief, lamentation, pain, affliction and despair are all forms of suffering."

From the Paper:

"The Christian basis for the second aspect lies within additional sayings and doctrines of Jesus Christ. In Romans 3:10-11, Jesus says that the Jews are no better than the Gentiles and states "There is none righteous, no, not one." In Matthew 5:5, Jesus adds "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth;" in Matthew 5:7, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy," and in Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." In essence, these philosophical tenets deal primarily with the fellowship of man and how people of diverse backgrounds can be brought together in friendship and amity. According to Jesus, those that are meek or kind-hearted are always willing to be at peace with others; those that are merciful always overlook another's shortcomings or differences in regard to race or religious beliefs, and the peacemakers always prefer accord over discord and disharmony. Thus, these beliefs when put into practice will overcome all differences among people and result in social and cultural togetherness."

More papers on Christianity and Buddhism:

• Essay # 5528 : "Christianity and Buddhism"
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• Essay # 5397 : "War and Peace in Christianity and Buddhism"

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