Difference Between Buddhism and Christianity

The relationship between humans and religion is said to be a very old one. People found it very calm and relaxing when I was there to connect their spirits to the means of faith. There are so many solutions in the world, although there is also a belief that there is just one God. Buddhism in Christianity has very widespread relations and have believers in most parts of the world.

Buddhism vs Christianity

The main difference between Buddhism and Christianity is that in Buddhism, people worship the teachings and learn from the life of Buddha, while in Christianity, people worship the teachings and life of Jesus Christ. On looking deeper, we will find that many teachings are similar and almost have the same meaning of life but are stated differently.

Buddhism is often considered a similar religion to Hinduism and comes under the category of the dharmik religion. Its practices include meditating, and followers strongly believe in the cycle of life and attaining Nirvana. People of the Buddhism religion follow the teachings and life of Buddha, thereby living on the principles that he stated.

Christianity is a prevalent religion, especially in the west. It is often considered as closely related to Judaism and comes under the category of Abrahamic religion. The believers of Christianity follow the teachings and life lessons of Jesus Christ and live on the principles that are clearly stated in their holy book called Bible.

Comparison Table Between Buddhism and Christianity

Parameters of ComparisonBuddhismChristianity
OriginBuddhism originated from the Indian subcontinent.Christianity originated from Judea – Roman Province. 
GodThe religious God of Buddhists is Lord BuddhaThe religious God of Christians is Lord Jesus Christ.
FollowersPeople who follow the Buddhism religion are called Buddhists.People who follow the Christianity religion are called Christians.
Holy ScriptureThe Holy scripture of Buddhism is Tripitaka.The Holy scripture of Christians is the Bible.
PopularityBuddhism has around 500 to 600 million followers around the world.Christianity has more than 2 million followers around the world.

What is Buddhism?

Buddhism is a dharmic religion based on the teachings of Lord Buddha. The entire life of Lord Buddha is seen as a lesson to learn good values and many other principles that can help in making one’s life fruitful and much more valuable. The followers of Buddhism look upon Buddha as their religious God and try to instil his principles in their own life. Holy scripture is Tripitaka, an enormous composition of three sections, namely discourses, discipline, and commentaries.

Like any other religion, Buddhism also has its practices, beliefs and profound history. The most common practice in Buddhism is meditation. Historically, Lord Buddha was enlightened by following the path of meditation and therefore, this is a principle practice followed in this religion. Strong belief in the rebirth cycle of life attaining Nirvana are some policies that this strongly believes in. 

There are also some standard practices around the world that do not really have a role in Buddhism. For instance, the devoted Buddhists do not get married and do not have a concept of sin. The goal of Buddhism is considered to eliminate mental suffering and reach enlightenment by following the cycle of rebirth and ultimately nirvana.

What is Christianity?

Christianity is a widespread religion, especially in western countries. The followers of Christianity as a religion are known as Christians. They believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ, who is their religious God. The life of Jesus Christ, his suffering, and his deeds are all mentioned clearly in the holy book of the Bible. People religiously follow the book and its principles. In times of confusion, happiness, sorrow, and conflict, they turn to Bible for answers and guidance.

Christianity is seen as a religion closely similar to Judaism and is categorised under Abrahamic religion. The religion has a place of worship which is known as the church. Here, a statue of Jesus Christ and his mother – Mary, can be seen in front of whom people pray. They are very devoted to praying and believe in Heaven, Hell, and temporal Purgatory.

In Christianity, Marriage is seen as a holy sacrament, and they also strongly believe in the concept of sin. It is an essential duty of Christians to confess their sins in front of God. In Christianity, the Human race is seen as a fallen and evil race who can only be forgiven by doing good deeds, devoting their life to God, praying, Loving God and staying far from sins.

Main Differences Between Buddhism and Christianity

  • Buddhism was originated in the Indian subcontinent, while Christianity was originated in Judea, which is a Roman province.
  • The followers of Buddhism are known as Buddhists, and the followers of Christianity are known as Christians.
  • The Holy scripture of Buddhism, which mentions the teachings and life of Lord Buddha, is the Tripitaka, while the holy book of Christians is called the Bible.
  • Buddhism is followed by over 500 to 600 million people worldwide, whereas Christianity is followed by around 2 billion people worldwide.
  • The goal of Buddhism is to release humans from mental suffering while that of Christianity is loving God and obeying his teachings.
  • Conclusion

    With over 2 billion followers, Christianity is a prevalent religion in the world at present. However, after knowing and understanding Buddhism, many people are turning towards the Buddhism religion due to its policies and calming practices. Since Buddhism believes in meditation to relieve oneself from mental suffering, it has become very popular among people facing and have faced a lot of chaos in life in the past.

    On the other hand, Christianity continues to be a tremendously believed religion. Christians believe in the word of God and continue to devote a significant part of their lives to prayer, loving god, restricting them from what they consider as sins, and following excellent and holy practices.

    References

  • https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11205-014-0822-4
  • https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2190/ENQG-HNV4-5G0D-CQ88
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