ONE FAMILY PLAN
Jesus-Buddha
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Golden Rule
"Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:31)
"Consider others as yourself." (Dhammapada 10.1)
Turn the Cheek
"If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also." (Luke 6:29)
"If anyone should give you a blow with his hand, with a stick, or with a knife, you should abandon any desires and utter no evil words." (Majjhima Nikaya 21.6)
Love your Enemies
"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back." (Luke 6:27-30)
"Hatreds do not ever cease in this world by hating, but by love; this is an eternal truth. Overcome anger by love, overcome evil by good. Overcome the miser by giving, overcome the liar by truth." (Dhammapada 1.5 & 17.3)
Lay down the Sword
"'Put your sword back in its place,' Jesus said to him, 'for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.'" (Matthew 26:52)
"Abandoning the taking of life, the ascetic Gautama dwells refraining from taking life, without stick or sword." (Digha Nikaya 1.1.8)
Unto the least of these...
"He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'" (Matthew 25:45)
"If you do not tend one another, then who is there to tend you? Whoever would tend me, he should tend the sick." (Vinaya, Mahavagga 8.26.3)
Body of Truth
"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (1:17)
"The body of the Buddha is born of love, patience, gentleness, and truth." (Vimalakirtinirdesha Sutra 2)
Everyone is Precious
"In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:10)
"The bodhisattva loves all living beings as if each were his only child." (Vimalakirtinirdesha Sutra 5)
Greater Love hath No One
"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:12-13)
"Just a mother would protect her only child at the risk of her own life, even so, cultivate a boundless heart towards all beings. Let your thoughts of boundless love pervade the whole world." (Sutta Nipata 149-150)
The Commandments
"Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother." (Mark 10:19)
"Abstain from killing and from taking what is given. Abstain from unchastity and from speaking falsely. Do not accept gold or silver." (Khuddakapatha 2)
The Kingdom
"He told them another parable: 'The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.'" (Matthew 13:31-32)
"Do not underestimate good, thinking it will not affect you. Dripping water can fill a pitcher, drop by drop; one who is wise is filled with good, even if one accumulates it little by little." (Dhammapada 9:7)
Accusers of the brethren…
"Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye." (Luke 6:41-42)
"The faults of others are easier to see than one's own; the faults of others are easily seen, for they are sifted like chaff, but one's own faults are hard to see. This is like the cheat who hides his dice and shows the dice of his opponent, calling attention to the other's shortcomings, continually thinking of accusing him." (Udanavarga 27:1)
"Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery." (John 8:4) "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:7)
"Do not look at the faults of others, or what others have done or not done; observe what you yourself have done and have not done." (Dhammapada 4.7)
The Lamp
"The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness. If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays." (Luke 11:34-36)
"As a man with eyes who carries a lamp sees all objects, so too with one who has heard the Moral Law. He will become perfectly wise." (Udanavarga 22.4)
The Rain
"...for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Matthew 5:45)
"That great cloud rains down on all whether their nature is superior or inferior. The light of the sun and the moon illuminates the whole world, both him who does well and him who does ill, both him who stands high and him who stands low." (Sadharmapundarika Sutra 5)
The Heart
"But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person." (John 2:24-25)
"He was expert in knowing the thoughts and actions of living beings." (Vimalakirtinirdesha Sutra 2)
Unwashen Hands
"For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." (Matthew 15:19-20)
"One does not become pure by washing, as do the multitude of mortals in this world; he who casts away every sin, great and small, he is a Brahmin who has cast off sin." (Udanavarga 33.13)
The Spoken Word
"'No one ever spoke the way this man does,' the guards replied." (John 7:46)
"Neither have I seen, nor has anyone heard of such a sweet-tongued master coming down from heaven to the midst of the many." (Sutta Nipata 955)
Recognized by the Fruit
"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." (Luke 6:43-45)
"Whatsoever a person commits, whether it be virtuous or sinful deeds, none of these is of little import; all bear some kind of fruit." (Udanavarga 9.8)
What comes out of a man...
"Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them." (Mark 7:15)
"Stealing, deceiving, adultery; this is defilement. Not the eating of meat." (Sutta Nipata 242)
Two Masters...
"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Luke 16:13)
"One is the way to gain, the other is the way to nirvana; knowing this fact, students of Buddha should not take pleasure in being honored, but should practice detachment." (Dhammapada 5.16)
The Rich
"Jesus said again, 'Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.'"
