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Human Being
Islam explains that a human being is made up of the physical-material, the spiritual-emotional and the rational-intellectual components. The Qur‘an narrates how God molded the first man, Adam (peace be upon him), from a type of clay (the physical-material component), breathed life into him (the spiritual-emotional component) and taught him the names of things (the rational-intellectual component). Thus in Islam, a human being is defined as a being who has the combination of all these three components – the physical-material, the spiritual-emotional and the intellectual-rational components. As such, a human being will have needs and wants for the physical-material, as in food, family, shelter, and material facilities; for the spiritual-emotional, as in spirituality, religion, sentiments and relationships; and the rational-intellectual, as in understanding, learning, knowledge and scholarship.
Thus In Islam, a wholesome and healthy development of a person should encompass growth and development on all these three components, and if more emphasis is given to one only or two only of the components, then the growth will not be holistic but lopsided, which will result in an imbalanced personality. An imbalanced personality will be an unhealthy and an unhappy personality, restless and ill at ease with himself or herself, as well as with all others. Moreover, such a person can also be destructive in nature, inwardly as against himself, translated into the forms of alcoholism, drug addiction, excessive smoking, or even suicides; or outwardly as against others as in the forms of aggression, violence, exploitations, oppressions, etc.
In Buddhism, a human being is perceived to be made up of five components i.e. the skanda, namely that of the body (rupa), perception (jamjna), feelings (vedana), instinct (samkharas), and consciousness (vijnana). Furthermore, Buddhism rejects the concept of soul, or at least regards the soul as unreal or as a non-reality (anatta); it however, upholds the concept of the self.
Although the skanda cannot be identified on a point of one-to-one basis with the human components in Islam, still a component may be similarly explained by the two religions. For example, the body (rupa) may be identified to the physical-material component in Islam, whereas the feelings (vedana) and instinct (samkharas) may be compared to the spiritual-emotional component in Islam, and the perception (jamjna) and consciousness (vijnana) to that of the rational-intellectual component.
Based on these human components and concepts, Buddhism has also developed the concept of wisdom (prajna), morality (sila) and meditative mind (samadhi). Thus for the Buddhists too, a human being should develop himself to attain wisdom, good morality and a meditative mind and these should likewise be translated into social conduct and social life.
Code of Morality
Despite the differences in understanding on what a human being is composed of, both Islam and Buddhism, however, emphasize on responsibility and accountability of a person. Every person is made responsible and accountable for his or her actions and deeds, thought and words, and these will result in his or her position and status in the next life. It is remarkable too that what constitute as good and bad behavior, and what as good and bad values are similar, not only between Islam and Buddhism, but also with other religions.
In Islam, the codes of behavior or morality are reflected in the shari‘ah. In particular, the hudud (penal code) of the shari‘ah, has murder, adultery, robbery, consumption of alcohol (intoxicants) and apostasy as major crimes. Other crimes include all forms of violence and brutalities, rapes and abuses, oppressions and victimization, cheating and swindling, to name a few. All crimes also tantamount to sins in Islam and thus entail both a religious and a social sanction, punishable both in this world through the worldly or governmental authorities, as well as retributions in the next life. Whereas with regards to the next life, sincere repentance may be sufficient to annul the punishment, however, in this world, these crimes are to be punished regardless of repentance. This is in order to safeguard the well-being, security and interest of public life.
In Buddhism, this moral code is reflected in the Ten Precepts, five of which are applicable for all while the other five are exclusively for the monks. Forbidden to one and all are killing, stealing, unchaste conduct, lying, and intoxicants. For the monks, they are also prohibited from having meals outside the proper time, entertainments, decorations, luxuries and wealth. Likewise, Buddhism also abhors and repulses all that are bad and evil. Unlike Islam, however, punishments to the crimes are left for worldly authorities. The monks can also be given sanctions for misbehavior by fellow monks of the Sangha (monastery) and this may entail a de-robe, i.e., taking off their status as a monk.
Accountability and responsibilities in both Islam and Buddhism are not just a this-life affair since what are sown in this life will be reaped in the next life. For Islam, this will be in the form of retributions – good deeds will lead to Paradise and bad deeds will lead to Hell. For Buddhism, these deeds will be translated into the status of a person’s rebirth – a higher or a lower rebirth. Thus although Islam and Buddhism are radically different in the conception of the next life, still the status of the next life is very dependent upon the person’s performance in the present life. Hence both religions look at life as meaningful and should be lived correctly and properly. Living entails personal responsibilities to one’s self as well as social responsibilities to others. Thus, both Islam and Buddhism give serious attention to the nurturing of a good person. Islam, in particular, spells out social responsibilities very clearly and thus firmly puts socio-politico-economic matters as part and parcel of religion and religious life.
Closing Remarks
It is clear therefore, in the cases of Islam and Buddhism the faith-items are radically different but at the level of ethics and value systems, similarities do exist abundantly. It is therefore along the line of ethics, and in particular on universal humanistic values and social responsibilities that Muslims and Buddhists can work together for peace and a harmonious pluralistic living. The formulas for this are found from within each religion. It is advisable therefore for all parties who desire peace and harmony to extract from within their very own religion those elements or items or injunctions that denotes and conjure peaceful social life. Best wishes to all.
Prepared by:
KAMAR ONIAH KAMARUZAMAN (Ph.D)
Associate Professor of Comparative Religion
International Islamic University Malaysia.
