Jesus and Buddha.... the same?

[dgskydive 0]

Here is a list of similarities between Jesus and Buddha.

Interesting.


1. Both Buddha and Jesus were baptized in the presence of the "spirit" of G--d. (De Bunsen, p. 45; Matthew 3:16.)
2. Both went to their temples at the age of twelve, where they are said to have astonished all with their wisdom. (Ibid., p. 37; Luke 2:41--48.)
3. Both supposedly fasted in solitude for a long time: Buddha for forty--seven days and Jesus for forty. (Arthur Lillie, Buddha and Early Buddhism (London, 1881), p. 100, Matthew 4:2.)
4. At the conclusion of their fasts, they both wandered to a fig tree. (Hans Joachim Schoeps, An Intelligent Person's Guide to the Religions of Mankind (London, 1967), p. 167; Matthew 21:18--19.)
5. Both were about the same age when they began their public ministry:
* "When he [Buddha] went again to the garden he saw a monk who was calm, tranquil, self--possessed, serene, and dignified. The prince, determined to become such a monk, was led to make the great renunciation. At the time he was twenty--nine years of age...". (Encyclopedia Americana (New York: Rand McNally and Co., 1963), vol. 4, p. 672.)
* "Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age" (Luke 3:23).
6. Both were tempted by the "devil" at the beginning of their ministry:
* To Buddha, he said: "Go not forth to adopt a religious life but return to your kingdom, and in seven days you shall become emperor of the world, riding over the four continents." (Moncure D. Conway, The Sacred Anthology (London, 1874), p. 173.)
* To Jesus, he said: "All these [kingdoms of the world] I will give you, if you fall down and worship me" (Matthew 4:9).
7. Buddha answered the "devil": "Get you away from me." (De Bunsen, p.38)
* Jesus responded: "...begone, Satan!" (Matthew 4:10).
8. Both experienced the "supernatural" after the "devil" left:
* For Buddha: "The skies rained flowers, and delicious odors prevailed [in] the air." (Ibid.)
* For Jesus: "angels came and ministered to him" (Matthew 4:11).
9. The multitudes required a sign from both in order that they might believe. (Muller, Science, p. 27; Matthew 16:1.)
10. Both strove to establish a kingdom of heaven on earth. (Beal, p. x; Matthew 4:17.)
* Buddha "represented himself as a mere link in a long chain of enlightened teachers." (Muller, Science, p. 140.)
11. Jesus said: "Think not that I have come to abolish the law, and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them" (Matthew 5:17).
12. According to the Somadeva (a Buddhist holy book), a Buddhist ascetic's eye once offended him, so he plucked it out and cast it away. (Ibid., p. 245)
* Jesus said: "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out, and throw it away;" (Matthew 5:29).
13. "Buddha taught that the motive of all our actions should be pity or love of our neighbor." (Ibid., p. 249)
* Jesus taught: "...love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).
14. Buddha said: "Hide your good deeds, and confess before the world the sins you have committed." (Ibid., p.28)
* Jesus said: "Beware of practicing your piety before men to be seen by them;" (Matthew 6:1) and "Therefore confess your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed..." (James 5:16).
15. Both are said to have known the thoughts of others:
* "By directing his mind to the thoughts of others, [Buddha] can know the thoughts of all beings." (R. Spence Hardy, The Legends and Theories of the Buddhists Compared with History and Science (London, 1866), p. 181.)
* "But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said: `Why do you think evil in your hearts?' " (Matthew 9:4).
16. After "healing" a man born blind, Buddha said: "The disease of this man originates in his sinful actions in former times." (Prof. Max Muller, ed., Sacred Books of the East (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1879--1910), vol. 21, p. 129f.)
* "As [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his disciples said to him: `Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' " (John 9:1--2).
17. Both were itinerant preachers with a close group of trustees within a larger group of disciples. (James Hastings, ed., Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics (New York: Edinburgh T. & T. Clark, 1918), vol. 6, p. 883; Matthew 26:20.)
18. Both demanded that their disciples renounce all worldly possessions. (Hardy, Monachism, p. 6; Luke 14:33.)
