Christianity and Buddhism in Comparative Perspective (Contents)
Part 1. Origins and Foundational Visions Part 2. The Making of the Scriptures: The Bible and the Tripiṭaka Part 3.…
Category: Christianity and Buddhism in Comparative Perspective
Part 1. Origins and Foundational Visions
1. Introduction Christianity and Buddhism rank among the most influential spiritual traditions in human history. Though both respond to the…
Part 2. The Making of the Scriptures: The Bible and the Tripiṭaka
1. Introduction Sacred scripture is the heart of both Christianity and Buddhism, serving as the enduring witness to each tradition’s…
Part 3. The Nature of Ultimate Reality
1. Introduction Every religious and philosophical system begins with a fundamental question: What is ultimately real?In Christianity, ultimate reality is…
Part 4. The Human Condition
1. Introduction Every religion begins with an implicit anthropology — an understanding of what it means to be human and…
Part 5. Suffering, Evil, and Moral Order
1. Introduction No question is more universal than the problem of suffering. Every culture asks: Why do we suffer, and…
Part 6. The Path to Liberation or Salvation
1. Introduction Having examined the origins of suffering and moral disorder, we now turn to the paths of transformation. Both…
Part 7. Ethics, Love, and Compassion
1. Introduction In both Christianity and Buddhism, ethical life represents the visible expression of spiritual truth. Belief or enlightenment, if…
Part 8. Prayer, Meditation, and Spiritual Practice
1. Introduction Every religion seeks not merely to explain the world but to transform the heart. Both Christianity and Buddhism…
Part 9. The Afterlife and the Nature of Eternity
1. Introduction Death has always stood as one of humanity’s greatest mysteries. Every religion seeks to explain what, if anything,…
Part 10. The Person of Christ and the Figure of the Buddha
1. Introduction Every religion is shaped by its founding personality. In Christianity and Buddhism, the life and teaching of the…
Part 11. Truth, Knowledge, and Enlightenment
1. Introduction Every religion offers not only a path to salvation or liberation but also a theory of knowledge —…
Part 12. Community, Worship, and the Path of Discipleship
1. Introduction Religion is not lived in isolation. Both Christianity and Buddhism affirm that spiritual growth unfolds within a community…
Part 13. Convergence, Dialogue, and the Search for Universal Wisdom
1. Introduction The encounter between Christianity and Buddhism represents one of the most profound dialogues in religious and philosophical history.…