Buddhism vs Judaism

Buddhism versus Judaism comparison chart
	Buddhism	Judaism

Use of statues and pictures	Common. Statues are used as meditation objects, and revered as they reflect the qualities of the Buddha.	Ancient times: Not allowed as it is considered Idolatry. Today, great artwork is encouraged. Statues of people are fine, but not as religious icons.
Place of worship	Buddhist monasteries, temples, shrines.	Synagogues and temples, home, Western Wall of the Temple in Jerusalem
Belief of God	The idea of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent creator is rejected by Buddhists. The Buddha himself refuted the theistic argument that the universe was created by a self-conscious, personal God.	One God (monotheism), often called HaShem—Hebrew for 'The Name', or Adonai— 'The Lord'. God is the one True Creator. God has always existed, none existed before him and will exist forever. He transcends life and death.
Clergy	The Buddhist Sangha, composed of bhikkhus (male monks) and bhikkhunis (female nuns). The sangha is supported by lay Buddhists.	Ancient times: Hereditary privileged priest class--Kohen and Levi. Present day: Religious functionaries like Rabbis, Cantors, Scribes, Mohels.
Founder	The Buddha (born as Prince Siddhartha Gautama).	Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses
Literal Meaning	Buddhists are those who follow the teachings of the Buddha.	Grateful person (named for Judah, who was named "gratitude" by his mother, Leah)
View of the Buddha	The highest teacher and the founder of Buddhism, the all-transcending sage.	N/A.
Marriage	It is not a religious duty to marry. Monks and nuns do not marry and are celibate. Advice in the Discourses on how to maintain a happy and harmonious marriage.	Ancient times: unlimited polygamy with concubinage. In modern times, monogamy officially since 1310 AD.
Place of origin	Indian subcontinent	The Levant
Followers	Buddhists	Jews, Jewish people
Original Language(s)	Pali (Theravada tradition) and Sanskrit (Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition)	Hebrew, Aramaic. Over the centuries, Jewish languages have also included Yiddish (among the Ashkenazi Jews of Europe); and Ladino (among the Sephardic Jews of Spain and North Africa).
Life after death	Rebirth is one of the central beliefs of Buddhism. We are in an endless cycle of birth, death and re-birth, which can only be broken by attaining nirvana. Attaining nirvana is the only way to escape suffering permanently.	World to come, Reincarnation (some groups); unifying with God, there are different opinions and beliefs
Practices	Meditation, the Eightfold Path; right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration	Prayers 3 times daily, with a fourth prayer added on Shabbat and holidays. Shacarit prayer in the morning, Mincha in the afternoon, Arvit at night; Musaf is an extra Shabbat service.
Population	500-600 million	Around 13-16 Million, debated. Population varies due to conversion (although some types are not recognized by the state of Israel) and "marrying out" (of the faith)
Scriptures	Tripitaka - a vast canon composed of 3 sections: the Discourses, the Discipline and the Commentaries, and some early scriptures, such as the Gandhara texts.	Tanakh (Jewish Bible), which includes the Torah
Human Nature	Ignorance, as all sentient beings. In the Buddhist texts, it is seen that when Gautama, after his awakening, was asked whether he was a normal human being, he replied, "No".	You must choose good from bad. You are responsible for your actions, not thoughts.
Means of salvation	Reaching Enlightenment or Nirvana, following the Noble Eightfold Path.	This is not a concept held in Judaism. Jews do not strive to achieve a status at the time of death.
Goal of religion	To attain enlightenment and be released from the cycle of rebirth and death, thus attaining Nirvana.	To celebrate LIFE! To fulfill the Covenant with God. Do good deeds. Help repair the world. Love God with all your heart. Strong social justice ethic.
Geographical distribution and predominance	(Majority or strong influence) Mainly in Thailand, Cambodia, Sri lanka, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Japan, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Vietnam, China, Mongolia, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Other small minorities exist in other countries.	Existing in Israel for 1500 years, but the Romans in 70 AD kicked all Jews out. Jews are dispersed all over the world, at one time present in almost every country. Now the majority live in Israel, USA, Canada, Russia, France, England.
Status of Vedas	The Buddha rejected the 5 Vedas, according to the dialogues seen in the nikayas.	N/A.
Confessing sins	Sin is not a Buddhist concept.	Ancient times: there was a sin offering for individuals. Today people individually repair their sins. On Yom Kippur, they confess sins, and ask forgiveness from God. But also they must ask forgiveness directly from any people they may have wronged.
View of other Dharmic religions	Since the word Dharma means doctrine, law, way, teaching, or discipline, other Dharmas are rejected.	N/A.
