[Review：The Origin of Christianity] There are essential differences in the doctrines of Christianity and Buddhism. The biggest difference would be on how to deal with life.
For example, Christianity deals with the issue of "death" on the basis of larger, more well-rounded and multi-faceted concept of "life" and sublates the individual issue of "death" including illness, old age and dying through the Resurrection.
On the other hand, Buddhists handle the issues of birth, old age, illness and dying through the denial of importance of physical life and tend to content themselves with the view of "emptiness" and "vanity".
There may be commonalities between the two religions. However the integration of the two into one, the possibility does not exist.
Tatung World
[Reply] The concepts of "born-again" and "resurrection" that Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John and "new birth" which Paul preaches in his letters are similar to the teaching of Naagaarjuna, who preached that all things which one sees and hears are wonderful and real after he has realized that this world is empty, and the concept of resurrection in Zen-Buddhism.
Therefore, Jesus' teachings, which Thomas brought to India, may have borne Nagarjuna's theory and later been imparted into China and established as Dharma Zen.
I do not think that Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and other religions need to be integrated into one. In fact, Buddhism itself has Zen-shu (Zen Buddhism: Enlightenment by self-power), Jodo-shu (Pure Land faith: salvation by Amitabha)and Hokke-shu, which used to criticized violently both Zen-shu and Jodo-shu, etc. They sometimes ago criticized each other fiercely. However priests of Jodo-shu and Hokke-shu are co-hosting a radio program and counseling listeners' life troubles in Japan now. The priest of Hokke-shu is regularly hosting Zen meditation too and the Jodo-shu monk has deep profound knowledge in Christian culture.
Thus Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and other religions do not need to be integrated into one. More over the era when pastors, priests, rabbis and Ulemas co-host radio or TV programs is coming and has now come.
Atsushi Murakami
Your Comments
Special sale for Ad Space
Free download of "The Origin of Christianity"
Readers' Voice
Trend
SEAnews World Circulation