On the topic and philosophy behind many religions around the world, there are many differences and similarities between two or more religions. However big or small the details may be, it is undeniable that we, as humans, generally all want the same thing. We want happiness. Whether happiness comes from knowledge, peace, meaning, or whatever we try to find it, it's what we all want. Religion often tries to provide this through philosophical reasoning that seems counterproductive to match counterintuitive reason. It seeks to confuse the simplicity of truth to, in turn, simplify the confusion of the human condition. A religion that attempts to use this formula and turn it into a search for peace that ultimately leads to happiness. This religion is Buddhism. He attempts to achieve happiness by coming to the awareness that life is suffering and that suffering is the negative effect of desire. Therefore, it teaches that by excluding the desires of life, you will find meaning and happiness in life. That's when Christianity stops with its philosophy. This is the idea that life is suffering, because man has sinned, and without sin there would be no suffering. The desire for God and the desire to love others indeed bring joy, which is much greater than happiness. The two schools of thought are obviously different, and Buddhism obviously has its flaws, so where does a Christian witness go to alleviate the false mentality of a Buddhist thinker? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayFirst, the Christian should take a stand on philosophy, this in order to enter into a religious thought that would undoubtedly alienate the Buddhist. The philosophy of Christianity does not simply focus on the religion itself, but rather on a relationship. This is the only relationship in life that has the ability to bring joy. This is the supernatural relationship between man and God that God provided by sacrificing His love on a physical cross and also condemning His son to 33 years of miserable human life in the sin-cursed world that He created to be good. This relationship requires desire, which is the first rule of Buddhism that Christianity breaks. The second broken ideology would be the conceptual form of God and the difference between the two religions. Shaping a mind and its thoughts about God is an incredibly difficult task, so adding something to the relationship God has with us, as mentioned above, would further complicate things for the Buddhist. This idea should state quite clearly that explaining the true God and right philosophical reasoning should not be an effort to convince the Buddhist of Christian beliefs, but instead let the facts and philosophy speak for themselves. After all, philosophy is incredibly important in both religions, not just the theology, but the human aspect of how each "religion" relates directly to people. In the document Christian Witness to Buddhisms the document is divided into two main sections between the Theravada and Mahayana schools. . First they start talking about Theravada and its worldviews. Just as the document states: In the worldviews of Theravada Buddhists, there is a distinction between intellectual and popular Buddhism, between ideal culture and real culture. Their point B concerns the crucial theological issues that people recognize in the historical and doctrinal similarities between Christianity and Theravada Buddhism. The document provides examples of these similarities which are: “The similarityof ethical standards between the Ten Commandments and the Buddhist abstentions of the Sila”. He emphasizes that these absolute moral values ​​are useful steps in leading Buddhists from where they are to encountering the Gospel. A key point of this document is that it tells us that the fundamental goal of the Christian is not to equalize religious systems, but to lead men to know Christ. There may be similarities between these religions, but one of the main differences concerns salvation. Theravada Buddhists depend only on themselves, but the Gospel says that self-dependence and reliance on the flesh spell doom. Theravada Buddhism essentially teaches the ability of the self, without the help of God, to free itself from injustice and suffering to reach a state of total absence. The basis of Buddhism is humanism in which man has no other authority to answer to than himself; and humans are not fundamentally evil but can be made good through their own efforts. Human beings can do this without God's help or connection with God. As with other religions, Buddhism is human beings' pursuit of the ideal. While Christianity derives from God's self-revelation to humanity. It was in the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ that the divine manifestation culminated. The Gospel, therefore, is centered on a transcendent God, who reveals himself in the culture and language of man and who, through divine grace, makes people and societies fruitful and just. Only the inner Holy Spirit can make this transformation possible. In the teaching of Buddhism, self-reliance is key. Self-reliance goes against the contemporary concept of progress in Buddhist theory and practice. In the Bible, self-sufficiency is the fundamental component of sin, because man separates himself from God with self-centeredness. The contrast between Buddhist and evangelical teaching is found in several places in this document. Theravada Buddhism has no possibility of forgiveness, because karma is an iron law, which knows no exceptions or immediate escapes (especially in popular beliefs). This contrasts with the gospel of the loving God who, through the power of the shed blood of Jesus Christ, provides forgiveness, hope and exchange of life, operating in a spiritual dimension. To purify the past, power in the present, and hope in the future, the atonement of Christ is sufficient. The death of Christ is the cornerstone upon which a loving God gives forgiveness. Thus, God, in Christ, has taken the place of man himself as a substitute for liberation from sin and self and the reconciliation of man with God. Every Christian should seek meaningful expressions and indigenous illustrations, stories, anecdotes useful to the truth theological. The evangelist should always look for important historical illustrations to communicate. “Christians must try to read Buddhists in their natural context without uprooting them from their family and cultural ties. Christians must identify with the people among whom they live and develop an indigenous model of Christian life and worship in these communities." The second section of this document now talks about Mahayana Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism has achieved full development and pervasive influence in Japan. The Mahayana worldview is basic concepts of karma, rebirth, and enlightenment; also, those connected to the Three Refuges, the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Mahayana Buddhism is a collection of Buddhist traditions and does not constitute a single group; Zen Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism, and Tibetan Buddhism are all forms of Mahayana Buddhism. Theravada and Mahayana are both rooted in the foundational teachings of the historical Buddha, and both highlight the individual's quest to be liberated from the cycle.