In the Quest to Find Solace and Peace of Mind - Essay Example

Buddhism is a polytheistic religion. Buddhism does not believe in a creator of the world and it states that the world is sustained by natural laws. They believe that if there was a creator of the world, then he is the one responsible for the suffering in the world. Siddhartha Gautama was the pioneer of Buddhism and the religion is based on psychological expressions and representations like yoga. The religion is based on several doctrines. Some of these doctrines are the four noble truths, eight-fold path, and ideas of impermanence and anatman

The four noble truths are; life is characterized by suffering, suffering is caused by desire or grasping, cease grasping, and follow the eight-fold path. The eight-fold path consists of the right view, right intention, right speech, right actions, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Impermanence and anatman rely on the understanding that everything fluctuates and it is dependent upon everything else.
During its spread in Asia, Buddhism blended with other cultures in Korea, China, and Japan. In China, Buddhists absorbed some sections of Daoism and Confucian religion. In Japan, Buddhism has several denominations like Tendai, Pure Land, Nichiren, Shingon, and Zen. In Korea, Buddhism has been absorbed into other religions such as indigenous shamanism, new religions, Christianity, Confucianism, and Daoism.
Muslims use one sacred book called the Holy Qur’an and the Buddhists use several sacred books. Buddhists concentrate more on psychological well-being than spiritual well-being. In Buddhism, spirituality is attained once one when dies, and your actions determine what one shall gain. On the other hand, Muslims’ spiritual wellness in the world is the key to attaining eternity. What happens after death is explained differently in each case. Buddhists believe that every being will undergo cycles of transformation according to their actions into other beings. In contrast, Muslims believe that there will be paradise after death, and no transformation into other beings will occur. A creator does not exist in Buddhism, the existence of such means suffering to them. In Islam, a creator exists and he is not viewed as one bringing suffering.
In conclusion, Buddhism and Islam have differences in their beliefs and practices. These differences are brought about by the basis of their faith. For Buddhists, psychology is the most important thing and their doctrines emphasize more on psychological well-being. Read More