Religious Law	The Dharma.	Halakhah. Ethics. Commandments. 613 mitzvahs to be followed. Charity. Prayer. Rabbinical rulings with minority opinions. Debate very important part of system. Debate is encouraged in schools. Part of Bible addresses specific laws for everyday life.
Symbols	The conch, endless knot, fish, lotus, parasol, vase, dharmachakra (Wheel of Dharma), and victory banner.	Star of David, Menorah.
Religion which atheists may still be adherents of	Yes.	Yes. Judaism is both a faith practice and an ethnicity, so people are born and retain their Jewish identity whether or not they practice the religion.
Authority of Pope	N/A.	N/A
Authority of Dalai Lama	Dalai Lamas are tulkus of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. They are cultural figures and are independent of the doctrinal basis of Buddhism.	N/A.
Holy days/Official Holidays	Vesak day in which the birth, the awakening, and the parinirvana of the Buddha is celebrated.	Sabbath, Havdalla, Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Tu BiShvat, Purim, Passover, Lag BaOmer, Shavout. Holocaust remembrance.
Goal of Philosophy	To eliminate mental suffering.	To live a proper and Holy Life. To appreciate Life in every way. To do Good Deeds. To live Ethically. To make choice based on Free Will. Universal Education for every Jew; to study, learn. read and write.
Place and Time of origin	The origin of Buddhism points to one man, Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha, who was born in Lumbini (in present-day Nepal). He became enlightened at Bodhgaya, India and delivered his first set of teachings at a deer park in Sarnath, India.	1500 BC, Middle East. Religion formed over several centuries; was codified during the Babylonian exile. Literacy is encouraged to read Bible. Jews replaced animal sacrifice with prayer in Diaspora, after Romans destroyed Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD
View of other Abrahamic religions	N/A.	Believe that Christians are wrong in believing that Jesus is the Messiah; they neither believe nor disbelieve that Muhammad and/or Bah-u-llah are prophets.
No. of Gods and Godesses	Numerous deities. No supreme creator.	1 God
Concept of Deity	According to some interpretations, there are beings in heaven's realms but they are also bound by "samsara". They may have less suffering but have not yet achieved salvation (nibbana)	Belief in one God and teachings of the tradition, prophets and rabbis.
Most Common Sects	Mahayana, Theravada, Vajyana. Zen is the most well-known Mahayana sect. Tibetan is the most well-known Vajyana sect.	Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Renewal and Reconstructionist.
Spiritual Beings	Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Devas, & gods & goddesses.	Angels, demons, and spirits.
Virtues in which religion is based upon	Compassion.	Justice, faithfulness, charity, modesty, Tikkun Olam (improving the world), mitzvot (good deeds, following God's law), Love of the creations. Ethics. Social Justice. Intellectual discussions, and study.
Founders and Early Leaders	Buddha & his disciples.	Abraham, Moses, David, and many Prophets.
Views on Other Religions	Being a practical philosophy, Buddhism is neutral against other religions.	All people should obey 7 (Noahide) Commandments, a set of very basic moral laws. Non-Jews should follow their religion, and let Jewish people follow Judaism.
Belief of deities	Numerous non-creator deities.	One God.
Status of women	No distinctions between men and women. Women are equal to men, and men are equal to women in the Sangha. The Buddha gave Men and Women equal rights and a major part in the Sangha.	Equal to men in eyes of God and in the Law (Halakha). Woman traditionally have been granted more equal rights than most other world cultures. Today, traditions among the Orthodox and the Reform movements differ greatly.
Principle	This life is suffering, and the only way to escape from this suffering is to dispel one's cravings and ignorance by realizing the Four Noble Truths and practicing the Eightfold Path.	By accepting the covenant, they choose to follow God's commandments. A unique ethnicity. Early monotheists.
On Atheism	Varies. It is possible for a Buddhist to be atheist.	Some Jews are atheists.
Time of origin	2,500 years ago, circa 563 B.C.E. (Before Common Era)	c 1300 BC
Views about other religions	See no contradiction in following more than 1 religion.	The m
Can atheists partake in this religion's practices?	Yes.	Yes.
Three Jewels/Trinity	The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.	God, people, and Israel
What is it?	Buddhism is the religion founded by Buddha, to which he is central to.	Judaism is the Abrahamic religion of the Jewish people, based on principles and ethics embodied in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and the Talmud (the great written opinions of the different rabbi's and intellectuals and holy men throughout the years)

Use of statues and pictures

Common. Statues are used as meditation objects, and revered as they reflect the qualities of the Buddha.

