The history of Buddhism goes back to what is now Bodh Gaya, India almost six centuries before Christianity, making it one of the oldest religions still being practiced.. The origins of Christianity go back to Roman Judea in the early first century. The four canonical gospels date from around 70–90 AD, the Pauline epistles having been written before them around 50–60 AD.
Is Buddhism better than Christianity?
So pick which one fits your belief better. Buddhism is not better than Christianity, and Christianity is not better than Buddhism. They are different paths to spiritual salvation/awakening. Both Buddhism and Christianity have things to offer for all of us around the world.
Is Buddhism more peaceful than Christianity?
Buddhism itself can not be used to wage war like Islam or Christianity where it says that only those and those people go to heaven Buddhism has no violence in there scriptures while Christianity has it in the old testerment so do jews and Islam has it all over. Meaning Buddhism is infact more peaceful than abrahamic religions.
Did Christianity "borrow" from Buddhism?
The crucifixion of Jesus is central to Christian belief. Most scholars believe there is no historical evidence of any influence by Buddhism on Christianity, Paula Fredriksen stating that no serious scholarly work has placed the origins of Christianity outside the backdrop of 1st century Palestinian Judaism.
What are 10 facts about Buddhism?
☸️ 15 Key Facts about Buddhism. 1. Buddhists don’t believe in a god or supreme being. The followers of Buddhism don’t acknowledge a god or supreme being, unlike many religions. 2. Buddhism has no central text. 3. Anyone can be a Buddha. 4. Buddhism has three major branches. 5. Buddhists believe in ...
Is the Buddhist religion older than Christianity?
The history of Buddhism goes back to what is now Bodh Gaya, India almost six centuries before Christianity, making it one of the oldest religions still being practiced. The origins of Christianity go back to Roman Judea in the early first century.
Is Christianity based on Buddhism?
Rejections of influence. Most scholars believe there is no historical evidence of any influence by Buddhism on Christianity, Paula Fredriksen stating that no serious scholarly work has placed the origins of Christianity outside the backdrop of 1st century Palestinian Judaism.
What was the religion before Buddhism?
Sometimes called the official religion of ancient Persia, Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest surviving religions, with teachings older than Buddhism, older than Judaism, and far older than Christianity or Islam. Zoroastrianism is thought to have arisen “in the late second millennium B.C.E.
Which is religion came first in the world?
Hinduism is the world's oldest religion, according to many scholars, with roots and customs dating back more than 4,000 years. Today, with about 900 million followers, Hinduism is the third-largest religion behind Christianity and Islam. Roughly 95 percent of the world's Hindus live in India.
Is a Buddhist an atheist?
Atheism in Buddhism, Jainism While Buddhism is a tradition focused on spiritual liberation, it is not a theistic religion. The Buddha himself rejected the idea of a creator god, and Buddhist philosophers have even argued that belief in an eternal god is nothing but a distraction for humans seeking enlightenment.
How are Buddha and Jesus similar?
They both urge followers to live a life of peace and love, returning love for hate and anger. They both promote what Buddha called “right action”—do not kill, steal, slander, etc. they both stress the importance of helping others.
Which religion did Jesus follow?
Of course, Jesus was a Jew. He was born of a Jewish mother, in Galilee, a Jewish part of the world. All of his friends, associates, colleagues, disciples, all of them were Jews. He regularly worshipped in Jewish communal worship, what we call synagogues.
Who is the oldest known God?
InannaInanna is among the oldest deities whose names are recorded in ancient Sumer. She is listed among the earliest seven divine powers: Anu, Enlil, Enki, Ninhursag, Nanna, Utu, and Inanna.
What is the top 10 oldest religion?
The 8 Oldest Religions in the WorldHinduism (founded around the 15th – 5th century BCE) ... Zoroastrianism (10th – 5th century BCE) ... Judaism (9th – 5th century BCE) ... Jainism (8th – 2nd century BCE) ... Confucianism (6th – 5th century BCE) ... Buddhism (6th – 5th century BCE) ... Taoism (6th – 4th century BCE)More items...
Who is the mother of all religions?
The speech of Vivekananda went on to bridge the gap between India and America as Swamiji went on to promote Hinduism as the 'mother of religions' and one that has taught the world-- tolerance.
Which religion came second?
What is the Oldest Religion in the World?RankReligionApproximate Year of Founding1Hinduism2300 BCE2Judaism640 BCE3Zoroastrianism600 BCE4Buddhism563 BCE6 more rows•Aug 15, 2019
Who created the first God?
