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Buddhism and Eastern Teaching
Taoism
Taoism. Gathering the Light grafic from The Secret of the Golden Flower, by C.
G. Jung and Richard WilhelmMain article: Taoism
The relationships between Taoism (Chinese folk religion still popular today) and
Buddhism are complex, as they influenced each other in many ways while often
competing for influence. The arrival of Buddhism forced Taoism to renew and
restructure itself and address existential questions raised by Buddhism.
Buddhism was seen as a kind of foreign Taoism and its scriptures were translated
into Chinese with Taoist vocabulary. Chan (Seon, Thien, or Zen) Buddhism in
particular holds many beliefs in common with philosophical Taoism.
Confucianism
Confucianism also has much in common with Buddhism, and historically, people
have practiced both. Some would argue however, that Confucianism is in fact not
a religion, but a philosophy. Whatever the case, Buddhism shares many
commonalities with Neo-Confucianism, which is Confucianism with more religious
elements. In fact, the ritual of ancestor worship normally practiced by
Confucianists, has been adapted to Chinese Buddhist beliefs.
Shintoism
In the Japanese religion of Shinto, the long coexistence of Buddhism and
Shintoism resulted in the merging of Shintoism and Buddhism. Gods in Shintoism
were given a similar position of Hindu gods in Buddhism. Moreover, because one
of Mahayana Buddha's (Dainichi Nyorai) symbol was sun, many equated Amaterasu,
the son goddess as the previous reincarnation (boddisatva) of Dainich Nyorai.
However, in Tokugawa Shogunate era saw a revival movement within Shinto. Some
Shinto scholars start to argue that Buddhas are previous incarnation of Shinto
gods, turning the positions of Shintoism and Buddhism upside down. Shinto and
Buddhism were officially separated after Meiji Restoration
The
Four Noble Truths
Noble Eightfold Path
Bodhi
Refuge in the Three Jewels
Sila
Samadhi,
Vipassana, and Buddhist meditation
Prajñā
Wisdom
Early
Buddhism
Rise of Mahayana Buddhism
Emergence of
the Vajrayāna
Decline of Buddhism in India and
Central Asia
Southern Buddhism
Eastern Buddhism
Northern Buddhism
Buddhist
Texts
Hinduism and Buddhism
Similarities between Hinduism and
Buddhism
Buddhism and Eastern Teaching
God in
Buddhism
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