* "The number of the disciples rapidly increased, and Gautama sent forth his monks on missionary tours hither and thither, bidding them wander everywhere, preaching the doctrine, and teaching men to order their lives with self--restraint, simplicity, and charity." (Hastings, vol. 6, p.883)
* "And [Jesus] called to him the twelve [apostles], and began to send them out two by two.So they went out and preached that men should repent" (Mark 6:7, 12).
19. Both had a disciple who "walked" on water:
* To convert skeptical villagers, Buddha showed them his disciple walking across a river without sinking. (Lillie, p. 140)
* "He said: `Come.' So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus, but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out: `Lord, save me!' " (Matthew 14:29--30).
20. "One day Ananda, the disciple of Buddha, after a long walk in the country, meets with Matangi, a woman of the low caste of the Kandalas, near a well, and asks her for some water. She tells him what she is, and that she must not come near him. But he replies: `My sister, I ask not for your caste or your family, I ask only for a drought of water. She afterwards became a disciple of Buddha." (Muller, Science, p. 243)
* "There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her: `Give me a drink.' For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him: `How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?' For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans" (John 4:7--9).
21. Each repeated a question three times:
* "The Buddha next addressed the bhikkhus and requested them three times to ask him if they had any doubt or question that they wished clarified, but they all remained silent." (Encyclopedia Britannica (New York: William and Helen Benton, 1974), vol. 2, p. 373.)
* "[Jesus] said to him the third time: `Simon, son of John, do you love me?' Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time: `Do you love me?'" (John 21:17).
22. Both received similar receptions:
* "The people swept the pathway, the gods strewed flowers on the pathway and branches of the coral tree, the men bore branches of all manner of trees, and the Bodhisattva Sumedha spread his garments in the mire, [and] men and gods shouted: `All hail.' " (Hardy, Legends, p.134)
* "And they brought the colt to Jesus, and threw their garments on it; and he sat on it. And many spread their garments on the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields" (Mark 11:7--8).
23. Both had an archival:
* "[Buddha's] chief rival was Devadatta, a cousin of the Buddha, who is represented as being jealous of his influence and popularity, and as repeatedly seeking to compass his death." (Hastings, vol. 6, p.883)
* "While [Jesus] was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying: `The one I shall kiss is the man; seize him!' And he came up to Jesus at once, and said: `Hail, Master!' And he kissed him" (Matthew 26:47--49).
24. Before his death, Buddha said to his disciple: "Ananda, when I am gone, you must not think there is no Buddha; the discourses I have delivered, and the precepts I have enjoined, must be my successors, or representatives, and be to you as Buddha." (Hardy, Eastern Monachism (London, 1860), p. 230.)
* Before his "ascension," Jesus said to his disciples: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Matthew 28:19--20).
25. When Buddha died: "The coverings of [his] body unrolled themselves, and the lid of his coffin was opened by supernatural powers." (De Bunsen, p. 49.)
* When Jesus died: "And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the L--rd descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it" (Matthew 28:2).
26. "In the year 217 B.C. Buddhist missionaries were imprisoned for preaching; but an angel, genie or spirit came and opened the prison door, and liberated them." (Thomas Thornton, A History of China from the Earliest Records to the Treaty with Great Britain in 1842 (London, 1844), vol. 1, p. 341.)
* "They arrested the apostles and put them in the common prison. But at night an angel of the L--rd opened the prison doors and brought them out" (Acts 5:18--19).
27. Both men's disciples are said to have been miracle workers. (Maria L. Child, The Progress of Religious Ideas Through Successive Ages (New York, 1855)vol. 1, p. 229, Acts 3:6--8.)

