Comparative analysis of Buddhism and Islam

Buddhism vs. Islam

What is the purpose of life? Life holds different meaning for people across the world; such different perceptions on life are framed by religious beliefs. Such meanings and significance be divided into two groups. There are people for whom the significance lies within the world we live in and then there are those who would like to believe in life after death and the entire notion of heaven (Shun 1995, 240). Those belonging to the first category can be further divided into three groups: those who perceive life in terms of family, those who belief life is all about love for country and lastly those for whom life is about mankind. The latter concept appears in religion; it is used by almost all religions to signify the meaning of life (Shun 1995, 242). Taking the latter notion into account, the paper investigates and draws on teachings and verses to show that Islam and Buddhism converge and conform to the same point when it comes to defining the purpose of human life.

One thing I teach: suffering and the end of suffering. --The Buddha (Woodward 2002, 283)

Buddhism denies that there is any "permanent and absolute significance" of life; for Buddhists life is "unsatisfactory and void" (Shun 1995, 243). For Buddha, life and world are "dependent originated." What is this concept of "dependent originated"? It is depiction and a representation of a human lifecycle or different cycles within a single lifetime. These different cycles can include addiction to something, marriage, being involved with something and so forth. This cycle or loop comprising of desires and temptations can end; however, everything has to begin with ignorance (Hardy n.d.).

According to Buddha's teachings, birth or rebirth (the starting point to a cycle) begins with ignorance. Ignorance is followed by will, will leads to consciousness. When a body or person gains consciousness, a person becomes aware of the six senses. Use of these senses gives birth to desires and desires lead to clinging. Clinging begets birth that is followed by old age and subsequently death (Hardy n.d.). What a person does in one lifetime has repercussions; his/her actions in one lifetime have bearing on his/her status and lifestyle in the next one. It is a case of cause and effect (Shun 1995, 11).

Suffering might arise as a result of dependent originated. However, Buddha teaches that salvation is attainable if a person gets rid of ignorance. Ignorance prevents investigation of causes leading to such sufferings in the first place. Every cycle has a personal identity to it, problems arise only when people start thinking that life is permanent and a cycle cannot be broken (Hardy n.d.).

What is the purpose of life in the light of Buddha's teachings? The purpose of life is to eliminate ignorance that pervades life; ignorance that prevents the quest for salvation, ignorance that bequeaths suffering. The purpose of life is to escape from ignorance and suffering; the purpose of life is to burn the desires that lead to the process of rebirth. Nirvana, the state of eternal bliss, can never be acquired unless humans get rid of karma (desires) burning within them. For some Buddhists, the purpose is to stay and follow the eight fold path preached by Buddha. The eight fold path is the path of righteousness, righteousness in action, thought and belief (Hardy n.d.).

There is nothing in the world without a purpose. In Quran, God says, "Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?" (Sura 23 - Al-Mumenoon (MAKKA): Verse 115) (Inc. 2006). At another instance He says, "Does Man think that he will be left uncontrolled, (without purpose)?" (Sura 75 - Al-Qiyama (MAKKA): Verse 36) (Inc. 2006).

The roles of his creation have been decided from before by Him, as He says, "I did not create the Jinns and the human beings except for the purpose that they should worship Me" (Sura 51 - Adh-Dhariyat (MAKKA): Verse 56) (Inc. 2006). At another instance God talks about the rewards and punishment, the Day of Judgment when everyone will be judged justly on the basis of their actions in this temporary life. He says, "So set thy purpose resolutely for the right religion, before the inevitable day cometh from Allah. On that day mankind will be sundered"

(Sura 30 - Al-Room (MAKKA): Verse 43) (Inc. 2006).

Islam and Buddhism are similar in the respect that both preach righteousness. There is a belief in rewards and punishments; belief in reaping what humans sow in the current lifetime, both religions would like their followers to believe that their current doing has bearing on afterlife. Both preach evasion and eradication of ignorance (jahiliya in Arabic), both preach control over desires to have any chance of attaining blissful state i.e. The blissful state of Nirvana in Hinduism and the promise of heaven and eternal life in Islam on the Judgment Day. For both religions life's significance lies within the life beyond the one we, humans currently live in.

In an answer to a question Professor Robert Thurman[footnoteRef:1] replied, [1: Professor at Columbia University and has been involved with Dalai Lama. He is well versed with Dalai Lama's teachings.]

"The Dalai Lama's first commitment in life is to try to minimize religious conflicts. He has done an unprecedented thing for Buddhism; he has tried to open a dialogue with Islam. Even the Mufti of Alexandria agreed and said that he wants this approach to be a matter of a 'genuine dialogue'. Buddhism and Islam have the tradition to fully prostrate, in the case of Islam you surrender to something superior (Allah) and for Buddhism, you prostrate to the concepts of Enlightenment and Compassion. There is a similarity. When are flat down, you don't recognize who is in front of you, a Buddhist or a Muslim." (Why Dalai Lama matters? n.d.)