Comparison of Buddhism and Confucianism

Introduction

Religion can be termed as a summary of the different ways that different people interact with higher powers or beings in an organized manner. For something to qualify as a religion it needs to have a significant number of people ascribing to its beliefs, customs, rituals and way of life. These are some of the elements that come into consideration when religions are being compared. This essay will compare the religions of Buddhism and Confucianism against each other with respect to the above and many more factors.

Cultural and Geographic Origins.

Buddhism’s origins are said to be in Nepal and India from where it grew to become one of the world’s more widespread religious faiths (Murti, 2013). It is largely based on philosophical teachings that were first presented by Buddha who is also known as Sidhaarta Gautama. These teachings and philosophies had applications in different areas of the Indians’/Nepalese’ way of social life.

Confucianism on the other hand has its origins in China where the central figure, Confucius lived (Bell, 2010). It is based on a series of ethical and moral teachings that the faith’s founder taught about and documented. These were mainly based on Chinese social life. The applications of Confucianism however extended to other aspects of life such as administration and personal relationships.

Religious Practices found in these Religions

As stated above, the practices exercised in a religion help to distinguish it from another.

Buddhism’s religious practices include Meditation, Mantras and the use of Prayer Wheels.

Meditation is a practice of deep mental concentration on a particular issue or state. This is often carried out in a specific seating or standing position. Since it is mentally tasking, it is not uncommon for people to seek quiet places where they can meditate effectively with the hope of improving themselves.

Mantras are sounds that are considered sacred by those who make use of them. They are often recited repetitively and it is not uncommon for mantras to go along with meditation.

The use of Prayer Wheels. This is the recital of a specific prayer every time a special wheel turns. These prayers at times take the form of mantras which are recited whenever the wheel turns. This is most common with Buddhists from Tibet and Nepal.

When it comes to Confucianism, there are several practices carried out by the faithful. These include Ancestor worship, Meditation and also the respect for elders.

Ancestor worship is carried out by believers who will often make sacrifices to the deceased relatives under the belief that these people have attained supernatural status upon death.

Meditation on the other hand is similar to what takes place in Buddhism and this involves intense mental focus on a specific issue often in a secluded place.

Last but not least, there is very active respect for one’s elders and this includes parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and even older Siblings. These individuals are accorded a great deal of respect by the younger ones.

While the two Religions have different origins, it today appears that they somehow mirror each other since they base their beliefs on the founder of the faith. The practical elements however seem to have been borrowed from the cultures of people who embraced these two religious faiths. Confucianism today has a smaller following than Buddhism which seems to be increasingly getting popular in the Western World (Kim, 2013).

References

Bell, D. A. (2010). China’s New Confucianism: Politics and Everyday Life in a Changing Society (New in Paper). Princeton University Press.

Kim, S. U. (2013). Korean So˘ n Buddhism in the 19th Century: Paekp’a, Ch’oui and Buddhist-Confucian Interaction at the End of the Choso˘ n Dynasty (Doctoral dissertation, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES).

Murti, T. R. V. (2013). The central philosophy of Buddhism: A study of the Madhyamika system. Routledge.