Buddhism
ISLAM
Practices
Meditation, the Eightfold Path; right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration
Five pillars: Testament that there is one God and Muhammad is his messenger (shahadah); prayer five times daily; fast during Ramadan; charity to the poor (zakat); pilgrimage (Hajj).
Place of origin
Indian subcontinent
Arabian Peninsula, Mecca at Mount Hira.
Use of statues and pictures
Common. Statues are used as meditation objects, and revered as they reflect the qualities of the Buddha.
Images of God or prophets not permitted. Art takes the form of calligraphy, architecture etc. Muslims distinguish themselves from other groups by not drawing lifelike human works, which could be mistaken as idolatry. No image is representative of God
Belief of God
The idea of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent creator is rejected by Buddhists. The Buddha himself refuted the theistic argument that the universe was created by a self-conscious, personal God.
Only one God (monotheism). God is the one True Creator. God has always existed, none existed before him and will exist forever. He transcends life and death. No part of His creation resembles Him, He cannot be seen, but sees all.
Founder
The Buddha (born as Prince Siddhartha)
Prophet Muhammad. According to Islamic scripture, all people who follow God’s revealed guidance and the messengers sent with it ‘submit’ to that guidance, and are considered Muslims (ie. Adam, Moses, Abraham, Jesus, etc.).
Life after death
Rebirth is one of the central beliefs of Buddhism. We are in an endless cycle of birth, death and re-birth, which can only be broken by attaining nirvana. Attaining nirvana is the only way to escape suffering permanently.
All beings created with reason will be accountable to God Almighty on the Day of Judgement. They will be rewarded for every atom’s weight of good, and either forgiven or punished for evil deeds.
Human Nature
Ignorance, as all sentient beings. In the Buddhist texts, it is seen that when Gautama, after his awakening, was asked whether he was a normal human being, he replied, “No”.
Humans are born pure and innocent. Upon reaching adolescence, you are responsible for what you do, and must choose right from wrong. Islam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand.
Clergy
The Buddhist Sangha, composed of bhikkhus (male monks) and bhikkhunis (female nuns). The sangha is supported by lay Buddhists.
Imam leads congregational prayer in a mosque. Sheikh, Maulana, Mullah and Mufti
Literal Meaning
Buddhists are those who follow the teachings of the Buddha.
Islam is derived from the Arabic root “Salema”: peace, purity, submission and obedience. In the religious sense, Islam means submission to the will of God and obedience to His law. A Muslim is one who follows Islam.
Followers
Scriptures
Tripitaka – a vast canon composed of 3 sections: the Discourses, the Discipline and the Commentaries, and some early scriptures, such as the Gandhara texts.
The Qur’an, and traditions of the Holy Last messenger Muhammad, called ‘Sunnah’ which is found in narrations or ‘hadiths’ by the men around him.
Original Language(s)
Pali(Theravada tradition) and Sanskrit(Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition)
Arabic
View of the Buddha
The highest teacher and the founder of Buddhism, the all-transcending sage.
N/A. Islamic scripture does not discuss or mention Gautam Buddha.
Means of salvation
Reaching Enlightenment or Nirvana, following the Noble Eightfold Path.
Belief in one God, remembrance of God, repentance, fear of God and hope in God’s mercy.
Geographical distribution and predominance
(Majority or strong influence) Mainly in Thailand, Cambodia, Sri lanka, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Japan, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Vietnam, China, Mongolia, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Other small minorities exist in other countries.
There are 1.6 billion. By the percentage of the total population in a region considering themselves Muslim, 24.8% in Asia-Oceania, 91.2% in the Middle East-North Africa, 29.6% in Sub-Saharan Africa, around 6.0% in Europe, and 0.6% in the Americas.
Marriage
It is not a religious duty to marry. Monks and nuns do not marry and are celibate. Advice in the Discourses on how to maintain a happy and harmonious marriage.
Islam is totally opposed to monasticism and celibacy. Marriage is an act of Sunnah in Islam and is strongly recommended. Men can only marry the “people of the book” i.e., Abrahamic religions. Women can only marry a Muslim man.
Confessing sins
Sin is not a Buddhist concept.
