Elements of buddhist ideas and practices in christianity: causes and social effects

Diplomska naloga obravnava vpliv budizma na krščanstvo. Na osnovi primerjave med Jezusom in Budo ter med njunima naukoma poskuša najti vzroke za podobnosti med obema religijama, ugotoviti kako je do teh podobnosti prišlo ter kako so le-te vplivale na kasnejši razvoj krščanstva in na razvoj pretežno krščanskih družb. V teoretično zasnovani nalogi na osnovi izbrane literature ugotavljam prisotnost budističnih elementov v krščanstvu, ki so vidne predvsem v etičnih direktivah budističnega in krščanskega nauka. Z budističnimi misionarji, ki jih je v predkrščanskem obdobju po svetu pošiljal indijski kralj Ašoka, ter z osvajanji Aleksandra Velikega je na Zahod začela prihajati tudi vzhodnjaška miselnost. Veliko podobnosti se kaže med budističnim naukom in med judovskimi asketskimi sektami, ki so bile ob prihodu Jezusa del duhovnega okolja v Palestini in Egiptu. Predvideva se, da je najverjetnejša povezava med Jezusovim naukom in budizmom judovska verska sekta esenov. Krščanstvo se je kasneje z ustanovitvijo enotne cerkve in njene hierarhije ter s sklenitvijo zavezništva s politično oblastjo oddaljilo od budistične in vzhodnjaške miselnosti. Sociolog Max Weber je prepričan, da je bila protestantska etika s svojim \u27odčaranjem sveta\u27 tista, ki je odločilno prispevala k oblikovanju moderne kulture in kapitalistično naravnane družbe. V pretežno budističnih družbah takega razvoja ni zaslediti, saj religije Vzhoda opredeljuje tradicionalizem, misticizem in kontemplacija, kar onemogoča napredovanje v smeri racionalizacije, ki je za kapitalizem nujno potrebna. Kot izjemen primer se kaže Japonska, kjer se je po drugi svetovni vojni kljub pretežno budistični tradiciji razvil kapitalizem. Vendar začetkov modernizacije na Japonskem ne gre pripisati izključno vplivom Zahoda, kot mnogi zmotno mislijo. Zasluge za ta razplet gredo specifičnosti japonske religije, pod vplivom katere je prišlo do etične reforme preprostega ljudstva in s tem do njegove samoreformacije.The thesis examines the impact of Buddhism on Christianity. Based on the comparison between Jesus and Buddha and between their doctrines it tries to find the causes of the similarities between the two religions, determine how these similarities occurred and how they influenced further development of Christianity and the development of the predominantly Christian societies. In the theoretically structured thesis I have come to conclusion on the basis of selected literature that there are Buddhist elements present in Christianity, which are visible especially in the ethical directives of Buddhist and Christian teachings. With the help of Buddhist missionaries, who were sent throughout the world by Indian King Ashoka in the pre-Christian period and through the conquests of Alexander the Great oriental mentality started appearing in the West. Many similarities are evident between the Buddhist teachings and the ascetic Jewish sects, which were a part of the spiritual environment in Palestine and Egypt at the time of the arrival of Jesus. It is assumed that the most likely connection between Jesus\u27 teachings and Buddhist religious Jewish Essene sect. It is assumed that the most probable connection between Jesus\u27 teachings and Buddhism is the religious Jewish Essene sect. Christianity departed from Buddhist and oriental mentality with the creation of a single church and its hierarchy and the formation of alliances with political power. Sociologist Max Weber was convinced that the Protestant ethic with its \u27disenchantment of the world\u27 is the one which has significantly contributed to the creation of modern culture and capitalist-oriented society. In the predominantly Buddhist societies such development goes unnoticed, because religions of the East are defined by traditionalism, mysticism and contemplation, which prevents progress towards rationalization, which is essential for capitalism. Japan is seen as an exception, where, despite the predominantly Buddhist tradition, capitalism developed after the Second World War. However, the beginnings of modernization in Japan cannot be attributed to the influence of the West, as many mistakenly believe. The credit for such a turnout goes to specificity of Japanese religion, in which we can find a rich mix of many religious traditions that have affected each other throughout history. Under the influence of new forms of popular piety, which were established, ethical reforms of ordinary people emerged and thus their self-reformation