Brahma the Creator Brahma created the four types: gods, demons, ancestors, & men. In the beginning, Brahma sprang from the cosmic golden egg and he then created good & evil and light & dark from his own person. He also created the four types: gods, demons, ancestors, and men (the first being Manu).
Is Buddhism and Christianity similar?
There are inherent and fundamental differences between Buddhism and Christianity, one significant difference being that while Christianity is at its core monotheistic and relies on a God as a Creator, Buddhism is generally non-theistic and rejects the notion of a Creator God which provides divine values for the world.
Can a Buddhist believe in god?
Buddhists do not believe in any kind of deity or god, although there are supernatural figures who can help or hinder people on the path towards enlightenment. Siddhartha Gautama was an Indian prince in the fifth century B.C.E. who, upon seeing people poor and dying, realized that human life is suffering.
What religions did Buddhism influence?
Buddhism has interacted with several Eastern religions such as Taoism, Shintoism and Bon since it spread from India during the 2nd century AD.
What is the difference between Catholicism and Buddhism?
The first major difference between the two religions is the belief in God; Catholicism believes in an omnipresent, omnipotent God, the Almighty Father, while Buddhism does not. The closest thing to God would be Siddhartha Gautama, the first Buddha to achieve spiritual enlightenment.
Where did Buddhism originate?
Place and Time of origin. The origin of Buddhism points to one man, Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha, who was born in Lumbini (in present-day Nepal). He became enlightened at Bodhgaya, India and delivered his first set of teachings at a deer park in Sarnath, India. Jerusalem, approx. 33 AD.
What is the difference between Buddhism and Christianity?
Christianity. Buddhism is centered upon the life and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who came to be known as the Buddha — the enlightened one, or one who is awake — whereas Christianity is centered on the Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ.
What is the belief of the Buddha?
Belief of God. The idea of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent creator is rejected by Buddhists. The Buddha himself refuted the theistic argument that the universe was created by a self-conscious, personal God. One God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity.
What is the Trinity of Buddhism?
The Trinity. Life after death. Rebirth is one of the central beliefs of Buddhism. We are in an endless cycle of birth, death and re-birth, which can only be broken by attaining nirvana. Attaining nirvana is the only way to escape suffering permanently. Eternity in Heaven or Hell, in some cases temporal Purgatory.
What is the philosophy of Christianity?
Christianity has its own philosophy, found in the the Bible. That philosophy is Salvation from sin, through the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Religious Law. The Dharma. Varies among denominations. Has existed among Catholics in the form of canon law.
Where are the majority of Christians?
As a % of local population, Christians are in a majority in Europe, North and South America, and Australia and New Zealand. Dalai Lamas are tulkus of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.
Is confession of sin a Buddhist practice?
Confessing sins. Sin is not a Buddhist concept. Protestants confess straight to God, Catholic confess mortal sins to a Priest, and venial sins straight to God (Orthodox have similar practice) Anglicans confess to Priests but considered optional. God always forgives sins in Jesus.
Where was the syncretism between Christianity and Buddhism?
In the East, the syncretism between Nestorian Christianity and Buddhism was deep and widespread along the Silk Road, and was especially pronounced in the medieval Church of the East in China. There are also historical documents showing the syncretic nature of Christianity and Buddhism in Asia such as the Jesus Sutras and Nestorian Stele.
Which religion influenced the early development of Christianity?
Some historians such as Jerry H. Bentley and Elaine Pagels suggest that there is a possibility that Buddhism influenced the early development of Christianity.
What is gnostic Christianity?
Gnosticism comprised a number of small Christian sects which existed in the 2nd-5th centuries, and were rejected by mainstream Christians as heretics. There were some contacts between Gnostics and Indians, e.g. Syrian gnostic theologian Bar Daisan describes in the 3rd century his exchanges with missions of holy men from India (Greek: Σαρμαναίοι, Sramanas), passing through Syria on their way to Elagabalus or another Severan dynasty Roman Emperor. His accounts are quoted by Porphyry (De abstin., iv, 17 [3]) and Stobaeus (Eccles., iii, 56, 141).
What is the historical basis for Jesus' travels to India?
Modern scholarship has roundly rejected any historical basis for the travels of Jesus to India or Tibet or influences between the teachings of Christianity and Buddhism, and has seen the attempts at parallel symbolism as cases of parallelomania which exaggerate the importance of trifling resemblances.
Where are Buddhist gravestones found?
It is true that Buddhist gravestones from the Ptolemaic period have also been found in Alexandria in Egypt, decorated with depictions of the Dharma wheel, showing the Buddhists were living in Hellenistic Egypt at the time Christianity began.
