A discussion of the Buddhist beliefs about Buddha and Christian beliefs about Christ

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Penny Williams

A discussion of the Buddhist beliefs about Buddha and Christian beliefs about Christ

Over the years different religions have come into existence and many have branched out into further denominations, even so there are many similarities between them.  I have selected the two religions Buddhism and Christianity with which I will explore this idea and I will focus mainly on their founders, Buddha and Christ.

The first similarity between these two religions is that they have both adopted new names for their founders.  The word Buddha literally means “enlightened one” and so this title was given to the Buddha only after he had become enlightened.  Before his enlightenment the Buddha was known as Siddhartha Gautama.  To non-believers the founder of Christianity is known as Jesus but to Christians he is known as Christ, “the anointed one”.  

Although the facts about the two founder’s births and upbringings are different, there is a similarity in that they both have myths told regarding their births.

Everyone knows of the myth regarding Jesus’ birth that is popular at Christmas time.  Matthew’s Gospel tells of the wise men from the east who asked, “Where is the baby born to be king of the Jews?  We saw his star when it came up in the east, and we have come to worship him.”

King Herod called for the visitors and sent them to look for the child.  When they were on their way they saw the same star and it went ahead of them until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.  They went into the house, worshiped him and then opened their bags and offered him presents: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  God warned them in a dream not to go back to Herod; so they went back to their country by another road.

In the story of Siddhartha’s birth, Queen Maya, wife of Raja Shuddhodana of the Kingdom of Kapilavastu, dreamed that an elephant with six tusks and a head the colour of rubies came down from highest heaven to enter her womb through her right side.  Queen Maya entered the garden at Lumbini and walked beneath a sala tree.  The tree bent down and the queen took hold of it and looked up to the heavens.  At that point Buddha was born out of her side as she stood beneath the tree.  He then took seven steps towards each quarter of heaven, and at each of these steps a lotus flower sprung up.  He then declared that he would have to experience no more births, that this was his last body and that he would pluck out by the roots the sorrow caused by birth and death.

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Although some Christians may believe in every aspect of Jesus’ birth, I believe that the truth has been embellished to increase the symbolism in the story.  The story of Siddhartha’s birth may also hold some truth as the Queen Maya may have had a caesarean, and this was exaggerated to signify the importance of the Buddha.  Both myths serve the purpose of illustrating the value of the founder’s birth and symbolise that these men are not ordinary, but unique to our world.                                   ...

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