Suffering for whom?

I don’t know if this is an “ok” thing to do or not – but while reading Ecclesiastes, I am overwhelmed with the similarities between King Solomon’s teaching and Siddhartha Gautama, the Budda’s teaching.   

Head of the Buddha
Pakistan, ancient province of Gandhara
2nd Century
Schist with traces of gold leaf

On display at the Freer and Sackler Gallery

I took a Buddhist art history class while I was in Graduate School at UAB.  Through all aspects we discussed, it was interesting to see all the parallels between Budhism and Christianity.  And they are crazy similar when comparing just the words and life of Solomon to the words and life of Siddhartha.  So, here goes my comparison, with my limited knowledge and understanding of both.

The most obvious comparison between the two is the life style or class both Siddhartha and Solomom were born into.  Both were from wealthy families, both royalty; Solomon was David’s heir in Israel, Siddhartha was the Shakyas tribal leader’s son – in India, near Nepal.  Both had STUFF, and both of them write about the meaninglessness of their STUFF.  

There is no evidence, that I know of that Siddhartha was raised under any code of morality or religion.  Solomon, we know was raised by King David, a man after God’s own heart.

The theme of Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes (from the Introduction in my Bible) is “The tragic reality of the fall” or “the necessity of fearing God in a fallen, and therefore frequently confusing and frustrating, world…fearing God and keeping His commandments even when we cannot see what God is doing.”  Solomon writes over and over again about the our transience in this life, and the suffering during our existence. 

“A generation goes and a generation comes, but the Earth remains forever.” 1:4

“…and behold, all was vanity and a striving after the wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.” 2:11

Both agree that since we are part of a fallen world, we will experience suffering and create suffering for others.  Both agree that we are “sinners,” and all in need of some kind of salvation.  For Siddhartha, this was reaching an “enlightened” state through meditation – detaching oneself from the transient things of the Earth that create suffering.  For Solomon, this meant surrendering to the commandments that God has given us even though we will never understand, and will still have to endure suffering as part of this fallen world.

From my past studies of Buddhism, the teaching of Siddhartha does not contradict with Christianity. In a sense, we become “enlightened” to God’s holy spirit through “meditation” we call prayer.  However, as the tradition of Buddhism spread and evolved, outside of India it became something that is certainly at odds with the Bible.  In my opinion, Siddhartha, the Buddha, was a good dude.  I just wish he could have met Jesus.

Buddhism evolved into having its own heaven, “The Buddha” becoming a god, and reincarnation a part of everyone’s experience on Earth.  (Side note: the image of the Buddha also evolved from a malnourished Indian, to the more familiar overweight East Asian man) To Buddhist today, the point of life is to accept and overcome the Buddhist “truths (suffering is in the world because we are attached to the impermanent things on Earth…),” at which point one can end the cycle of reincarnation.  One must become “enlightened” in their lifetime, so that they will not need to be reincarnated again.  One website says that this “path to the end of suffering can extend over many lifetimes, throughout which every individual rebirth is subject to karmic conditioning. Craving, ignorance, delusions, and its effects will disappear gradually, as progress is made on the path.”


The point of to life Christians is to accept God's truth in the Bible, accept Jesus Christ as our savior, allow His Holy Spirit to lead and direct us through life, to "run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus," (Hebrews 12) knowing that He is perfecting our faith, and not to grow weary even when we don't understand.

The only point of writing all of this is that I think the similarities are interesting.  Comparing religions is an interesting way to discover world truths - that transcend culture, time and place.