BUDDHISMs MAJOR DIFFERENCES FROM OTHER RELIGION

1. There is no almighty God in Buddhism. There is no one to hand out rewards or punishments on a supposedly Judgement Day. 2. Buddhism is strictly not a religion in the context of being a faith and worship owing allegiance to a supernatural being. 3. o sa!iour concept in Buddhism. " Buddha is not a sa!iour who sa!es others by his personal sal!ation. "lthough a Buddhist see#s refuge in the Buddha as his incomparable guide who indicates the path of purity$ he ma#es no ser!ile surrender. " Buddhist does not thin# that he can gain purity merely by see#ing refuge in the Buddha or by mere faith in %im. &t is not within the power of a Buddha to wash away the impurities of others '. " Buddha is not an incarnation of a god(God )as claimed by some %indu followers*. The relationship between a Buddha and his disciples and followers is that of a teacher and student. +. The liberation of self is the responsibility of one,s own self. Buddhism does not call for an un-uestionable blind faith by all Buddhist followers. &t places hea!y emphasis on self.reliance$ self discipline and indi!idual stri!ing. /. Ta#ing refuge in The Triple Gems i.e. the Buddha$ the Dharma and the 0angha1 does not mean self. surrender or total reliance on an external force or third party for help or sal!ation. 2. Dharma )the teachings in Buddhism* exists regardless whether there is a Buddha. 0a#yamuni Buddha )as the historical Buddha* disco!ered and shared the teachings( uni!ersal truths with all sentient beings. %e is neither the creator of such teachings nor the prophet of an almighty God to transmit such teachings to others. 3. 4specially emphasi5ed in 6ahayana Buddhism$ all sentient beings ha!e Buddha ature( 4ssence. 7ne can become a Buddha )a supreme enlightened being* in due course if one practises diligently and attains purity of mind )ie absolutely no delusions or afflictions*. 8. &n Buddhism$ the ultimate ob9ecti!e of followers(practitioners is enlightenment and(or liberation from 0amsara1 rather than to go to a %ea!en )or a de!a realm in the context of Buddhist cosmology*. 1:. ;arma and ;arma <orce are cornerstones in Buddhist doctrines. They are expounded !ery thoroughly in Buddhism. ;arma refers to an important metaphysical concept concerned with action and its conse-uences. This law of #arma explains the problem of sufferings$ the mystery of the so.called fate and predestination of some religions$ and abo!e all the apparent ine-uality of man#ind. 11. =ebirth is another #ey doctrine in Buddhism and it goes hand in hand with #arma. There is a subtle difference between rebirth and reincarnation as expounded in %induism. Buddhism re9ects the theory of a transmigrating permanent soul$ whether created by a god or emanating from a di!ine essence. 12. 6aitri or 6etta in >ali )?o!ing ;indness* and ;aruna )@ompassion* to all li!ing beings including animals. Buddhism strictly forbids animal sacrifice for whate!er reason. Aegetarianism is recommended but not compulsory. 13. The importance of on.attachment. Buddhism goes beyond doing good and being good. 7ne must not be attached to good deeds or the idea of doing good1 otherwise it is 9ust another form of cra!ing.

1'. &n Buddhism$ there is consideration for all sentient beings )!ersus human beings$ as in other religions*. Buddhists ac#nowledge(accept the existence of animals and beings in other realms in 0amsara. 1+. o holy war concept in Buddhism. ;illing is brea#ing a #ey moral precept in Buddhism. 7ne is strictly forbidden to #ill another person in the name of religion$ a religious leader or whatsoe!er religious pretext or worldly excuse. 1/. 0uffering is another cornerstone in Buddhism. &t is the first of the <our oble Truths. 0ufferings are !ery well analysed and explained in Buddhism. 12. The idea of sin or original sin has no place in Buddhism. "lso$ sin should not be e-uated to suffering. 13. Buddhist teachings expound no beginning and no end to one,s existence or life. There is !irtually no recognition of a first cause B e.g. how does human existence first come aboutC 18. The Dharma pro!ides a !ery detailed explanation of the doctrine of anatman Danatta in >aliE or soullessness $ i.e. there is no soul entity )whether in one life of many li!es*. 2:. The Buddha is omniscient but he is not omnipotent. %e is capable of innumerable feats but there are three things he cannot do. "lso$ a Buddha does not claim to be a creator of li!es or the Fni!erse. 21. >ra9na G>anna in >aliH or Transcendent Iisdom occupies a paramount position in Buddhist teachings. 0a#yamuni Buddha expounded >ra9na concepts for some 2: years of his ministry. 7ne is taught to balance compassion with pra9na i.e.emotion )faith* with rationale )right understanding ( truth ( logic*. 22. The tradition and practice of meditation in Buddhism are relati!ely important and strong. Ihile all religions teach some forms or !ariations of stabilising(single.pointedness meditation$ only Buddhism empha5ises Aipassana )&nsight* meditation as a powerful tool to assist one in see#ing liberation(enlightenment. 23. The doctrine of 0unyata or 4mptiness is uni-ue to Buddhism and its many aspects are well expounded in ad!anced Buddhist teachings. Briefly$ this doctrine asserts the transcendental nature of Fltimate =eality. &t declares the phenomenal world to be !oid of all limitations of particulari5ation and that all concepts of dualism are abolished. 2'. @onditioned "rising G>aticcasamuppada in >aliH or Dependent 7rigination is another #ey doctrine in Buddhism. This doctrine explains that all psychological and physical phenomena constituting indi!idual existence are interdependent and mutually condition each other1 this at the same time describes what entangles sentient beings in samsara. 2+. The concept of %ell)s* in Buddhism is !ery different from that of other religions. &t is not a place for eternal damnation as !iewed by ,almighty creator, religions. &n Buddhism$ it is 9ust one of the six realms in 0amsara Gi.e. the worst of three undesirable realmsH. "lso$ there are !irtually unlimited number of hells in the Buddhist cosmology as there are infinite number of Buddha worlds. 2/. The Buddhist cosmology )or uni!erse* is distinctly different from that of other religions which usually recognise only this solar system )4arth* as the centre of the Fni!erse and the only planet with li!ing beings. The Buddhist !iewpoint of a Buddha world )also #nown as Three Thousand.<old Iorld 0ystem* is that of one billion solar systems. Besides$ the 6ahayana Buddhist doctrines expound that there are other contemporary Buddha worlds li#e "mitabha,s >ure ?and and Bhaisa9yaguru,s world system. 22. 0amsara is a fundamental concept in Buddhism and it is simply the ,perpetual cycles of existence, or endless rounds of rebirth among the six realms of existence. This cyclical rebirth pattern will only end when a sentient being attains ir!ana$ i.e. !irtual exhaustion of #arma$ habitual traces$ defilements and

delusions. "ll other religions preach one hea!en$ one earth and one hell$ but this perspecti!e is !ery limited compared with Buddhist samsara where hea!en is 9ust one of the six realms of existence and it has 23 le!els(planes.