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The Bible begins by addressing the question of the origin of the universe with the simple
statement, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1 KJV). As well as
the time frame of the earth’s creation which was six calendar days. However, in Buddhism the
universe has neither beginning nor end, the world is a vast flow of events that are linked together
and participate in one another. Mandala, it’s a symbolic geometric object that represents the
universe that transforms the universe of Suffering into joy. (Berzin Alexander, 2009) In
Christianity, it symbolizes holiness, wholeness, and all things encompassed by God.
Furthermore, In Christianity, many forms are evocative of mandalas: The halo, Celtic cross, the
labyrinth, and rose windows are some examples. The mandala is used as an object in both
religions for focusing attention as an aid to meditation and prayer as well as abstract beauty.
God gave us dominion over all life. As mentioned in the bible, the man names all the
animals, thus establishing his dominance over them. God planned all of this explicitly for man's
benefit and rule: no item in the physical creation had any purpose save to serve man's purpose.
(Genesis 1:28) However, As I mentioned in our last few assignments it is that in Buddhist
teachings all animals and humans alike possess inherent value and are part of the cycle of life,
known as samsara. They do not place humans above other living things. (Finnigan Bronwyn,
2018) Furthermore, both religious Christianity and Buddhism share a common value of showing
kindness and care towards other living things.
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“One becomes a human when he encounters a true religion.” (Mukojima Yushi, 2023)
To become our better selves we must destroy these three poisons: greed, anger, and stupidity
(ignorance). Conquering these Buddhist teachings opens up a great peace of mind, which allows
you to overcome a life of suffering with strength. However, in Christianity, the Bible teaches us
that life is “meaningless” apart from fearing and obeying God ( Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 ) By being
called to live in a way that reflects God's character and brings glory to Him. Nonetheless,
Buddhism and Christianity acknowledge the importance of living a purposeful and meaningful
life.
The idea of right and wrong is based on the principles of karma and the Four Noble
Truths. (Thich Nhat Hanh) Whereas in the biblical worldview, right and wrong are determined by
God's moral standards (James 4:17) . However, both religions have moral guidelines
emphasizing the importance of honesty, and compassion, as well as sharing the goal of guiding
followers to live an ethical and virtuous life.
“Liberation is experiencing reality as it is.” (Noah Rasheta, 2014) The cycle of samara
birth, death, and rebirth .” The purpose is to achieve freedom from the cycle of samsara and
reach a state of enlightenment. However, for Christians death means being “away from the body
and at home with the Lord” ( 2 Corinthians 5:6–8; Philippians 1:23) Furthermore, Buddhist and
Christians acknowledge the inevitability of death, by contemplating the concept about what
happens after.
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References
“Sutras & Dharanis.” FPMT, 8 Nov. 2023,
fpmt.org/education/prayers-and-practice-materials/sutras/.
Lois. “What Does It Mean to Be Human?” Mountain View Buddhist Temple, 23 Jan. 2023,
mvbuddhisttemple.org/what-does-it-mean-to-be-human/.
Christopher. “How Do We Know the Bible Is the Word of God?” NORMAN GEISLER,
normangeisler.com/how-do-we-know-the-bible-is-the-word-of-god/. Accessed 16 Oct.
2023.
