1. By Luis Garibay, Alexis Ortega, Alan Licerio, and Luis Reynoso
Buddhism
By Luis Garibay, Alexis Ortega, Alan Licerio, and Luis Reynoso

2. Section 6: Buddhism through Catholic Lens

3. Overview
There are strong similarities and vast differences between Jesus and Siddhartha.
Compassion and loving kindness are important behaviors in both Buddhism and Christianity.
Suffering is an important topic in both Catholicism and Buddhism, but each religious tradition sees the meaning of suffering in very different ways.
Both Christianity and Buddhism have strong, vibrant monastic traditions.

4. Jesus Christ and Siddhartha the Buddha
There are similarities between the stories of the life of Jesus and the life of Siddhartha.
Both had miracles associated with their respective births.
Both were tempted before they began their public life.
Both had followers, walked on water, fed a multitude of people, and shared a message and a way fir spiritual freedom.

5. Both attributed to them the foundation of a world religion.
Both religious traditions spread far and wide.
Buddhism went east, Christianity went west.
Nowadays, one can find Buddhism flourishing anew in the West while Christianity is making new inroads in the East.
Their places of origin have very few adherents of their respective religious traditions.

6. Ironically, Christians can be found in their land of birth, which is modern-day Israel, while very few Buddhists can be found in India.
As you can see, there are profound similarities between these two religious figures, however, there are many differences.

7. Differences Siddhartha never claimed to be divine.
Jesus was both human and divine.
Jesus was born of humble means while Siddhartha was born into royalty.
Siddhartha was married, and Jesus was not.
Jesus’ message was about the Kingdom of God.
Siddhartha’s message was about the cessation of suffering.

8. Suffering Suffering is a common theme between Buddhists and Catholics
For Buddhists, all who have not reached Nirvana in this world are prone to suffer
People’s past lives of negative, destructive activity, such as greed, hatred, and stealing subject them to return to another life of suffering.
Buddhists get off of the Samsara by stopping desires and cravings.

9. Buddhists name three categories of suffering:
First- Physical or Emotional: Violence= Suffering
Second- Change or Transition in one’s life= Suffering when someone or something precious is vanished.
Example- one’s hard-earned home is destroyed in a fire= Suffering.
Third- Pain brought about even in the midst of pleasure= pleasure is an illusion, it is a midst.

10. Buddhists believe that within seeming pleasure is suffering.
The suffering comes from the fact that since all things are impermanent, the pleasure of being the team captain is impermanent and illusory.
Buddhists would say that the perception of suffering is ultimately life-giving, for looking squarely and accepting wholeheartedly that which is real and turning away from that which is illusory brings great peace and true happiness to people.

11. “Catholics understand suffering as part of the finite human condition
“Catholics understand suffering as part of the finite human condition. Some suffering is through no fault of one’s own, such as natural disaster and disease. Other sufferings that we bring upon others and ourselves, for one of the consequences of Original Sin is an inclination to evil” (CCC, 406).

12. It is a mistake to think that God created suffering or that God wants people to suffer.
On the contrary, God desires the cessation of suffering, and sometimes we are the instruments to help alleviate the suffering of others.
Suffering is a mystery.
The most important thing to remember about suffering is to trust God.
God is with all creation always and provides for what people need to get through life’s many sufferings.

13. With Jesus, all suffering ceases at one’s own resurrection when one experiences eternal life with God and the saints.

14. Conclusion Buddhists deny the existence of a human soul.
Siddhartha Gautama, founder of Buddhism, came to the realization that suffering was part of life and that it can be extinguished through the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path.
Meditation is the method through which an individual gains the two most important virtues in Buddhism, which are wisdom and compassion.
Realizing that all is impermanent, unsatisfactory, and not-self brings one to that which is permanent bliss, Nirvana.