Difference Between Islam and Buddhism

Edited by Diffzy | Updated on: April 30, 2023

       

Difference Between Islam and Buddhism

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Introduction

Several faiths are practiced by people all around the globe. The fact that the majority of people living in a certain country adhere to the same religious tradition is one of the criteria used to determine whether or not a nation is deemed a religious country. There are many different faiths in the world, including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and others. The number of their distinctions much outweighs the number of those that they share. The following are some of the key distinctions between Buddhism and Islam.

On the surface, there seems to be a greater number of distinctions between Buddhism and Islam's ideas than there are commonalities. Buddhism is a religion that rejects the concept of a creator God but recognizes enlightened beings as deities. Whereas Islam is a monotheistic religion that believes in worshipping an all-powerful God, Buddhism honors enlightened beings as deities. Buddhism encourages its followers to abstain from alcohol and narcotics as well as practice vegetarianism. Alcohol is forbidden in Islam, yet the religion does not promote a vegetarian diet.

One is not regarded to be a Buddhist if they take spiritual refuge in anything that is not the Buddha, the Dhamma, or the Sangha. Even though he or she may study and learn from other religions, if they consider another teaching and honor someone outside the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha (collectively called the Sasana) as equal to or higher than the Sasana, then they are not Buddhists. Studying and learning from other religions is not required to become a Buddhist.

Islam vs. Buddhism

The most significant distinction between Buddhism and Islam is that the former was established by Prophet Muhammad, while the latter was established by Lord Buddha. They adhere to a wide variety of philosophies and codes of conduct. The Tripitaka text is what Buddhism bases its beliefs on, whereas the Quran is what Islam bases its beliefs on. The principles and ideas that are outlined in the Quran form the primary foundation of Islam.

Prophet Muhammad is credited with founding the faith that is now known as Islam. It is considered to be one of the oldest faiths on the whole planet. Numerous nations, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Turkey, amongst others, have adopted Islam as their official religion for state purposes. The laws and ordinances that govern these nations are, for the most part, derived from the laws and ordinances that are outlined in the Quran. This practice has been seen not only in modern times but also in ancient times, back when these nations were controlled by sultans.

Lord Buddha is credited with establishing Buddhism in around 563 B.C.E. This is a belief system practiced throughout Asia. This religion is practiced mostly in the nations of Asia. This religion is practiced extensively in several nations, including Nepal, China, and others. The teachings of Gautam Buddha are central to this religious tradition. The teachings of Lord Buddha serve as the foundation for all the spiritual traditions and practices.

Later theories of Buddhism were the ones responsible for introducing the idea of God, but Muslims have always held that there is one God who is known as Allah. In contrast to Islam, which rejects the concept of salvation altogether, Buddhists hold the view that a person's deeds determine whether or not they will be saved.

The concepts of good and evil are not accorded a great deal of importance in Buddhist thought, in contrast to the Islamic belief that Allah is both the creator of the world and the origin of both good and evil. Last but not least, when it comes to the concept of everlasting life, Buddhists have a strong belief in karma, but the Islamic perspective is that a person's prospects for eternal life are determined by the actions they do in their current life while adhering to the Islamic way of life.

Difference Between Islam and Buddhism in Tabular Form

Parameters of Comparison Islam Buddhism
Founder Prophet Mohammad Gautam Buddha
Places of worship Mosque or masjid, or any other location that is clean by Islamic requirements Shrines, monasteries, and temples dedicated to the Buddhist religion
Salvation Belief in God, penitence, and obedient observance of God's precepts are the prerequisites for receiving God's compassion. Following the Noble Eightfold Path to achieve enlightenment is the goal of this journey.
Scriptures The sacred text is known as the Quran. One of the canonical texts is known as the Tripitaka.
Original Language Arabic language Pali and Sanskrit language

What is Islam?

Sacred rituals and prayers are carried out in religious buildings known as mosques or masjids. Muslims are those who adhere to this particular religious tradition. There are two distinct branches of Islam practiced by those who identify as Muslim: the Sunni and the Shia. The majority of Muslims, around eighty-five to ninety percent of adherents, are Sunni, whilst Shia adherents make up a somewhat smaller percentage, perhaps ten to fifteen percent. The influence of Prophet Muhammad has slowed down the expansion of the Shia community within the Islamic faith, but at the same time, it has enhanced the expansion of the Sunni community.

The sacred text known as the Quran is used to interpret and guide the practice of the laws and teachings of this religion. According to Islamic doctrine, there is only one God, and his name is Allah. Because of this, we refer to them as monotheists. God is described as being all-powerful, all-merciful, and one-of-a-kind in Islamic theology. The spread of Islam around the globe may be attributed to a variety of factors. The Ottoman Empire, the work of missionaries in various places, and other factors are often cited as the primary explanations.

Every single Muslim is required to abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset throughout the month of Ramadan. Certain people, such as pregnant women and others, are exempt from having to observe this fast. In observance of the Ramadan guideline, one must abstain from food and drink from sunrise till sunset. During this period, no ingestibles of any kind, including food and drink, as well as smoking, are permitted. This holy month of Ramadan will conclude with the celebration of Id. This religious tradition upholds the values of faith, humanism, and peace.

There are five obligations that Muslims are required to fulfill within the community by the teachings of Islam as a religion, and this is the core concept upon which Islamic law is based. The majority of people in the Middle East, North Africa, and certain regions of Asia adhere to the Islamic faith. An estimated thirteen percent of the population of Indonesia adheres to the religious tenets of Islam, making it the most populous Muslim nation on the planet. A significant number of Muslims may also be found among the populations of nations located in and around the Indian subcontinent.

