Both speak of “the rain which falls on the just and on the unjust.”
The story of the ruler, Nicodemus, who came to Jesus by night, has its parallel in the story of the rich man who came to Buddha by night.
A converted courtezan, Magdalena, followed Jesus, and a converted courtezan, Ambapali, followed Buddha.
There is a legend of a traitor connected with each.
Both made triumphal entries, Christ into Jerusalem, and Buddha into Rajagriba.
Both proclaimed kingdoms not of this world.
The eternal life promised by Christ corresponds to the eternal peace, Nirvana, promised by Buddha.
Both religions recognize a trinity.
“Catholic and Protestant missionaries,” to quote Max Muller again, “vie with each other in their praises of Buddha.” Bishop Bigandet, one of the leading Christian writers on Buddha, says: “In reading the particulars of the life of Buddha it is impossible not to feel reminded of many circumstances relating to our Savior’s life as sketched by the evangelists. It may be said in favor of Buddhism that no philosophic-religious system has ever upheld to an equal degree the notions of a savior and deliverer, and the necessity of his mission for procuring the salvation of man.” St. Hilaire says: “He [Buddha] requires humility, disregard of worldly wealth, patience and resignation in adversity, love to enemies ... non-resistance to evil, confession of sins and conversion.” The bishop of Ramatha says: “There are many moral precepts equally commanded and enforced in common by both creeds. It will not be rash to assert that most of the moral truths prescribed in the gospel are to be met with in the Buddhistic scriptures.” Writing of Buddhism, Mrs. Spier, in her “Life in Ancient India,” says: “Before God planted Christianity upon earth, he took a branch from the luxuriant tree, and threw it down to India.”
The external forms of Christianity, especially of Catholic Christianity, are modeled in a large degree after those of Buddhism. Of Northern Buddhism (Lamaism) the “Encyclopedia Britannica” says: “Lamaism, with its shaven priests, its bells and rosaries, its images and holy water, its popes and bishops, its abbots and monks of many grades, its processions and feast days, its confessional and purgatory, and its worship of the double Virgin, so strongly resembles Romanism that the first Catholic missionaries thought it must be an imitation by the devil of the religion of Christ.” The central object in every Buddhist temple is an image of Buddha. The central object in every Catholic church is an image of Christ. Holy relics and the veneration of saints are prominent in both.