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"Compare Jesus" Part I-Jesus Outshines Buddha
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
In 1873, the Reverend Thomas Webster published his book, Woman: Man’s Equal, a hot topic on the eve of
Christianity is the special friend of women. Christian civilization has exalted her almost infinitely above the position to which either paganism or Mohammedanism assigned her. This elevation is the natural outgrowth of the example and teaching of Jesus of
It’s an argument over 100 years old, but it’s time to update it for today. I believe Jesus outshines any religious founder in his treatment and love, dignity and value for women. In this series I want to compare him to several popular ones: Buddha, Mohammad (founder of Islam) Joseph Smith (founder of Mormonism) and C.T. Russell (founder of Jehovah Witnesses).
Let’s compare Jesus’ treatment of women with Siddhartha Guatama, the founder of Buddhism.
Siddhartha, later known as the Buddha, was a prince born near
One evening when Siddhartha was 29, he awoke among his harem. He noticed how the seductive bodies of the women around him did not allure him anymore. In fact, they disgusted him. Their bodies draped at awkward angles while they slept reminded him more of a heap of corpses than women he had dallied with the night before.*
In this moment Siddhartha wakes up, he is enlightened enough to want to change. He walks to his wife, Yashodhara, of 12 years, glances at her sleeping in her bedroom and bids her goodbye without waking her. Then he glances at his new-born son and abandons him as well. He deserts everyone (harem, wife and son) for his hunt for enlightenment.
In reading biographies of Siddhartha, I’ve found even the most tolerant ones note Siddhartha’s feelings as a father. Karen Armstrong writes, “He had felt no pleasure when the child was born”, naming the baby boy “Rahula” or fetter.** Siddhartha feared that Rahula would chain him to the life and duties he despised. So he leaves his wife and son without a second glance.
Perhaps this doesn’t seem so bad, but notice how spiritual enlightenment actually compete for Siddhartha’s love. In the Biblical story, we never see God denying things that are key to our humanity. Jesus never commanded or endorsed a man leaving his wife or his child. Some might argue that Jesus says you must leave family in your devotion to him (Luke 9:59-62 or Mark 10:29-30), but if you closely read these passages you’ll find Jesus never asks a person to leave his spouse or his children, only his parents, or home or lands. In other words, there is something God blesses and will not sever about marital relationships.
According to Jesus’ words a man and wife are “one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate,” regardless of spiritual quests, hunger for enlightenment or desire for experiences (Matt 19:6). I believe this is because Jesus knew that from the beginning (as he says in Mark 10:6) all humans are made to enjoy companionship, desire community, hunger to be loved and known (I Cor 13:12). God provides that in a spouse and he never asks us to desert our spouse in our pursuit of him. To leave a spouse is to cut apart what God originally created us to enjoy (Gen 2:24-25).
*Entering the Stream: An Introduction to The Buddha and His Teachings eds., Samuel Bercholz and Sherab Chodzin Kohn (Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1993), 7, 9-10.
**Karen Armstrong, Buddha, (
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
May 21st, 2010 at 1:33 pm
A riveting discussion began on my earlier blog which we were, unfortunately, unable to transfer in it’s complete form here. To read the discussion from the beginning, be certain to check out my older blog’s comments here:
“Jonalyn’s Older Blog”
June 4th, 2010 at 9:46 am
Bhikkhu has requested I publish this comment (see below) to help catch the reader up to speed, in case the high number of comments from my older blog seem too daunting. Our web master has been unable to transfer the helpful and interesting series of comments from my earlier blog.
In an honest effort to help the read hear and understand both sides, I have posted Bhikkhu’s comment below. I hope you will continue to benefit from this discussion!
Jonalyn
JESUS OUTSHINES BUDDHA?
By
Bhikkhu aggacitto
Any scripture that is quoted is either from the Pali Canon Tipataka or the New International/King James or New King James Version of the Christian Bible as noted.
I have decided to delete most of this article because the circumstance that brought this article into creation has since expired.As long as the conversation that ensued with it’s 117 comments remains accessable I no longer see the reason for this article.I have left a very small portion as a response to the main assertion of her article just in case someone doesn’t choose to fish through 117 comments.
It is interesting to note as well, that even though she has been corrected on the matter of the meaning of the name ‘Rahula’ and has herself acknowledged as such she has yet to revise her article at any blog site that carries this article with even a footnote.Perhaps she chooses to chance for whatever reason that everyone will read all or most of the comments well enough to come a cross it themselves, but even that would only apply at the one site where the comments are actually posted.
It would seem as if Ms. Jonalyn Fincher does not care that she continues to post something that all parties have since acknowleged is simply untrue.
O.K! Here’s the part that I have previously mentioned:
In the Pali Canon Tipataka Sutta Nipata (Vs 336) the Venerable Rahula had this to say about his father the Buddha: “I shall always revere the torch bearer of humanity” as well at the Theragatha 295 in a poem that he composed he had this to say: “ I am called Rahula the lucky because I am both the Buddha’s son, and because I have seen the truth”
There are those who have simply stated that they don’t believe this is true, and that the Venerable Rahula was being dishonest somehow, apparently because it goes against what they would rather believe.
Now let us consider this:
In the Pali Canon Tipataka Vinaya Pitaka- Mahavagga section First Khandhaka#54 Rahula is taken as a young disciple and the Venerable Gotama’s wife Yasodhara ,(usually referred to in the texts as Rahulamata) in the Apadana text of the Khuddhaka Nikaya as well as the Manorathapurani Anguttara Commentaries, is recorded as becoming a disciple herself of the Buddha a few years later after the Bhikkhuni sangha (community) was established.
Now the question is this: If the Buddha’s son Rahula and his wife could console themselves to the fact of his leaving them for his spiritual journey at least to the extent that that were willing to become disciples of his several years later, taking this into consideration, whose opinion of the matter should be considered more important? The opinion of his wife and son or the opinion of someone close to two thousand five hundred years later with their own Christian religious agenda to comfort?
Have a blessed day!
Bhikkhu aggacitto
June 6th, 2010 at 12:43 am
Hi Jonalyn!
The revision of the article as you have posted it still applies…never the less… I do sincerely appreciate the noteworthy and laudable update.
Thank You!
I wish you and your family the very spiritual best.
Bhikkhu aggacitto
September 19th, 2010 at 9:58 am
I recently came upon this article by Sojourners that argues for outweighing Jesus clear example with women against Paul’s commandments to specific churches. For the full article go to: http://blog.sojo.net/2010/09/17/women-in-ministry-following-christs-example/