(Mark 10: 24-25)
"Riches make most people greedy, and so are like caravans lurching down the road to perdition. Any possession that increases the sin of selfishness or does nothing to confirm one's wish to renounce what one has is nothing but a drawback in disguise."
(Jatakamala 5.5 & 15)
Blessed are the Poor
"Looking at his disciples, he said: 'Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.'" (Luke 6:20)
"Let us live most happily, possessing nothing; let us feed on joy, like the radiant gods." (Dhammapada 15.4)
"Jesus answered, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'" (Matthew 19:21)
"The avaricious do not go to heaven, the foolish do not extol charity. The wise one, however, rejoicing in charity, becomes thereby happy in the beyond." (Dhammapada 13.11)
"Then Jesus asked them, 'When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?' 'Nothing,' they answered." (Luke 22:35)
"Then the Lord addressed the monks, saying 'I am freed from all snares. And you, monks, are freed from all snares.'" (Vinaya, Mahavagga 1.11.1)
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19-20)
"Let the wise man do righteousness: A treasure that others can not share, which no thief can steal; a treasure which does not pass away." (Khuddakapatha 8.9)
Giving
"As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 'Truly I tell you,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'" (Luke 21:1-4)
"Giving is the noble expression of the benevolence of the mighty. Even dust, given in childish innocence, is a good gift. No gift that is given in good faith to a worthy recipient can be called small; its effect is so great." (Jatakamala 3.23)
Whitewashed sepulchers...
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness." (Matthew 23:27) "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." (Matthew 7:15)
"What good is hide clothing? While your inward state is a tangle, you polish your exterior." (Dhammapada 26.12)
No Place to lay his head
"Jesus replied, 'Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.'" (Matthew 8:20)
"The thoughtful exert themselves; they do not delight in an abode. Like swans who have left their lake they leave their house and home." (Dhammapada 7.2)
To Lose our Life
"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it." (Mark 8:35)
"With the relinquishing of all thought and egotism, the enlightened one is liberated through not clinging." (Majjhima Nikaya 72.15)
Let not your Heart be Troubled
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
"May fear and dread not conquer me."
(Majjhima Nikaya 6.8)
Strong Tower
"Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great." (Luke 6:47-49)
"As rain leaks into a poorly roofed house, so does passion invade an uncultivated mind. As no rain leaks into a well-roofed house, passion does not invade a cultivated mind."
(Dhammapada 1.13-14)
Schism
"but whoever may speak evil in regard to the Holy Spirit hath not forgiveness -- to the age, but is in danger of age-during judgment" (Mark 3:29, YLT)
"Do not let there be a schism in the order, for this is a serious matter. Whoever splits an order that is united will be boiled in hell for an aeon." (Vinaya, Cullavagga 7.3.16)
Avoidance of the Wicked
"But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." (Luke 10:10-11)
"The wise man does not befriend the faithless, the avaricious and the slanderous, or the one who stirs up strife; the wise avoid the wicked." (Udanavarga 25.1)
Servant of Sin
"Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." (John 8:34)
"People compelled by craving crawl like snared rabbits." (Dhammapada 24.9)
The devil
"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44)
"Mara, the evil one, appeared desiring their ruin, and he closed off the safe and good path that led to their happiness, and he opened up a false path so that they might later come upon disaster and loss." (Majjhima Nikaya 19.25-26)
"And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (Luke 4:3-8)
"Then Mara the evil one drew near to him, and said: 'Let the Exalted One exercise governance, let the Blessed One rule.' 'Now what, O evil one, do you have in view, that you speak this way to me?' 'If the Exalted One were to wish the Himalayas, king of the mountains, to be gold, he might determine it to be so, and the mountains would become a mass of gold.' The Exalted One responded: 'Were the mountains all of shimmering gold, it would still not be enough for one man's wants. He that has seen suffering-how should that man succumb to desires?' Then Mara the evil one thought: 'The Exalted One knows me! The Blessed One knows me!' And sad and sorrowful he vanished then and there." (Samyutta Nikaya 4.2.10)
"And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season." (Luke 4:13)
"During the six years that the Bodhisattva practiced austerities, the demon followed behind him step by step, seeking an opportunity to harm him. But he found no opportunity whatsoever and went away discouraged and discontent."
(Lalitavistara Sutra 18)
"After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry." (Matthew 4:2) "Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him." (Matthew 4:11)
"I thought: 'Suppose I practice entirely cutting off food.' Then the deities came to me and said: 'Good sir, do not practice entirely cutting off food. If you do so, we shall infuse heavenly food into the pores of your skin and you will live on that.'"
(Majjhima Nikaya 36.27)
