Summary
Both Judaism and Buddhism are religions with a rich history and an impressive global following. There are distinct differences between certain beliefs, aspects, traditions, and rituals that illustrate the contrast between Judaism and Buddhism. However, specific philosophical dogmas and ideas are similar in both teachings of the two religions. While Judaism and Buddhism have similarities and differences, it is essential to acknowledge the two doctrines’ major historical, social, and religious influence worldwide.
Judaism
Judaism is a monotheistic religion practiced by religious Jews. According to researchers, Judaism is the oldest religion, established around four millenniums ago (Goodman, 2019). There are multiple forms in which individuals practice it. According to Lebens (2020), some of the most significant branches are orthodoxy, conservatism, and Reform Judaism. Orthodox Jews are more traditional and strict regarding Halakha (Jewish religious laws). This is why they have set rules regarding:
- Clothing (Tzitzit for men, modest dresses and covered hair for women)
- Physical contact (no touching people of the opposite sex outside of marriage)
- Food (separating meat from dairy)
- Shabbat (no activities unless a life-threatening situation requires implication)
Reform Judaism is a much more modern take on religion. Ethics and moral aspects are much more prevalent for this particular denomination than ceremonies. Reform Jews believe the sacred texts do not need a literal interpretation. Moreover, since modern science contradicts specific scriptural texts, they should be interpreted as metaphors rather than direct instructions. If reform Judaism is on one side of the spectrum and orthodox Judaism is on the other one, conservative Jews are in the center. Conservatives still honor the preserved traditions and concepts from the past while being more modern in terms of allowing females to become rabbis, driving during the Sabbath, and having both males and females sitting alongside during services.
Ancestry
Honoring ancestors and traditions regarding mourning the dead is crucial to most religions, including Judaism. For example, most Jewish holidays involve prayer for the deceased parents/relatives. Moreover, after a member of a prior generation passes, the mourners honor them by grieving for 12 months in which no Jewish holidays are celebrated. Another tradition involves reading Kaddish, a prayer cited during the anniversary that correlates with the death of a parent.
Salvation
Salvation in Judaism is illustrated as redemption in a destructive state of a person’s human nature. Salvation in Judaism does not correlate with the sole belief in God but instead having an individual morality that, by definition, does not allow a person to engage in immoral behavior. Moreover, this term refers to God as the being that saves Israelites from various exiles. This being said, salvation holds a rather individualistic tone, meaning each person is responsible for living a righteous life to receive redemption.
Forgiveness
The notion of forgiveness in Judaism is linked to responsibility and individual duty. To receive forgiveness, the offender must seek it. The victim decides whether forgiveness has to be granted or not based on the actions committed by the offender and the subsequent actions to erase the evil deeds. Since Judaism is based on humans having free will and the opportunity to make choices, the act of giving or denying someone of forgiveness is based on the personal views of the offended party. However, making amends involves having an inner dialogue regarding the wrongs committed, asking for forgiveness, saying prayers, and reading the Torah for answers and guidance.
Afterlife
In Judaic scriptures, the dead go to Sheol. However, Sheol is more of a description of emptiness than a place where life goes on. Hell is not a concept that was present in Judaism for a long time. However, it appeared in later works alongside the idea of heaven. No set belief system directly describes what happens after the physical death. Some orthodox Jews believe the body will be resurrected, forbidding creation or autopsies. Others believe death is the end, and each person has only one life that should be experienced based on the guidance from sacred texts.
Daily Religious Practices
Orthodox Jews are particularly strict when it comes to daily religious practices. Some traditions include the daily study of the Torah, following kosher dietary rules, praying three times a day, etc. Conservative and Reform Judaism are less strict about ceremonial practices, and each individual decides which ones to engage in.
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion derived from the belief in Buddha’s teachings. According to researchers, Buddhism originated in India and subsequently spread all over China and other countries in Asia (Van, 2019). The general dogmas are based on the notions of the existence of suffering, the cause of suffering being cravings and attachments, nirvana being the end of suffering, and achieving nirvana being possible through righteousness.
Ancestry
Buddhists honor ancestors through rituals and meditation. The service involves pouring water on plants as a symbol of purity and nature. Moreover, Buddhists believe in caring for people who came on earth before them. This means Buddhists have a strong relationship with seniors and elderly parents and relatives. For example, Obon is one of the most important holidays in Buddhism when people honor family ancestors.
Salvation
Nirvana and salvation are two intermingled concepts in Buddhism. Nirvana is salvation from suffering, and it can be achieved through studying the teachings of Buddha. Salvation, however, is not something granted by a higher power. Karma allows rebirth, which is a form of salvation. Moreover, entitlement leads to nirvana, another form of salvation from sorrow and suffering, a general aspect of the physical world.
Forgiveness
Compassion and forgiveness are some of the critical dogmas perpetuated throughout Buddhism teachings. The notion of forgiveness is something that is not only crucial but also an essential key to ending suffering. Buddhists believe that granting forgiveness brings balance and harmony into one’s life and existence, and it has to be done in a way that the person asking for it should not feel guilty about what has been done.
Afterlife/Daily Practices
Buddhists do not believe in heaven or hell, yet the afterlife is a continuation in a different form. Reincarnation is the rebirth and the new beginning, interconnected with how the person acted in the previous life. This highlights the importance of having positive karma, which may depend on certain daily rituals practiced by Buddhists. These include mediation, chanting, and mantras.
Similarities/Differences
The main difference between Buddhism and Judaism is that Judaism is a monotheistic religion, while Buddhism is not based on the notion of a supreme God. However, both religions support a set of fundamental prohibitions that are considered harmful such as murder, sexual misconduct, dishonesty, and stealing. Moreover, there are appealing points in regards to both Judaism and Buddhism. For example, Judaism is unique regarding detailed and scrutinized daily activities. Judaism is, in a way, a symbiotic concept that is both a lifestyle and a religion. Buddhism, on the other hand, is considered the only atheistic religion (Sponberg, 2021). Rather than directing faith towards a God, Buddhists individually deal with internal problems.
References
Goodman, M. (2019). History of Judaism. Princeton University Press.
Lebens, S. (2020). The principles of Judaism. Oxford University Press.
Sponberg, A. (2021). Meditation in Fa-Hsiang Buddhism. Traditions of Meditation in Chinese Buddhism, 15-44. University of Hawaii Press. Web.
Van, V. H. (2019). Comparative Buddhism in India, China, Vietnam and the spirit of localization in Vietnamese Buddhism. International Journal of Recent Scientific Research, 10(6), 33114-33120. Web.