Who was the Buddhist philosopher who wrote about Boutta?
Clement of Alexandria referred to Buddhists and wrote: [2] "Among the Indians are those philosophers also who follow the precepts of Boutta (Βούττα), whom they honour as a god on account of his extraordinary sanctity.". — Clement of Alexandria, Stromata (Miscellanies), Book I, Chapter XV.
Did the Buddha have a virgin birth?
Saint Jerome (4th century CE) mentions that the Buddhist belief of Buddha's birth from a virgin as their "opinion [...] authoritatively handed down that Budda, the founder of their religion, had his birth through the side of a virgin," (the Buddha was, according to Buddhist tradition, born from the hip of his mother). It has been suggested that this virgin birth legend of Buddhism influenced Christianity.
When did Hinduism start?
Unfortunately, no one alive knows how to read the ancient language. As such, a better date for the beginning of Hinduism would be in 1500 B.C. when what is known as the Vedic period began. This still makes Hinduism noticeably older than most other religions, but it is in serious competition with Zoroastrianism.
How old is Gautama Buddha?
The actual date of his birth is widely debated, but the general timeframe would place Buddhism as being around 2,600 years old.
What is the youngest religion in the world?
Neopaganism is one of the youngest religions in the world. Wicca, arguably the best known Neopagan religion today, developed in England during the first half of the 20th century. It was not until the 1950s that the movement became known to the general public. Neopa gan beliefs and practices are derived from and based on the religions ...
What is the ancient way of thinking?
Still practiced today, this ancient way of thinking has roots in the earliest religious thoughts of mankind. Animism is the belief that all things, from animals to rivers, are alive and animated. It dates back to the Paleolithic Age, far before organized religion was ever even considered.
When did Zoroastrianism begin?
It is a monotheistic religion that is believed to have begun between 2,000 and 1,000 B.C. but would not be mentioned in surviving records until the mid-5th century B.C. The founder of Zoroastrianism, Zoroaster or Zarathustra, is believed to have lived between 1200 and 1500 B.C. Zoroastrianism is still practiced today.
How old is Judaism?
This would make Judaism more than 3,000 years old. Depending on how one dates the religion, however, it could be markedly older.
Why is Christianity so easy to date?
Christians tend to hold this as the beginning of Christianity because Christ’s birth on Earth was the beginning of the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies.
Where did Buddhism originate?
Based in the northernmost regions of the Indian subcontinent (most likely in present-day Nepal) roughly between the 6th and 5th centuries BCE, he was the founder and leader of his own monastic order, one of many sects (known as Śramana) that existed across the region at the time. His teachings began to be codified shortly after his death, and continue to be followed one way or another (and with major discrepancies) by at least 400 million people to this day.
Who was the Chinese philosopher who taught Buddhism?
If, like Buddhism, Confucianism must invariably be traced to one man – in this case, the Chinese politician, teacher, and philosopher Confucius (551 – 479 BCE) – it is worth noting that he himself maintained he was part of a scholarly tradition dating back to an earlier golden age.
How did Taoism evolve?
The religion evolved from a strand of traditional Chinese folk religion, and makes mention of masters and teachings from long before it was codified, including the god-like Yellow Emperor, said to have reigned from 2697 – 2597 BCE, and the I Ching, a divination system dating back to 1150 BCE. Today, an estimated 170 million Chinese claim some affiliation with Taoism, with 12 million following it strictly.
What is the Kurdish religion?
Yazdânism: Interestingly enough, three particular Kurdish religious variants (practiced among the Yazidis, Goran, and Ishik Alevis), grouped together under the umbrella neologism Yazdânism (Cult of Angels), have evolved from a mix of Islam and a Hurrian precursor to the Zoroastrian faith. They reconcile the existence of Abrahamic prophets with a doctrine of reincarnation, and the belief that the world is defended from evil by seven ‘angels’. This may make these creeds as old, if not older, as Zoroastrianism.
What is the religion of Zoroastrianism?
The ancient Indo-Iranian religion of Zoroastrianism (known to natives as Mazdayasna) – said to date back to the 2nd millennium BCE – emerged in its current version from the teachings of the reforming prophet Zoroaster (Zarathustra), who historians contend lived at some point between the 10th and 6th centuries BCE (they disagree somewhat). Extremely influential over the development of the Abrahamic tradition, it was the state religion of various Persian empires until the Muslim conquest of the 7th century CE, and survives in parts of Iran, India, and Iraq to this day, reportedly followed by some 200,000 people.
