Interfaith Dialogue

Buddhism and the Catholic Church The Church expressed its desire to learn how the Spirit may be at work in Buddhism Second Vatican Council (1962 – 1965) Most Catholic–Buddhist dialogue has been about spiritual experience Buddhism is a very practical religion Buddha rejected discussion of God because he wanted his followers to focus on something they could understand and do something about—suffering The question of suffering is at the heart of Catholic–Buddhist theological dialogue

Catholic View on Suffering For Catholics, suffering is not the main evil to be overcome Suffering can even be redemptive Suffering can be an act of liberating people to love Ex. God suffered on the cross Love is what Christians seek and, for them, God is the greatest example and source of love

Monastic Traditions Because both Catholics and Buddhists have long-standing monastic traditions, the Church turned to the Benedictines to initiate dialogue Buddhist and Catholic monks/nuns have lived together to learn the other’s spiritual traditions and meditation techniques Buddhist monks, such as the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh, have encouraged Christians to enter more deeply into their tradition In 1991, Pope John Paul II said they have learned from each other “the universal value of self-discipline, silence, and contemplation” in the development of the human person

Buddha vs. Jesus Buddha Jesus There were prophesies made about Siddhartha Gautama at his birth (king or spiritual leader The Buddha went through a period of self-denial (asceticism) near the beginning of his ministry Buddha had disciples (monks and nuns) Buddha was tempted by evil forces (Mara) Buddha taught using parables There were prophesies made at the birth of Jesus that he would be the Messiah, the Son of God Jesus was in the desert for forty days after his Baptism Jesus had disciples Jesus was temped by evil forces Jesus taught using parables

Thomas Merton Born in France, baptized as an Anglican, and raised largely in the United States and England Identified himself mainly as a communist and atheist A sequence of events, including moments of revelation in a church in Rome, led to his joining the Catholic Church in 1938 While teaching at St. Bonaventure University in New York state, he attended a retreat at a Trappist monastery in Kentucky Soon after, he joined the Trappist order Merton became a strong supporter of interreligious understanding By the early 1950s, he was exchanging ideas with writers around the world on issues of prayer, justice, and the contemplative life In 1968, Merton met with Buddhists, Hindus, and Christians in India and Southeast Asia, exchanging ideas and insights Meetings with the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh greatly influenced his ideas

Mother Earth Catholics and Buddhists share a common concern for the health of the Earth Both faiths believe there is a spiritual dimension to the ecological crisis of today, which is related to the human desire for material goods Dealing with this desire is part of the contribution that religions can make to these issues Catholics and Buddhists are taking a more active part in trying to solve environmental problems In some countries, Buddhists have formed Green Buddhist movements

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