Compare two faiths

Choose any two traditions to see, side by side, where they began, what they teach, how they worship and what they share.

Broad features only: every tradition holds great variety, and not every follower shares every feature.

Buddhism only

Question	Buddhism	Christianity
Where it began	The Ganges plain, northern India	Galilee and Jerusalem, in Roman Judea
When	5th century BCE	1st century CE
Founders and key figures	Siddhartha Gautama, called the Buddha (“the awakened one”)	Jesus of Nazareth, whom Christians call the Christ (“the anointed one”)
Followers today	324 million (about 4% of the world, 2020)	2.3 billion (about 29% of the world, 2020)
At the heart of it	The Four Noble Truths: There is suffering, It arises from craving, It can cease, A path leads there	The creed: One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, God made man, Crucified, died and rose again, The life of the world to come
Scriptures	Pali Canon (Tipitaka); Mahayana sutras; Chinese canon; Tibetan canon	The Old Testament; The New Testament; The creeds
Main branches	Theravada, Mahayana	Church of the East, Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic
Holy days	Vesak, Asalha Puja, Obon, Kathina, Bodhi Day, Losar	Epiphany, Ash Wednesday, Easter, Pentecost, All Saints, Christmas
Symbols	Dharma wheel, Lotus, Bodhi leaf, Stupa	Cross, Ichthys, Chi-Rho, Dove

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