The Prophet Muhammad is credited with the establishment of Islam. Muhammad is said to have received revelations from the Angel Gabriel. These revelations are compiled in the book known as the Quran, which is considered to be the sacred book of Muslims. The central tenet of Muslim theology is the belief that there is only one God, who is unchanging and everlasting, and that Muhammad was God's final prophet, following in the footsteps of other prophets such as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Muslims believe that on the Day of Judgment, mankind will be revived and given either an everlasting reward or punishment based on their behavior.

What is Buddhism?

The teachings of Lord Gautama Buddha are at the heart of the religious tradition known as Buddhism. Countries throughout Asia are home to followers of this religion. It is widely practiced in Nepal, China, Sri Lanka, India, and other countries. Approximately 25,000 years ago, India was the place where this religion first emerged. Buddhists are those individuals who adhere to the teachings of this religion. The teachings of Lord Buddha provide the foundation for the vast majority of the traditions and spiritual practices. They hold the belief that God may be found in any living thing. This religion's end objective is to triumph over the wants, sorrows, and greed that are inherent to this life.

They hold the notion that one may break free from the cycle of life and death and ascend to the plane of eternity by practicing frequent prayers, adhering to strict rules, and concentrating on one's thoughts. The monasteries that are dedicated to the practice of Buddhism are an essential part of the religion's cultural legacy. The monks and nuns who run these establishments are known as bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, respectively. They impart the wisdom of Lord Buddha to Buddhist monks and nuns to carry on his teachings. The practice of meditation, believing in and adhering to the Dharma and Sangha, and seeking refuge beneath the compassion of Lord Buddha are the primary components of the rules.

The Tripitaka, which was composed in Sanskrit and Pali, is considered to be the most sacred text in Buddhism. In the religion of Buddhism, which was taught by Lord Buddha, many fascinating tales mostly have a moral about mankind. These are highly essential and helpful lessons that should be taught to every kid, regardless of their religious background.

The teachings of the Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gautama, are the foundation of Buddhism. Buddhism is a philosophy that embraces a range of traditions, practices, and beliefs rather than just being a religion as many people mistakenly believe. Buddhists believe in the two main branches of Buddhism, which include the Theravada, also known as "The School of the Elders," and Mahayana, often known as "The Great Vehicle." Whereas Muslims adhere to the Five Pillars of Islam, Buddhists believe in the two major branches of Buddhism. Buddhism is a religion that is followed by a significant number of people in Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka.

Siddhartha Gautama, often known as the Buddha, gave up his royal heritage to investigate the reasons for the existence of human suffering and lay the groundwork for the religion that bears his name. Enlightenment came to the Buddha as he was practicing meditation beneath the renowned Bodhi tree, where he had been staying for several years. The teachings of the Buddha can be summed up in what is known as the "Four Noble Truths," which are as follows: Suffering is unavoidable in life; desire is the root cause of suffering; suffering can end; and there is a particular path to end suffering, which involves adhering to the moral standards of the "Eightfold Path" and achieving enlightenment.

Main Differences Between Islam and Buddhism in Points

  • On the other hand, Gautama Buddha is considered to be the founder of Buddhism. Prophet Mohammad is considered to be the creator of Islam.
  • In Buddhism, monasteries, temples, and shrines are considered to be places of worship. In Islam, however, mosques, masjids, or any other location that adheres to the religion's cleanliness requirements may serve as a site of worship.
  • On the other side, the meaning of redemption is realized when one reaches Enlightenment via the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path. Belief in God, penitence, and obedient observance of God's laws are essential components of the Islamic understanding of salvation, which results in one receiving the favor of God.
  • In contrast to the Quran, which is the holy text of Islam, the Tripitaka is the sacred scripture of Buddhism. The Quran was written in the 7th century.
  • In contrast to the Tripitaka, which is written in Pali and Sanskrit, the Quran was initially written in the Arabic language.
  •  Buddhism encourages its followers to abstain from alcohol and narcotics as well as practice vegetarianism. Alcohol is forbidden in Islam, yet the religion does not promote a vegetarian diet.
  • The Five Pillars of Islam are the core tenets of Islam, while the Theravada and Mahayana schools of Buddhism are the two primary schools of Buddhism.
  • Buddhism is the predominant faith in Sri Lanka and the rest of Southeast Asia, while Islam is the predominant religion in the Middle East and several other regions of Asia.

Conclusion

Each religion has its own set of core ideas and canonical texts. In the end, though, every religion teaches its adherents to focus their attention on their thoughts and to live their lives in harmony. The concepts of peace, humanism, and eternity may be found throughout the majority of world faiths. The technique and the rules may be different, but the end aim will remain the same: to achieve the greatest degree of mental focus possible, which is also the most effective level of concentration that science has discovered up to this point.

Every individual is capable, with an open mind, of assimilating the beneficial teachings of any religion, which has the potential to not only make them highly informed but also to direct them down the correct path to accomplish whatever they want in their life.

Both the practices of Islam and Buddhism strive for self-improvement and betterment as human beings. To accomplish this, followers are expected to cultivate good values or virtues, which can be summarised as the following: do good unto others and avoid acts that constitute evil to fellow human beings.

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"Difference Between Islam and Buddhism." Diffzy.com, 2024. Thu. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.diffzy.com/article/difference-between-islam-and-buddhism-582>.



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