Dom

[ScottishJohn 25]

Both mythical beings used to keep poor people in thier place for centuries

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If you think my attitude stinks you should smell my fingers

[jakee 1,594]

400 years difference.

If They are the same, it's because Jesus was a copy. However, there are lots of lists floating around "proving" that Jesus was a copy of this that or the other God/prophet. Since they obviously can't all be true, I think it merely shows how easy it is to spot patterns when you go out looking for them, and how persuasive certaing religious memes are that they crop up in relation to all kinds of historically different people.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[dgskydive 0]

More similarities

# Buddha and Jesus all claimed to be of royal descent:

* "The ancestry of Gautama Buddha is traced from his father, Sodhodana, through various individuals and races, all of royal dignity, to Maha Sammata, the first monarch of the world...." (Doane, p. 291.)
* Jesus' genealogy consists mostly of kings (Matthew 1:6--16), and he is traced back to Adam, the first man (Luke 3:38).

# Both are said to have been born of a virgin, and through the holy spirit. (Thomas Maurice, History of Hindostan (London 1798), vol. 2, p. 310; Matthew 1:18.)
# Both were declared divine at birth:

* Following the Buddhist tradition, (Godfred Higgins, Anacalypsis: An Enquiry into the Origin of Languages, Nations and Religions (London, 1836) vol. 1, p. 157.), Matthew records that wise men proclaimed the infant Jesus divine. (Matthew 2:1, 11).

# "Celestial bodies" announced both men's births. (De Bunsen, pp. 22--23, 33; Matthew 2:2.)
# When each was born, "angels" sang in heaven:

* For Buddha, they sang: "Today, Bodhisattva is born on earth, to give joy and peace to men and Devas [angels], to shed light on the dark places, and to give sight to the blind." (Beal, p. 56.)
* For Jesus, they sang: "Glory to G--d in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill among men" (Luke 2:14).

# Upon their births, they were supposedly presented with gifts:

* Buddha received gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (De Bunsen, p. 36; Amberly Viscount, An Analysis of Religious Belief (New York, 1879), p. 231.)
* Jesus received costly jewels and precious substances (Matthew 2:11).

# Both were supposedly miracle workers. (Muller, Science, p. 27; Matthew 4:23.)
# Both were "transfigured" before witnesses:

* For Buddha and Jesus, this occurred on a mountain: "A flame of light encircled Buddha's head and shone as the sun or moon." (De Bunsen, p. 45; Beal, p. 177.)
* "And [Jesus] was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light" (Matthew 17:2).

# Both are said to be part of a trinity. (John Francis Davis, The Chinese (New York, 1836), vol. 2, p. 104; Matthew 28:19.)
# They all "relieved" others of sins.

* Buddha said: "Let all the sins that were committed in this world fall on me, that the world may be delivered." (Prof. Max Muller, History of Sanskrit Literature (London, 1872), p. 80.)
* Of Jesus it was said: "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us" (Ephesians 1:7--8).

# Both were acclaimed as the Creator:
# "Buddha, the Angel messiah, was regarded as the divinely chosen and incarnate messenger, the vicar of G--d, and God Himself on earth." (De Bunsen, p. 33.)
# "[Jesus] is the image of the invisible G--d, the first born of all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were created through him and for him" (Colossians 1:15--16).
# Both will "judge" the dead. (Mons Dupuis, trans., The Origin of All Religious Worship (New Orleans, 1872) p. 366; II Timothy 4:1.)
# Buddha's titles were:

* Savior of the World (Child, vol. 1, p. 247.)
* God of Gods (Samuel Johnson, Oriental Religions and Their Relation to Universal Religion (India) (Boston, 1872), p. 604.)
* Anointed/Christ (De Bunsen, p. 18.)
* Messiah (Ibid.)
* and Only Begotten (Ibid.)

# Jesus' titles were:

* Christ (Matthew 11:2)
* Messiah (John 4:26)
* Son of G--d (Mark 1:1)
* Only Begotten (John 3:18)
* Lord (John 14:5).

Dom

[Butters 0]

Did you get this in an e-mail?

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[dgskydive 0]

I found it through a google search. I saw a history or learning channel show about it once before and something in another thread reminded me of it.

