Ok, if you've been here for a while and read any of the Buddhism threads, you'll know my opinion on most of it's issues.

I am a real bitch about young white people wanting to be buddhist after having that normal anti-christianity phase, usually in their teens.

Then they become super-enthused about buddhism while totally hating christianity, for really no fucking reason.

This thread is also to remind us of some of Jesus' teachings that we like to forget while arguing smaller details and conundrums of logic.

The following is some select parallel saying that I found very powerful, interesting, and mind-opening to see side by side.



Jesus: Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31)

Buddha: Consider others as yourself. (Dhammapada 10.1)

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Jesus: If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also. (Luke 6:29)

Buddha: If anyone should give you a blow with his hand, with a stick, or with a knife, you should abandon any desires and utter no evil words. (Majijima Nikaya 21.6)

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Jesus: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. From anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. (Luke 6:27-30)

Buddha: Hatreds do not ever cease in this world by hating, but by love; this is an eternal truth...... Overcome anger by love, overcome evil by good. Overcome the miser by giving, overcome the liar by truth. (Dhammmapada 1.5 & 17.3)

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Jesus: Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. (Mathew 25:45)

Buddha: If you do not tend one another, then who is there to ten you? Whoever would tend me, he should tend the sick. (Vinaya, Mahavagga 8.26.3)

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Jesus: If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. (Matthew 19:21)

Buddha: The avaricious do not go to heaven, the foolish do not extol charity. The wise one, however, rejoicing in charity, becomes thereby happy in the beyond. (Dhammapada 13.11)

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Jesus: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)

Buddha: Anyone who withdraws into meditation on compassion can see Brahma with his own eyes, talk to him face to face and consult with him. (Diha Nikaya 19.43)

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There are so many more, literally hundreds like these that match so uncannily.

This is also a reason I agree when Christians tell the youth having faith problems to read the bible before they make any big decisions. Because if they all read it, even if they chose to not be Christian, would still come away with a lot of these lessons about being a person and whatnot.

Anyway, just pissing around.

Hiya, Tribe !

Nice to see you posting something like this...refreshing.

I understand the point you are trying to make with the comparisons, but I was wondering if it isn't possible that Buddhism derived many of it's tenets from Christianity...

I tried to research it as best I could, but from what I gather, Buddhism began 2,500 years ago. Is that incorrect ?

Or are they about the same age ?

I can't go on any further posting without knowing this.

I should know, but...

Actually Gotama Buddha came about 500 years before Christ.

So the popular theory is that Jesus got it from him.

But how would that be possible ?

I mean...Israel is quite a way off from Asia. *lol*

And I don't think Jesus consumed himself with racking up his frequent flyer miles.

Many people like to think he went to India during his "missing years".

Other people think that hindu and buddhist ideas had migrated into the area. I'll try to find some better documentation later, it's a school night.

Ok, the second suggestion might be feasible, but the writers of the Bible didn't mention anything specific about Hindu and Buddhist philosophies in their culture. (I don't mean the specific titles)

Personally, I doubt very much that Jesus went to India.

But thanks for giving me some examples of why.

Both Jesus and Buddah have pretty clearly laid out background stories. Unless you want to go into re-encarnation they could not be the same person. It would make sence for God to send teachers to diferent places.

Who said they were the same person ? *confused*

God has sent many teachers since He created us...

But He only sent ONE messiah...that's the difference.

Well, when did bodhissatvas start coming around? Weren't they the first 'evangelists'?

Technically, if one knows a bit of the more eccentric and less practical areas of history, one would know that early Buddhists were quite prolific in writing about the Buddha and sending hand-copied... (word?) copies of the Dammapada all over the world, especially west to the Roman and Greek provinces where they were allowed legally. The Alexandrian Library (I forget it's formal name) was supposed to ahve Buddhist manuals in its third form before being sunk to the bottom of the Mediterranean. It was generally referred to by msot westerners are eastern mysticism. And wasn't Jesus supposed to have been taught in or at least have frequented the universities and libraries of Jerusalem where he debated with the scholars? Couldn't he have learned it there?

Its completely possible its coincidental. They're great lessons to live by, and it just makes sense that many people, especially people hailed as highly as Jesus and Buddha, would come up with these paticular ideas.

Just because two people have the same idea, doesn't mean one got it from another. Especially back then when information exchange wasn't that rapid.

Read "Living Buddha, Living Christ" for more about the similarities.

And I think the problem with suburban american teens is that they don't really know what Christ was about, especially considering most of their parents have no clue, either. You can't blame them, it's all hormones. They get over it.

yeah, im pretty annoyed with that shit too. either they get a new religion or turn into athiest's around 16, and think it's cool. just like how girls that age think being a lesbian is "cool". it's annoying. girls think every man wants a threesome, and thats not the case. men want threesomes because they get tired of having sex with the same girl every day. they would be happier just cheating on their girlfriends. but im pretty sick of stuff like this too.

To be fair, lesbians are pretty cool.

Everyone has to find religion for himself. Everyone has to develop his own attachment to religion. Too many kids are "taught" Christianity that they find it easier to completely separate themselves from it than to find their own view of it.

Too many kids ? *laughs*

So, I guess that comment was reserved specifically for America.

MORE kids are brought up with Christian values, but not Christian beliefs.

Making your kids go to church on Easter and Christmas is NOT "teaching" Christian beliefs.

You'd be hard pressed to find more than one family in YOUR lifetime that actually lived and breathed the tenets of the Christian faith.

It is societally acceptable and even expected for a middle class caucasian family to register themselves as a Christian in this country. Tell me this is not so !

There are many other religions in America that are "taught" in the home.

Christianity is probably the one you hate the most, though...

I detest generalizations and blanket statements.

LOL this kinda went where I wanted it to go, I think.....

Anyway, at least some conversation has been sparked.

There are like hundreds of these qoutes guys, I just don't feel like typing them out. I guess I could make a new thread specifically for the qoutes and drop one or two a day.

But there are like similiar parables, with like the same plots; almost word for word one's on several topics. I just used some of the one's on compassion because that's something I'm very interested in, in terms of both of these faiths.

Anyway, continue....

These kind of similarities can be found all over. Wisdom about life is universal. It's good to learn about other religeons and you'll see the wisdom contained within is pretty much the same as the next.

quote:Originally posted by Tyrant:

Well, when did bodhissatvas start coming around? Weren't they the first 'evangelists'?

That's possible..

It is shameful, my lack of knowledge on this subject.

So, thank you, Tribe...I'll be doing some studying now (as if I didn't have enough to do ! *laughs*).