How does Mahayana Buddhism conflict with Roman Catholicism?

The Infamous Big Yin: How does Mahayana Buddhism conflict with Roman Catholicism?
Mahayana Buddhism is a philosophy and Roman Catholicism is a religion.
I cannot see the conflict between them. God and Jesus I worship as well as the Bible. But I also believe that the Buddha taught about suffering which is basically sin and how to have a practical means to avoid it alongside prayer to God. And the Buddha’s and Bodishavattas are saints in another name and place. God reveals himself in many ways.
What do ppl think?

Answers and Views:

Answer by gutbucket
Because christianity views any other religion as no different than paganism.

Answer by foxwithabone
mahayana Buddhism is a religion, not just a philosphy. The bible said you cannot mix darkness and light.

Your nick is ironic, considering christianity is a very evil religion.

Answer by Sara
Agreed, there are even nuns that practice buddhism.

Ummm, thumbs down?! I’m just stating known facts. Unbelievable!

Answer by Corey
The Buddha made many claims about realities that are transcendental. For example: Nirvana, anatman, Buddha-nature, the Dharmakaya, liberation. All of these objects are transcendental, meaning none of them can be seen with the eye or heard with the ear. You cannot find them “scientifically” nor can you show they exist philosophically. To know them you have to experience them, as the Buddha did.

If you want to experience them for yourself you have to take his teaching seriously for long enough to try out its precepts sincerely. The Buddha gave instructions on how to do so, and the extended dharma of the Mahayana tradition gave even more. Taking the teaching seriously before you know all its results is a form of faith. You have to have faith in the teaching in order to practice it seriously enough that it has its advertised effect. This is why Buddhism is a religion not a mere philosophy.

Jesus of Nazareth made claims of precisely the same nature—transcendental—and again to know them you have to experience them, and to experience them you have to take his teaching (with the teaching of the Church) seriously enough for long enough, which is again faith. Christianity too is a religion and not just a philosophy about being nice and loving one’s neighbor.

I find the ascetic programs of Christianity and Buddhism quite different in nature. I would find it difficult to have faith in both of them at the same time, to take them both seriously, even if there is no ultimate conflict. To know whether they conflict I would have to be enlightened already, to have a “God’s eye” view which I am not promised until sainthood/enlightenment.

This is not to say you cannot draw many of the treasures of Buddhism (see my source) and apply them in a Christian life. Just know what you are doing is following Christianity and using some Buddhist insights. You would not be combining the two, and it is dangerous to do so, for the same reason that combining two maps of the same object could result in a third map which is unusable.

Answer by Been There
Tibetan Buddhism is one of the branches of Mahayana Buddhism, and the similarities are incredible:

Vajrasattva Puja does the same thing as Confession
Guru Puja has elements of the Transubstantiation the Host
Both have the concept of direct lineage, transmission of power
Both have saints
Both had a mother figure
Both use incense and sprinkle “special” water
Both use mudras/hand gestures
Both go down in reverence (prostration – genuflection on one knee)
Both chant and have prayer beads
Both meditate (read St. Theresa of Avila on “Contemplative Prayer”)

I have no explanation, nor need to make one … but I find it quite remarkable