Dom

[Butters 0]

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I found it through a google search. I saw a history or learning channel show about it once before and something in another thread reminded me of it.

In my limited knowledge of Buddhism I've never read or heard anyone mention a God or Devil ...

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[dgskydive 0]

I really dont know myself, just thought it was interesting. google it. Some pretty interesting stuff comes up for and against the idea.

I just think it is interesting

Dom

[jakee 1,594]

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I really dont know myself, just thought it was interesting. google it. Some pretty interesting stuff comes up for and against the idea.

I just think it is interesting

See my post above. If you want to contend that Jesus is a copy of Buddha, you'll first have to fend off those who have equally as impressive lists contending that he is a copy of Mithras, or of Horus.

All of the lists are (IMO) a combination of co-incidence, forcing similarities through desire to see them, and certain persuasive, widespread religious ideas.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[dgskydive 0]

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I think it merely shows how easy it is to spot patterns when you go out looking for them, and how persuasive certaing religious memes are that they crop up in relation to all kinds of historically different people.

I wonder though, is it possible that if there is a God, that he would send different versions of himself down to earth many different times and kind of "tweak" the message until we (or he) got it right?

I have no clue but it is interesting, assuming all the sources listed next these similarities are accurate.

Dom

[Butters 0]

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I wonder though, is it possible that if there is a God, that he would send different versions of himself down to earth many different times and kind of "tweak" the message until we (or he) got it right?

I have no clue but it is interesting, assuming all the sources listed next these similarities are accurate.

Even if all the sources listed next to these similarities are accurate (which I don't believe they are) you still have the problem that the teachings of Christianity and Buddhism regarding the purpose of this life and the concepts regarding the afterlife are different.

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[SpeedRacer 1]

Jesus and Buddha? Probably not.

Jesus and Elvis? Maybe....

------------------------

Jesus said: “Love thy neighbor.” (Matthew 22:39)
Elvis said: “Don’t be cruel.” (RCA, 1956)

Jesus is the Lord’s shepherd.
Elvis dated Cybill Shepherd.

Jesus was part of the Trinity.
Elvis’ first band was a trio.

Jesus walked on water. (Matthew 14:25)
Elvis surfed. (Blue Hawaii, Paramount, 1965)

Jesus’ entourage, the Apostles, had 12 members.
Elvis’ entourage, the Memphis Mafia, had 12 members.

Jesus was resurrected.
Elvis had the famous 1968 “comeback” TV special.

Jesus said, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” (John 7:37)
Elvis said, “Drinks on me!” (Jailhouse Rock, MGM, 1957)

Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights.
Elvis had irregular eating habits. (e.g. 5 banana splits for breakfast)

Jesus is a Capricorn. (December 25)
Elvis is a Capricorn. (January 8)

Matthew was one of Jesus’ many biographers. (The Gospel According to Matthew)
Neil Matthews was one of Elvis’ many biographers. (Elvis: A Golden Tribute)

“[Jesus] countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.” (Matthew 28:3)
Elvis wore snow-white jumpsuits with lightning bolts.

Jesus lived in state of grace in a Near Eastern land.
Elvis lived in Graceland in a nearly eastern state.

Mary, an important woman in Jesus’ life, had an Immaculate Conception.
Priscilla, an important woman in Elvis’ life, went to Immaculate Conception High School.


Jesus was first and foremost the Son of God.
Elvis first recorded with Sun Studios, which today are still considered to be his foremost recordings.

Jesus was the Lamb of God.
Elvis had mutton chop sideburns.

Jesus’ Father is everywhere.
Elvis’ father was a drifter, and moved around quite a bit.

Jesus was a carpenter.
Elvis’ favorite high school class was wood shop.

Jesus wore a crown of thorns.
Elvis wore Royal Crown hair styler.

Jesus H. Christ has 12 letters.
Elvis Presley has 12 letters.

No one knows what the “H” in “Jesus H. Christ” stood for.
No one was really sure if Elvis’ middle name was “Aron” or “Aaron”.

