Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Buddhism
Carlee Heger
Christianity and Buddhism are similar in that they both follow the teachings of a leader
that remains the face of the religion. Christianity was founded around 33 C.E on the life,
teachings, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus claimed to be the son of god, and Christians
believe that Jesus was the divine messiah sent to spread his methods and to save the people.
Jesus was eventually arrested and charged with religious disruption and was sentenced to
crucifixion. Crucifixion was a common form of Roman punishment in the time period. Jesus was
said to have died on a friday, and resurrected on a sunday. This resurrection and return to heaven
was seen as a divine act and is a large part of Jesus teachings.
Just as the beliefs and origins of both Christianity and Buddhism are different, so is their
architecture. Both types of religious architecture remain symbolic to the religion and represent
different meanings and messages. Buddhists have many sacred buildings including one of the
most sacred buildings, the Stupa. The Stupa is a Buddhist monument. It is often seen as a domed
mound. Although Stupas are not the only religious structure involved with Buddhism, they are
the most distinctive. Various Stupas around the world symbolize different things. Stupas usually
incase the ashes of buddhist monks and often are a place of meditation. Christians also have
sacred buildings used for prayer. Christian churches can be found almost anywhere in the world
today. Basilicas, now described as a large and important church that have been given large
ceremonial importance by the Pope, are sacred buildings in Christianity. Basilicas are often very
big and typically have large rectangular hallways. Adopted from the Roman secular city
buildings, they also often have arches and vaults. Both Buddhism and Christianity have unique
aspects to their religious architecture.
Buddhism and Christianity are widely practiced around the world today. Although they
are both large religions, they are radically different. They compare and contrast in many ways
and they both have advantages and disadvantages. Buddhism and Christianity share similarities
and differences in their objectives and beliefs, their origins, and their religious symbolism seen in
architecture.
Sources:
B.A. Robinson. "Comparison of Buddhism & Christianity." Religious Tolerance. Ontario
Consultants on Religious Tolerance, 5 Nov. 2010. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.
Fiero, Gloria K. The Humanistic Tradition. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2006. Print.
Gietmann, Gerhard, and Herbert Thurston. "Basilica." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New
York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 12 Nov. 2014
Snodgrass, Adrian, The Symbolism of the Stupa. New York: Cornell University, 1985.