Da’wah To Budhists

Comparative Chart Between Buddhism And Islam

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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

Buddhists

Muslims

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

Buddhists

ISLAM

Muslims

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 .

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