Jesus is often depicted in pictures with a halo that looks like a gold plate.
Elvis’ face is often depicted on a plate with gold trim and sold through TV.

Jesus said: “Man shall not live by bread alone.”
Elvis liked his sandwiches with peanut butter and bananas.

Speed Racer
--------------------------------------------------

[dgskydive 0]

lol... see he may have already come back and we missed it.

Dom

[dgskydive 0]

Quote

Even if all the sources listed next to these similarities are accurate (which I don't believe they are) you still have the problem that the teachings of Christianity and Buddhism regarding the purpose of this life and the concepts regarding the afterlife are different.

For discussion lets say that they are all accurate....... then it comes down to the "tweaking" of the message.

Maybe God said, "ok, they didnt bite on the no afterlife thing, lets send Jesus down and tell them they can all come live with me if they believe."

This would go to the belief of some that God does not have a perfect plan and it is all just a big experiment.

Dom

[SpeedRacer 1]

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This would go to the belief of some that God the white mice do not have a perfect plan and it is all just a big experiment.

Hopefully it won't get blown up to make way for a hyperspace bypass.

Speed Racer
--------------------------------------------------

[dgskydive 0]

ya never know. He may get bored one day and cut the power.

Dom

[Butters 0]

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Maybe God said, "ok, they didnt bite on the no afterlife thing, lets send Jesus down and tell them they can all come live with me if they believe."

You might want to do some more reading ... Buddhist believe in reincarnation (until you understand the true nature of being and escape the cycle of reincarnation).

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[dgskydive 0]

They do believe in reincarnation, that is correct......but from my readings today I got this. The last line and the meaning of Nirvana is what made me say that.

Quote

The Four Noble Truths are these:

1. Life is suffering.
2. The cause of suffering is desire.
3. To be free from suffering, we must detach from desire.
4. The "eight-fold path" is the way to alleviate desire.

The eight-fold path consists of right views, right intentions, right speech, and right actions along with livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration.

The final goal of Buddhism is not merely to eradicate desire but to be free of suffering.

Buddha also taught the "three characteristics of being":

1. All things are transitory.
2. There is no self or personality.
3. This world brings only pain and suffering.

Based on these characteristics, Buddhism asserts that to accept the existence of anything is to give birth to its opposite (e.g., love and hate, joy and fear, etc.), which results in the duality of "good" and "bad." Nirvana—literally, "extinguishing a flame"—is the extinction of self and the escape from the cycle of reincarnation.

Dom

[maadmax 0]

For discussion lets say that they are all accurate....... then it comes down to the "tweaking" of the message.

Maybe God said, "ok, they didnt bite on the no afterlife thing, lets send Jesus down and tell them they can all come live with me if they believe."

This would go to the belief of some that God does not have a perfect plan and it is all just a big experiment.

[dgskydive 0]

and this

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While Buddhism allows belief in an afterlife, such an allowance is called upaya, an expedient means to a real end. Upaya allows belief to exist as a means to an end; all belief, including that of Buddhism, is merely a construction. According to the logic of upaya, Christianity is allowable as a stage toward spiritual progression, leading eventually to the extinction of self, or nirvana.

Dom

[dgskydive 0]

from the Buddhist Glossary

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Nirvana: Sanskrit; literally, "extinction, blowing out"; the goal of spiritual practice in Buddhism; liberation from the cycle of rebirth and suffering.

Dom

[labrys 0]

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Hopefully it won't get blown up to make way for a hyperspace bypass.

Don't panic. Have a towel on hand. It'll be okay.

Owned by Remi #?

[dgskydive 0]

That is what the bible says.

According to these "facts" I have posted. Some of that was said of Buddha as well.

Dom

[skydyvr 0]

Buddha is short, bald, and fat.

Jesus looks like a typical hippy dude.

Definitely not the same.

. . =(_8^(1)

[dgskydive 0]

Quote

Buddha is short, bald, and fat.

Jesus looks like a typical hippy dude.

Definitely not the same.

Dom