Forgiveness must be sought from God, there is no intermediary with him. If any wrong is done against another person or thing, forgiveness must first be sought from them, then from God, as all of God’s creation have rights that must not be infringed
Population
500-600 million
1.6 billion Muslims
Status of women
No distinctions between men and women. Women are equal to men, and men are equal to women in the Sangha. The Buddha gave Men and Women equal rights and a major part in the Sangha.
The prophet said “Do good to and serve your mother, then your mother, then your mother, then your father, then the near relatives and then those who come after them.”
Islam’s honoring women is the great status of the mother in Islam.
Symbols
The conch, endless knot, fish, lotus, parasol, vase, dharmachakra (Wheel of Dharma), and victory banner.
Muhammad’s name in calligraphy is common. There is also the black standard that says “There is no god but God and Muhammad is the last messenger of God” in Arabic. The star and crescent is not Islam per se; it is inspired by the Ottoman empire.
Principle
This life is suffering, and the only way to escape from this suffering is to dispel one’s cravings and ignorance by realizing the Four Noble Truths and practicing the Eightfold Path.
Say, “He is Allah , [who is] One, Allah , the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent.” – Quran: Surah Al Ikhlas
Views on Other Religions
Being a practical philosophy, Buddhism is neutral against other religions.
Christians and Jews are regarded as the people of the book, who hold a great deal of respect over materialists but are disbelievers far from the correct path.
Religious Law
The Dharma.
Shariah law (derived from Quran and Hadith) governs prayers, business transactions, and individual rights, as well as criminal and governmental laws. Religious debate, or ‘Shura’ is utilized for practical solutions to contemporary issues
Time of origin
2,500 years ago, circa 563 B.C.E. (Before Common Era)
600 C.E.
Status of Vedas
The Buddha rejected the 5 Vedas, according to the dialogues seen in the nikayas.
N/A
Concept of Deity
n/a. According to some interpretations, there are beings in heaven realms but they are also bound by “samsara”. They may have less suffering but have not yet achieved salvation (nibbana)
God (Allah) is the only god and is all-powerful and omnipotent.
BUDDHISM
Meditation, the Eightfold Path; right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration
ISLAM
Five pillars: Testament that there is one God and Muhammad is his messenger (Shahadah); prayer five times daily; fast during Ramadan; charity to the poor (zakat); pilgrimage (Hajj).
BUDDHISM
Indian subcontinent
ISLAM
Arabian Peninsula, Mecca at Mount Hira.
BUDDHISM
Common. Statues are used as meditation objects, and revered as they reflect the qualities of the Buddha.
ISLAM
Images of God or prophets not permitted. Art takes the form of calligraphy, architecture etc. Muslims distinguish themselves from other groups by not drawing lifelike human works, which could be mistaken as idolatry. No image is representative of God
BUDDHISM
The idea of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent creator is rejected by Buddhists. The Buddha himself refuted the theistic argument that the universe was created by a self-conscious, personal God.
ISLAM
Only one God (monotheism). God is the one True Creator. God has always existed, none existed before him and will exist forever. He transcends life and death. No part of His creation resembles Him, He cannot be seen, but sees all.
BUDDHISM
The Buddha (born as Prince Siddhartha)
ISLAM
Prophet Muhammad. According to Islamic scripture, all people who follow God’s revealed guidance and the messengers sent with it ‘submit’ to that guidance, and are considered Muslims (ie. Adam, Moses, Abraham, Jesus, etc.).
BUDDHISM
Rebirth is one of the central beliefs of Buddhism. We are in an endless cycle of birth, death and re-birth, which can only be broken by attaining nirvana. Attaining nirvana is the only way to escape suffering permanently.
ISLAM
All beings created with reason will be accountable to God Almighty on the Day of Judgement. They will be rewarded for every atom’s weight of good, and either forgiven or punished for evil deeds.
BUDDHISM
Ignorance, as all sentient beings. In the Buddhist texts, it is seen that when Gautama, after his awakening, was asked whether he was a normal human being, he replied, “No”.
ISLAM
Humans are born pure and innocent. Upon reaching adolescence, you are responsible for what you do, and must choose right from wrong. Islam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand.
BUDDHISM
The Buddhist Sangha, composed of bhikkhus (male monks) and bhikkhunis (female nuns). The sangha is supported by lay Buddhists.
ISLAM
mam leads congregational prayer in a mosque. Sheikh, Maulana, Mullah and Mufti
BUDDHISM
Buddhists are those who follow the teachings of the Buddha.