What is the origin of Jainism?
Once a dominant religion on the Indian subcontinent (before the rise of reform Hinduism in the 7th century CE), Jainism has fairly obscure origins. Its followers believe in the tirthankaras, omniscient preachers of the Jain path, whose defining characteristics are marked by asceticism and self-discipline. The last two tirthankaras are known historical figures: Parshvanatha (8th century BCE) and Mahavira (599 – 527 BCE). Yet archeological evidence proving the existence of Jainism only dates back to the second century BCE. Jains are said to number six to seven million worldwide.
When was Shintoism founded?
Shintoism (3rd century BCE – 8th century CE) Though not codified until 712 CE in response to contact with mainland religions (namely, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism), Shintoism is a direct descendant of the animistic folk religion of the Yayoi, whose culture spread from the north of Kyushu to the rest of Japan from the 3rd century BCE onward.
Who made Buddhism the state religion of India?
In the 3rd century B.C., Ashoka the Great, the Mauryan Indian emperor, made Buddhism the state religion of India. Buddhist monasteries were built, and missionary work was encouraged.
What is the most important teaching of Buddhism?
Buddha’s most important teachings, known as The Four Noble Truths, are essential to understanding the religion . Buddhists embrace the concepts of karma (the law of cause and effect) and reincarnation (the continuous cycle of rebirth).
How did Gautama find enlightenment?
After six years of searching, Buddhists believe Gautama found enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi tree. He spent the rest of his life teaching others about how to achieve this spiritual state.
How many followers does Buddhism have?
Contents. Buddhism is a faith that was founded by Siddhartha Gautama (“the Buddha”) more than 2,500 years ago in India. With about 470 million followers, scholars consider Buddhism one of the major world religions.
Why do Buddhists meditate?
Buddhists often meditate because they believe it helps awaken truth. There are many philosophies and interpretations within Buddhism, making it a tolerant and evolving religion. Some scholars don’t recognize Buddhism as an organized religion, but rather, a “way of life” or a “spiritual tradition.”.
What did Buddha teach his followers?
The Buddha taught his followers that the end of suffering, as described in the fourth Noble Truths, could be achieved by following an Eightfold Path.
What do Buddhists revere?
Buddhists revere many sacred texts and scriptures. Some of the most important are:
Overview
Buddhism was known in the pre-Christian Greek world through the campaigns of Alexander the Great (see Greco-Buddhism and Greco-Buddhist monasticism), and several prominent early Christian fathers, including Clement of Alexandria and St. Jerome, were aware of the Buddha, even mentioning him in their works. However, the majority of modern scholars who have studied both Buddhism a…
Early Christianity
Will Durant, noting that the Emperor Ashoka sent missionaries, not only to elsewhere in India and to Sri Lanka, but to Syria, Egypt and Greece, first speculated in the 1930s that they may have helped prepare the ground for Christian teaching. Buddhism was prominent in the eastern Greek world (Greco-Buddhism) and became the official religion of the eastern Greek successor kin…
Post Apostolic Age
Clement of Alexandria referred to Buddhists and wrote:
"Among the Indians are those philosophers also who follow the precepts of Boutta (Βούττα), whom they honour as a god on account of his extraordinary sanctity." — Clement of Alexandria, Stromata (Miscellanies), Book I, Chapter XV
Early 3rd–4th century Christian writers such as Hippolytus and Epiphanius write …
See also
• Buddhism and Christianity
• Barlaam and Josaphat
• Jingjiao Documents
• List of converts to Buddhism from Christianity
Notes
1. ^ Cyril of Jerusalem, Sixth Catechetical Lecture Chapter 22-24: "22. There was in Egypt one Scythianus, a Saracen by birth, having nothing in common either with Judaism or with Christianity. This man, who dwelt at Alexandria and imitated the life of Aristotle, composed four books, one called a Gospel which had not the acts of Christ, but the mere name only, and one other called the book of Chapters, and a third of Mysteries, and a fourth, which they circulate now, the Treas…
Sources
• Johnston, William, S.J., Christian Zen, Harper & Row, 1971. ISBN 0-8232-1801-5
• Leaney, A.R.C., ed., A Guide to the Scrolls, Nottingham Studies on the Qumran Discoveries, SCM Book Club, Naperville, Ill., 1958.
• Lefebure, Leo D., The Buddha and the Christ, Explorations in Buddhist and Christian Dialogue (Faith Meets Faith Series), Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York, 1993.
External links
• Dalai Lama questions on Buddhism & Christianity