Though many Chinese believe that Christianity is similar to Buddhism in its teachings, an article about their difference from each other has gone viral in China recently. The following are the differences found between them:
1. Christianity: It believes that there is one and only Great God in charge of the universe and other gods are false. People should worship God only because He is a jealous God
Buddhism: It believes in the theory called "Dependent Origination". Originally, it does not believe that there are any gods; but later, it believed that there are numerous gods in the three realms of the universe.
2.Christianity: It believes that God created all things.
Buddhism: It believes that the physical world or the seen phenomenon came into being due to the "Dependent Origination". However, it could not explain the first cause.
3. Christianity: It believes that the Bible is the truth and man are guilty of sin because of their ancestor Adam.
Buddhism: It believe that people have Avidyā, so die dead and other results. But there is no explanation about the original of life or fate?
4. Christianity: It believes that there is only heaven and hell in eternity. The eternal destination is determined on earth and never change after death.
Buddhism: It believes that there are six cycles of reincarnation in which all beings [including insects, demons, gods, etc.] change among them in their current forms. But who is responsible for the change among them?
5. Christianity: It believes that God exists forever.
Buddhism: It believes the gods in heaven may still fall.
6. Christianity: It believes that the soul of the believers is still conscious after the death of the body, living a beautiful and spiritual life in heaven.
Buddhism: It believes that Nirvana is the ultimate ideal world of believers who become silent, lose form, consciousness and personal existence.
7. Christianity: It believes that the Savior Jesus is God incarnate, who is both God and man.
Buddhism: It believes that Buddha was a man, born as a prince in a small country (present-day Nepal) in India.
8. Christianity: Jesus Christ Himself is the everlasting Word.
Buddhism: Buddha was not the Word; but, he was one of its seekers as a monastic ascetic.
9. Christianity: Jesus remained single and came out preaching the Gospel to save people when he was 30 years old.
Buddhism: Buddha was once married and left his home at about 29 years old, going to forest to seek for the Word by meditation.
10. Christianity: the Bible requires sincere repentance from man in order to accept Jesus' salvation, which was accomplished by His crucifixion.
Buddhism: Buddhism asks people to control their desires and employ penance in order to be free from the cycles of reincarnation and enter Nibbāna (empty, non-existence).
11. Christianity: Jesus has saved people by His teachings and miracles.
Buddhism: Buddha, who could not perform any miracles, taught people to make efforts to enter into the Nirvana.
12. Christian: Jesus was crucified to death, but three days later, he rose from the dead, demonstrating that He is the son of God.
Buddhism: Buddha aged to death and became a leader of the earth.
13. Christianity: The New Testament was written by His disciples and the apostles shortly after Jesus ascended to heaven.
Buddhism: Buddhist scriptures were written down 400 to 500 years later after His death from the oral teachings.
14. Christianity: The Bible clearly differentiate God from mankind. After confessing their sins, man can worship God with their pure heart to please God.
Buddhism: Buddhism teaches that all beings can become a Buddha, the enlightened one. Buddhatva or the nature of Buddha is about a man's heart so becoming a Buddha does not mean he is divine.
15. Christianity: The Bible demands man to worship God in Spirit and truth because God is Spirit, which human's eyes cannot see and forbids man to carve idols of God.
Buddhism: On one hand, Buddhism is trying to deny the existence of God. On the other hand, it has all kinds of idols of Buddha, gods, demons. etc which people worship.
16, Christianity: The Bible clearly distinguish man and animals that man cannot become animals nor can animals become man. Man, created in the image of God, as the host of world has higher status than the creatures.
Buddhism: Buddhism mixes people and livestock so that people's domestic livestock may be their parents in the last life and family members may be animals or demons in last life because of their debt they owe or they demand.
17, Christianity: Man can be saved only by faith, accepting the salvation of Jesus, instead of just one's good works. No man can be justified by their own works in the presence of the holy God; but, by accepting the free offer of salvation in Jesus.
Buddhism: Buddhism emphasizes one's own effort to understand the Word relying on their own strength on one hand. One the other hand, it teaches that people should proclaim the name of the Buddha loudly, hoping to go to the pure land in the West after death. This means that they rely on each other's help for salvation. Do they rely on themselves or others for salvation? Regarding the existence of Nirvana and the pure land, monks do not agree with one another.
Translated by Alvin Zhou