23rd June 2006
http://www.inebnetwork.org/en/content/view/22/18/1/4/
Islam explains that a human being is made up of the physical-material, the spiritual-emotional and the rational-intellectual components. The Qur‘an narrates how God molded the first man, Adam (peace be upon him), from a type of clay (the physical-material component), breathed life into him (the spiritual-emotional component) and taught him the names of things (the rational-intellectual component). Thus in Islam, a human being is defined as a being who has the combination of all these three components – the physical-material, the spiritual-emotional and the intellectual-rational components. As such, a human being will have needs and wants for the physical-material, as in food, family, shelter, and material facilities; for the spiritual-emotional, as in spirituality, religion, sentiments and relationships; and the rational-intellectual, as in understanding, learning, knowledge and scholarship.
Thus In Islam, a wholesome and healthy development of a person should encompass growth and development on all these three components, and if more emphasis is given to one only or two only of the components, then the growth will not be holistic but lopsided, which will result in an imbalanced personality. An imbalanced personality will be an unhealthy and an unhappy personality, restless and ill at ease with himself or herself, as well as with all others. Moreover, such a person can also be destructive in nature, inwardly as against himself, translated into the forms of alcoholism, drug addiction, excessive smoking, or even suicides; or outwardly as against others as in the forms of aggression, violence, exploitations, oppressions, etc.
In Buddhism, a human being is perceived to be made up of five components i.e. the skanda, namely that of the body (rupa), perception (jamjna), feelings (vedana), instinct (samkharas), and consciousness (vijnana). Furthermore, Buddhism rejects the concept of soul, or at least regards the soul as unreal or as a non-reality (anatta); it however, upholds the concept of the self.
Although the skanda cannot be identified on a point of one-to-one basis with the human components in Islam, still a component may be similarly explained by the two religions. For example, the body (rupa) may be identified to the physical-material component in Islam, whereas the feelings (vedana) and instinct (samkharas) may be compared to the spiritual-emotional component in Islam, and the perception (jamjna) and consciousness (vijnana) to that of the rational-intellectual component.
Based on these human components and concepts, Buddhism has also developed the concept of wisdom (prajna), morality (sila) and meditative mind (samadhi). Thus for the Buddhists too, a human being should develop himself to attain wisdom, good morality and a meditative mind and these should likewise be translated into social conduct and social life.
Code of Morality
Despite the differences in understanding on what a human being is composed of, both Islam and Buddhism, however, emphasize on responsibility and accountability of a person. Every person is made responsible and accountable for his or her actions and deeds, thought and words, and these will result in his or her position and status in the next life. It is remarkable too that what constitute as good and bad behavior, and what as good and bad values are similar, not only between Islam and Buddhism, but also with other religions.
In Islam, the codes of behavior or morality are reflected in the shari‘ah. In particular, the hudud (penal code) of the shari‘ah, has murder, adultery, robbery, consumption of alcohol (intoxicants) and apostasy as major crimes. Other crimes include all forms of violence and brutalities, rapes and abuses, oppressions and victimization, cheating and swindling, to name a few. All crimes also tantamount to sins in Islam and thus entail both a religious and a social sanction, punishable both in this world through the worldly or governmental authorities, as well as retributions in the next life. Whereas with regards to the next life, sincere repentance may be sufficient to annul the punishment, however, in this world, these crimes are to be punished regardless of repentance. This is in order to safeguard the well-being, security and interest of public life.
In Buddhism, this moral code is reflected in the Ten Precepts, five of which are applicable for all while the other five are exclusively for the monks. Forbidden to one and all are killing, stealing, unchaste conduct, lying, and intoxicants. For the monks, they are also prohibited from having meals outside the proper time, entertainments, decorations, luxuries and wealth. Likewise, Buddhism also abhors and repulses all that are bad and evil. Unlike Islam, however, punishments to the crimes are left for worldly authorities. The monks can also be given sanctions for misbehavior by fellow monks of the Sangha (monastery) and this may entail a de-robe, i.e., taking off their status as a monk.
Accountability and responsibilities in both Islam and Buddhism are not just a this-life affair since what are sown in this life will be reaped in the next life. For Islam, this will be in the form of retributions – good deeds will lead to Paradise and bad deeds will lead to Hell. For Buddhism, these deeds will be translated into the status of a person’s rebirth – a higher or a lower rebirth. Thus although Islam and Buddhism are radically different in the conception of the next life, still the status of the next life is very dependent upon the person’s performance in the present life. Hence both religions look at life as meaningful and should be lived correctly and properly. Living entails personal responsibilities to one’s self as well as social responsibilities to others. Thus, both Islam and Buddhism give serious attention to the nurturing of a good person. Islam, in particular, spells out social responsibilities very clearly and thus firmly puts socio-politico-economic matters as part and parcel of religion and religious life.
Closing Remarks
It is clear therefore, in the cases of Islam and Buddhism the faith-items are radically different but at the level of ethics and value systems, similarities do exist abundantly. It is therefore along the line of ethics, and in particular on universal humanistic values and social responsibilities that Muslims and Buddhists can work together for peace and a harmonious pluralistic living. The formulas for this are found from within each religion. It is advisable therefore for all parties who desire peace and harmony to extract from within their very own religion those elements or items or injunctions that denotes and conjure peaceful social life. Best wishes to all.
Prepared by:
KAMAR ONIAH KAMARUZAMAN (Ph.D)
Associate Professor of Comparative Religion
International Islamic University Malaysia.
23rd June 2006
http://www.inebnetwork.org/en/content/view/22/18/1/4/
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