Ancient times: Not allowed as it is considered Idolatry. Today, great artwork is encouraged. Statues of people are fine, but not as religious icons.

Place of worship

Buddhist monasteries, temples, shrines.

Synagogues and temples, home, Western Wall of the Temple in Jerusalem

Belief of God

The idea of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent creator is rejected by Buddhists. The Buddha himself refuted the theistic argument that the universe was created by a self-conscious, personal God.

One God (monotheism), often called HaShem—Hebrew for 'The Name', or Adonai— 'The Lord'. God is the one True Creator. God has always existed, none existed before him and will exist forever. He transcends life and death.

Clergy

The Buddhist Sangha, composed of bhikkhus (male monks) and bhikkhunis (female nuns). The sangha is supported by lay Buddhists.

Ancient times: Hereditary privileged priest class--Kohen and Levi. Present day: Religious functionaries like Rabbis, Cantors, Scribes, Mohels.

Founder

The Buddha (born as Prince Siddhartha Gautama).

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses

Literal Meaning

Buddhists are those who follow the teachings of the Buddha.

Grateful person (named for Judah, who was named "gratitude" by his mother, Leah)

View of the Buddha

The highest teacher and the founder of Buddhism, the all-transcending sage.

N/A.

Marriage

It is not a religious duty to marry. Monks and nuns do not marry and are celibate. Advice in the Discourses on how to maintain a happy and harmonious marriage.

Ancient times: unlimited polygamy with concubinage. In modern times, monogamy officially since 1310 AD.

Place of origin

Indian subcontinent

The Levant

Followers

Buddhists

Jews, Jewish people

Original Language(s)

Pali (Theravada tradition) and Sanskrit (Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition)

Hebrew, Aramaic. Over the centuries, Jewish languages have also included Yiddish (among the Ashkenazi Jews of Europe); and Ladino (among the Sephardic Jews of Spain and North Africa).

Life after death

Rebirth is one of the central beliefs of Buddhism. We are in an endless cycle of birth, death and re-birth, which can only be broken by attaining nirvana. Attaining nirvana is the only way to escape suffering permanently.

World to come, Reincarnation (some groups); unifying with God, there are different opinions and beliefs

Practices

Meditation, the Eightfold Path; right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration

Prayers 3 times daily, with a fourth prayer added on Shabbat and holidays. Shacarit prayer in the morning, Mincha in the afternoon, Arvit at night; Musaf is an extra Shabbat service.

Population

500-600 million

Around 13-16 Million, debated. Population varies due to conversion (although some types are not recognized by the state of Israel) and "marrying out" (of the faith)

Scriptures

Tripitaka - a vast canon composed of 3 sections: the Discourses, the Discipline and the Commentaries, and some early scriptures, such as the Gandhara texts.

Tanakh (Jewish Bible), which includes the Torah

Human Nature

Ignorance, as all sentient beings. In the Buddhist texts, it is seen that when Gautama, after his awakening, was asked whether he was a normal human being, he replied, "No".

You must choose good from bad. You are responsible for your actions, not thoughts.

Means of salvation

Reaching Enlightenment or Nirvana, following the Noble Eightfold Path.

This is not a concept held in Judaism. Jews do not strive to achieve a status at the time of death.

Goal of religion

To attain enlightenment and be released from the cycle of rebirth and death, thus attaining Nirvana.

To celebrate LIFE! To fulfill the Covenant with God. Do good deeds. Help repair the world. Love God with all your heart. Strong social justice ethic.

Geographical distribution and predominance

(Majority or strong influence) Mainly in Thailand, Cambodia, Sri lanka, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Japan, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Vietnam, China, Mongolia, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Other small minorities exist in other countries.

Existing in Israel for 1500 years, but the Romans in 70 AD kicked all Jews out. Jews are dispersed all over the world, at one time present in almost every country. Now the majority live in Israel, USA, Canada, Russia, France, England.

Status of Vedas

The Buddha rejected the 5 Vedas, according to the dialogues seen in the nikayas.

N/A.

Confessing sins

Sin is not a Buddhist concept.

Ancient times: there was a sin offering for individuals. Today people individually repair their sins. On Yom Kippur, they confess sins, and ask forgiveness from God. But also they must ask forgiveness directly from any people they may have wronged.

View of other Dharmic religions

Since the word Dharma means doctrine, law, way, teaching, or discipline, other Dharmas are rejected.

