What came first Buddhism or the bible?

Answer 1

Buddhism came first, according to the present evidence.

Answer:

Buddhism predated Christianity by 500 years or so. However Judaism (the cultural antecedent of Christianity) and Hinduism (the cultural origin of Buddhism) both preceded these religions by thousands of years.

The Bible is another matter. It is was put into its present format over the past 1500 years or so. Many Christians do not consider a Bible to be a Bible unless it contains the "New Testament." It is however preceded by the Jewish Torah which is claimed to go back to the initiation of the Jewish faith (at least to the time of Moses)

All this gets a time line in order. The Bible in its present format (Old and New Restament) has been around for less than 1500 years, Buddhism has been around for 2500 years.

Answer 2

While Buddhism is supposed to have started in the third century or fifth century BC, it hardly matters what came first. What matters is what is the truth, what matters are the teachings of the Buddha and The Bible. We must interpret what is in the Buddhist scriptures and the Bible correctly - it hardly matters what came first. The problem is in our interpretation. Buddha also said - go within. The Bible also says that the kingdom of God is within; God lives in the temple of your heart, Luke 17: 20 -21; Corinthians 3:16. When will we interpret the Bible- when will we interpret what the Buddha said in a manner that will make us reach our ultimate goal of Nirvana, of salvation, of Enlightenment and liberation?