Did Christianity "borrow" from Buddhism?

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
PeterB
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Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:35 pm

Re: Did Christianity "borrow" from Buddhism?

Post by PeterB »

Zakattack, I am not a Buddhist, and I do not think that a Buddhist forum is a suitable venue to discuss Christian Theology..if you are interested there are Christian websites where discussion could be had. Including anthropomorphic ideas about the " mind " of God.
My only reason for joining the conversation was to demur from the view that Christianity borrowed from Buddhism.
That is my final post to this thread.
:anjali:
binocular
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Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:13 pm

Re: Did Christianity "borrow" from Buddhism?

Post by binocular »

Zakattack wrote:Definitely not. Easy as pie to refute.
Pffft. Not at all.

But I have much better things to do with my time. Like Ground, best you learn Buddhism before asserting & refuting this & that.
You mean - best first assert conviction in the Buddhist teachings, and then go and refute this and that?

:blink:
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
Zakattack
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Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2013 4:07 am

Re: Did Christianity "borrow" from Buddhism?

Post by Zakattack »

PeterB wrote:Zakattack, I am not a Buddhist, and I do not think that a Buddhist forum is a suitable venue to discuss Christian Theology...
Voicing an opinion is fine but scriptures show Buddha & his followers did not avoid discussion, both positively & negatively, about Brahma.
PeterB wrote:My only reason for joining the conversation was to demur from the view that Christianity borrowed from Buddhism.
The video below includes many very learned Western scholars of theology, with some making the common observation that the revolutionary teachings of Jesus have no root in Judaism. For learned people, the view that Christianity borrowed from Buddhism is a possibility. For example, apart from the revolutionary teachings, the Bible portrays Jesus recommending the life of a mendicant to his apostles. Again, this probably has an Indian root. Were there contemplative mendicant traditions in the West or Middle East?






Greco-Buddhism, sometimes spelled Graeco-Buddhism, refers to the cultural syncretism between Hellenistic culture and Buddhism, which developed between the 4th century BCE and the 5th century CE in the Indian sub-continent, especially in modern Afghanistan, Pakistan and north-western border regions of modern India. It was a cultural consequence of a long chain of interactions begun by Greek forays into India from the time of Alexander the Great, carried further by the establishment of Indo-Greek rule in the area for some centuries, and extended during flourishing of the Hellenized empire of the Kushans. Greco-Buddhism influenced the artistic, and perhaps the spiritual development of Buddhism, particularly Mahayana Buddhism, which represents one of the two main branches of Buddhism. The Buddhist religious system was then adopted in Central and Northeastern Asia, from the 1st century CE, ultimately spreading to China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Buddhism
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ground
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Re: Did Christianity "borrow" from Buddhism?

Post by ground »

binocular wrote:
ground wrote:Same source, same essence, same basis. In addition: same effect of practice (focus and exclusion, resulting in faith, contentment, confidence and even happiness). However the ideas qua self-expressions by means of words are different. So it is similar to colors. All colors are the same in terms of source, essence, basis and visual effect qua effect ... however individuals actually do prefer different colors. That does however not render one color superior to the other when the sphere of preference, i.e. mere like and dislike, is left behind.
In that case, you seem to be arguing for an "anything goes, anything is good enough" stance.
No arguinng for anything. nothing goes but you may cultivate ideas that anything or something goes.
binocular wrote:Even shooting heroin up one's veins results in faith, contentment, confidence and even happiness -- for some time.
If so then there is similarity with religions like christianity and buddhism. The difference being that ideas are effective in the context of christianity and buddhism. Being thirsty for ideas some prefer christianity others prefer buddhism. Ideas may cause agreeable feelings like colors may. Therefore there is preference, like and dislike of ideas. :sage:
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