N/A.

Religious Law

The Dharma.

Halakhah. Ethics. Commandments. 613 mitzvahs to be followed. Charity. Prayer. Rabbinical rulings with minority opinions. Debate very important part of system. Debate is encouraged in schools. Part of Bible addresses specific laws for everyday life.

Symbols

The conch, endless knot, fish, lotus, parasol, vase, dharmachakra (Wheel of Dharma), and victory banner.

Star of David, Menorah.

Religion which atheists may still be adherents of

Yes.

Yes. Judaism is both a faith practice and an ethnicity, so people are born and retain their Jewish identity whether or not they practice the religion.

Authority of Pope

N/A.

N/A

Authority of Dalai Lama

Dalai Lamas are tulkus of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. They are cultural figures and are independent of the doctrinal basis of Buddhism.

N/A.

Holy days/Official Holidays

Vesak day in which the birth, the awakening, and the parinirvana of the Buddha is celebrated.

Sabbath, Havdalla, Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Tu BiShvat, Purim, Passover, Lag BaOmer, Shavout. Holocaust remembrance.

Goal of Philosophy

To eliminate mental suffering.

To live a proper and Holy Life. To appreciate Life in every way. To do Good Deeds. To live Ethically. To make choice based on Free Will. Universal Education for every Jew; to study, learn. read and write.

Place and Time of origin

The origin of Buddhism points to one man, Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha, who was born in Lumbini (in present-day Nepal). He became enlightened at Bodhgaya, India and delivered his first set of teachings at a deer park in Sarnath, India.

1500 BC, Middle East. Religion formed over several centuries; was codified during the Babylonian exile. Literacy is encouraged to read Bible. Jews replaced animal sacrifice with prayer in Diaspora, after Romans destroyed Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD

View of other Abrahamic religions

N/A.

Believe that Christians are wrong in believing that Jesus is the Messiah; they neither believe nor disbelieve that Muhammad and/or Bah-u-llah are prophets.

No. of Gods and Godesses

Numerous deities. No supreme creator.

1 God

Concept of Deity

According to some interpretations, there are beings in heaven's realms but they are also bound by "samsara". They may have less suffering but have not yet achieved salvation (nibbana)

Belief in one God and teachings of the tradition, prophets and rabbis.

Most Common Sects

Mahayana, Theravada, Vajyana. Zen is the most well-known Mahayana sect. Tibetan is the most well-known Vajyana sect.

Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Renewal and Reconstructionist.

Spiritual Beings

Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Devas, & gods & goddesses.

Angels, demons, and spirits.

Virtues in which religion is based upon

Compassion.

Justice, faithfulness, charity, modesty, Tikkun Olam (improving the world), mitzvot (good deeds, following God's law), Love of the creations. Ethics. Social Justice. Intellectual discussions, and study.

Founders and Early Leaders

Buddha & his disciples.

Abraham, Moses, David, and many Prophets.

Views on Other Religions

Being a practical philosophy, Buddhism is neutral against other religions.

All people should obey 7 (Noahide) Commandments, a set of very basic moral laws. Non-Jews should follow their religion, and let Jewish people follow Judaism.

Belief of deities

Numerous non-creator deities.

One God.

Status of women

No distinctions between men and women. Women are equal to men, and men are equal to women in the Sangha. The Buddha gave Men and Women equal rights and a major part in the Sangha.

Equal to men in eyes of God and in the Law (Halakha). Woman traditionally have been granted more equal rights than most other world cultures. Today, traditions among the Orthodox and the Reform movements differ greatly.

Principle

This life is suffering, and the only way to escape from this suffering is to dispel one's cravings and ignorance by realizing the Four Noble Truths and practicing the Eightfold Path.

By accepting the covenant, they choose to follow God's commandments. A unique ethnicity. Early monotheists.

On Atheism

Varies. It is possible for a Buddhist to be atheist.

Some Jews are atheists.

Time of origin

2,500 years ago, circa 563 B.C.E. (Before Common Era)

c 1300 BC

Views about other religions

See no contradiction in following more than 1 religion.

The m

Can atheists partake in this religion's practices?

Yes.

Three Jewels/Trinity

The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.

God, people, and Israel

What is it?

Buddhism is the religion founded by Buddha, to which he is central to.

Judaism is the Abrahamic religion of the Jewish people, based on principles and ethics embodied in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and the Talmud (the great written opinions of the different rabbi's and intellectuals and holy men throughout the years)

Buddhism vs. Judaism

Comparison chart

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