ISLAM
Islam is derived from the Arabic root “Salema”: peace, purity, submission and obedience. In the religious sense, Islam means submission to the will of God and obedience to His law. A Muslim is one who follows Islam.
BUDDHISM
Tripitaka – a vast canon composed of 3 sections: the Discourses, the Discipline and the Commentaries, and some early scriptures, such as the Gandhara texts.
ISLAM
The Qur’an, and traditions of the Holy Last messenger Muhammad, called ‘Sunnah’ which is found in narrations or ‘hadiths’ by the men around him.
BUDDHISM
Pali(Theravada tradition) and Sanskrit(Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition)
ISLAM
Arabic
BUDDHISM
The highest teacher and the founder of Buddhism, the all-transcending sage.
ISLAM
N/A. Islamic scripture does not discuss or mention Gautam Buddha
BUDDHISM
Reaching Enlightenment or Nirvana, following the Noble Eightfold Path.
ISLAM
Belief in one God, remembrance of God, repentance, fear of God and hope in God’s mercy.
BUDDHISM
(Majority or strong influence) Mainly in Thailand, Cambodia, Sri lanka, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Japan, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Vietnam, China, Mongolia, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Other small minorities exist in other countries.
ISLAM
There are 1.6 billion. By the percentage of the total population in a region considering themselves Muslim, 24.8% in Asia-Oceania, 91.2% in the Middle East-North Africa, 29.6% in Sub-Saharan Africa, around 6.0% in Europe, and 0.6% in the Americas.
BUDDHISM
It is not a religious duty to marry. Monks and nuns do not marry and are celibate. Advice in the Discourses on how to maintain a happy and harmonious marriage.
ISLAM
Islam is totally opposed to monasticism and celibacy. Marriage is an act of Sunnah in Islam and is strongly recommended. Men can only marry the “people of the book” i.e., Abrahamic religions. Women can only marry a Muslim man.
BUDDHISM
Sin is not a Buddhist concept.
ISLAM
Forgiveness must be sought from God, there is no intermediary with him. If any wrong is done against another person or thing, forgiveness must first be sought from them, then from God, as all of God’s creation have rights that must not be infringed
BUDDHISM
500-600 million
ISLAM
1.6 billion Muslims
BUDDHISM
No distinctions between men and women. Women are equal to men, and men are equal to women in the Sangha. The Buddha gave Men and Women equal rights and a major part in the Sangha.
ISLAM
The prophet said “Do good to and serve your mother, then your mother, then your mother, then your father, then the near relatives and then those who come after them.” Islam’s honoring women is the great status of the mother in Islam.
BUDDHISM
The conch, endless knot, fish, lotus, parasol, vase, dharmachakra (Wheel of Dharma), and victory banner.
ISLAM
Muhammad’s name in calligraphy is common. There is also the black standard that says “There is no god but God and Muhammad is the last messenger of God” in Arabic. The star and crescent is not Islam per se; it is inspired by the Ottoman empire.
BUDDHISM
This life is suffering, and the only way to escape from this suffering is to dispel one’s cravings and ignorance by realizing the Four Noble Truths and practicing the Eightfold Path.
ISLAM
Say, “He is Allah , [who is] One, Allah , the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent.” – Quran: Surah Al Ikhlas
BUDDHISM
Being a practical philosophy, Buddhism is neutral against other religions.
ISLAM
Christians and Jews are regarded as the people of the book, who hold a great deal of respect over materialists but are disbelievers far from the correct path.
BUDDHISM
The Dharma.
ISLAM
Shariah law (derived from Quran and Hadith) governs prayers, business transactions, and individual rights, as well as criminal and governmental laws. Religious debate, or ‘Shura’ is utilized for practical solutions to contemporary issues
BUDDHISM
2,500 years ago, circa 563 B.C.E. (Before Common Era)
ISLAM
600 C.E.
BUDDHISM
The Buddha rejected the 5 Vedas, according to the dialogues seen in the nikayas.
ISLAM
N/A
BUDDHISM
n/a. According to some interpretations, there are beings in heaven realms but they are also bound by “samsara”. They may have less suffering but have not yet achieved salvation (nibbana)
ISLAM
God (Allah) is the only god and is all-powerful and omnipotent .