Christianity and Buddhism

“One cannot judge whether a certain religion is right or wrong, true or false, on the strength of one’s study or reasoning, for the criterion or standard thereto must be “the fruit which one really gets within one’s own mind.” Therefore, before passing any kind of judgment with regard to a religion, followers of different religions should first try to obtain the fruit of the practice of whatever religion they are in. In that case all questions or differences as regards religion would vanish and it will become clear that all religions in the world have one common ‘heart’ or pith in the same way as all men in the world have but evil or suffering as a universal characteristic.

“Religion is ‘a system of observation and practice which binds man to the highest thing being therefore the benefit of every human being.’ It is through one’s own ignorance that one does not really know this highest thing, so it would not be wise to blame that which is called religion. Be wide awake, try to understand first the highest thing and you can easily and undoubtedly approach or realize it. It is hoped that this series of lectures will add, to some extent, to your understanding of the highest thing.” (Excerpt from Buddhadas’a Bhikkhu’s Introduction)

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Christianity and Buddhism (Sinclaire Thompson Memorial Lecture Fifth Series) by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu.

Three lectures ("Christianity and Buddhism," "Father, Son and Holy Spirit," and "Redemption and Consummation") delivered at the Sinclair Thompson Memorial, Chiang Mai, on 18-20 Feb. 1967. 

Translated from the Thai by several translators. Reprint. Dhammadana Foundation, Chaiya, n.d. 123 p.