On the planet Earth, there are nineteen major world religions that separate into two-hundred and seventy smaller religious groups. Each religion has its own way of viewing a divine presence, and each have its own set of tenets and practices that must be adhered to. Because of the great amount of variety of practices and views between each religion, many people assume that none of the religions have any similarities. However, many religions have similarities that are extremely obvious once minds are opened. Two religions in particular that share many similarities are Buddhism and Christianity. These two religions share many traits that are very much the same once the true meaning is defined.
The first aspect of understanding similarities between religions is understanding the religions themselves. First, one should define the religions and their tenets and practices separately. Buddhism is defined as a religion which holds that suffering is caused by desire and a way to end that suffering is through enlightenment that allows one to halt the endless sequence of life and death to which one is otherwise subject. This enlightenment is called nirvana. Reaching nirvana is the hardest thing for a Buddhist to do, and often takes a lifetime.
One of the major belief systems of Buddhism is the idea of the Four Noble Truths. The Four Noble Truths are fundamental doctrine of Buddhism, said to be set forth by Buddha in his first sermon after reaching Enlightenment. The Four Noble Truths begin with the Truth of Suffering, which holds that life is full of suffering, which includes birth, disease, old age, and death. The second Truth is the Truth of the Cause, which says that all suffering is caused by want and desire. The third Noble Truth is the Truth of Cessation, which holds that all suffering can be ended if desire and want are removed from life. The final Noble Truth is the Truth of the Way. The Truth of the Way is also known as the Middle Way, between the extremes of...