Three Main Contrasts Between Buddhism and Christianity
In the past, religions focused on the inner, spiritual life, with particular emphasis on the ethics of the relationship between people. Today, in the international academic community, in addition to the ethics of studying the relationship between people, people have also started to study how people treat the environment (animals, plants, Non-living) in terms of environmental ethics. Buddhism and Christianity are two of the major religions in the world’s religions. Both of their religious spirits imply deep environmental awareness. However, due to their differences in basic principles of religious objects, commandments and ritual practices, their religious ethics contrasting with each other from a narrow aspect. Thus, this is compare and contrast buddhism and christianity essay where I am going to discuss the attitudes of Buddhism and Christianity towards environmental issues in three aspects.
Firstly, in a comprehensive view, Buddhism and Christianity are very caring about natural ecology, each with its advantages and its limitations. For the environmental consciousness in Buddhism, the environmental protection work of Buddhism can be said to have started from Shakyamuni. In the Buddhist classics and precepts, protection of simplicity, simplicity, vegetarianism and natural ecology, and even the protection of plants are mentioned. For example, the non-killer precept which prohibits the taking of the life of a sentient being is the first precept in the Five Precepts in Buddhism. Buddhist thoughts such as 'reincarnation', 'bodhisattva' and 'causal retribution' etc., all affect how followers of Buddhist thoughts treat the environment and shape their friendly ecological outlook. This also makes Buddhism more concern about the concept of environmental protection which is harmony with nature. Although Buddhism does not directly suggest any structural attempts to improve the environment, for its classics and precepts, it is no doubt that Buddhism is an environmental caring religion.
For the environmental consciousness in Christianity, an important idea expressed in the Bible is that this earth is the home of mankind, not a resource that mankind can arbitrarily control. Moreover, this earth is not only the home of human beings but also the home of various creatures that already exist on this earth in which man is but a steward of this home. As have shown in “Psalms” form the Bible, it said, “The earth is the Lord's, with all its wealth; the world and all the people living in it”, and “For every beast of the woodland is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I see all the birds of the mountains, and the beasts of the field are mine. If I had need of food, I would not give you word of it; for the earth is mine and all its wealth”. This reflected that God is the creator of the world, even though he is a non-nature being, God has direct control over nature. From this, although the world is non-sacred because it was created, and therefore can be the object of exploration, people do not have sovereignty over it. As man is seen as the steward of this world, therefore, positivity human beings should not destroy the environment carelessly; while negativity human beings should take care of this land at all means even having the right to rule in this land.
Moreover, in “Genesis” from the Bible, it said that “And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle and every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark to every beast of the earth. And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth”. In the covenant between God and Noah, God made a covenant not only with Noah's family but also with all living things that came out of the ark. Therefore, as from the Bible, human beings have the obligation to respecting all kinds of animals since these animals are also in God's covenant and God values them. Although God also treats all living creatures as food, this is understood as God's grace to man, and it does not mean that man has the right to treat animals awkwardly. Thus, both Buddhism and Christianity care about the environment.
Secondly, the common ground between Buddhism and Christianity is that the two religions are also divided into three levels of ethics. Buddhism claims that the first level of ethics is to get rid of the suffering of present and future generations, and to improve personal causal behaviors, starting from personal environmental protection practices; The second level is to improve the environmental practice of personal causality; the third is to have a compassionate heart and to improve the karma of the universe so that all beings can become Buddhists. Therefore, we can see that the awareness of environmental protection is laid inside the practice Buddhism of the monks. They need to be careful about the environment, then try to work actively to protect the environment and finally the monks.
For Christianity, Christian ethics divide people into three different according to the norms. The first level is the spiritual ethics that ordinary believers, monks, refiners, divine graces, Masters of the Pact, and saints should abide by, such as the Ten Commandments, the 'Three Super Virtues', and the 'Four pivots'. People at this level will not destroy nature and all things for no reason instead they care for nature and use natural resources with restraint. In the second level, the refiner specializes in spiritual cultivation to drive himself and others, nature, and God closer and more harmonious. These two kinds of people are not only being good to themselves but also the world and have a profound impact on ecological protection. The third level is that the masters and sages comply with the previous two levels and entered the realm of unity with heaven, earth, and God. They will also guide the world to this realm.
Thus, unity is not limited to God and man, but also includes the union with nature, people, and all things. Moreover, in Christianity, the monks or the priests bear a special responsibility in which protecting nature and its resources, and realizing that nature is the home of all human beings, and the home of all living things. They are also aware that If the natural world and the human body cannot be harmoniously harmonized, not only human beings are harmed, but nature is also harmed. The one way to prevent this is to give up the personal right to self-determination and control over created nature. In this aspect, the three levels of Buddhism and Christianity towards the pursuit of environmental protection are similar to each. As both of them agree that people should be harmonious with nature.
Thirdly, for the difference between Buddhism and Christianity towards environmental protection, although Buddhists believe in Buddhism, they follow the dharma, not because of the Buddha, but for the attainment of their Buddhahood, and even for all beings. The basic starting point for Christian religious believers to keep the commandments of canons is God. Since God wants people to love people and things like him as human is God’s creation. Christians love people to love things in order to do the will of God is come their love to God. Later then achieve their own rich life, lead people to this new life, and participate in the creation of the universe's nature. Therefore, we can see that the starting point for Buddhists and Christian towards environmental issues is fundamentally different. Buddhists care and protect nature is because everything including animals is equal in this world and they do this is for the attainment of their Buddhahood and also to release being from the reincarnation. While for Christians, they love and protect the environment is because God loves all the being in this world, and as God’s creature, they should follow what God likes. Moreover, God gives them the right to rule this land, therefore Christians think that they should protect nature and use natural resources with restraint.
