When we compare Christianity with Buddhism, the first thing to remember is that we are talking about two very different things, and it’s really confusing when you try to treat both of them under the name of religion.
I have called Buddhism a way of liberation instead of a religion, And we can see the difference most effectively if we look at Buddhism and Christianity with regard to their different social functions. A religion like Christianity serves the social function of cementing a community together, giving that community its laws, its principles of ethics, and its common objectives. The function of Buddhism, on the other hand, as a way of liberation is, as it were, to provide a cure for the inevitable ill effects of making the conventions of a community too strong, making the bonds of a community too strong.
A religion and a way of liberation complement one another, and a way of liberation can prevent a religion from becoming too great a burden.
The Hindu society always recognizes the right of an individual to break from society.
The monarchical ideal of everything perfectly submitted to the will of God is contrasted with the ideal of the Buddha—who, having been a monarch, is not so interested in monarchy. Having been a monarch, he has seen the difficulties of rule and is not anxious to rule. And in the Buddhist conception of the universe there is no ruler, there is no king, but the universe is self-ruling: it goes by itself, it orders itself. And Buddhism does not look forward to a transformation of the world in time. Yes, it does look forward to a transformation of the world, but not at the end of time, but now, through the overcoming of our self-centered point of view.
