What differences are there between Catholics and Buddhists?

Answer 1

Catholicism is a revealed religion, which was given to men through revelation. Buddhism is NOT a religion, it is a philosophy that attempts to explain man's situation in the world and how to deal with it with no reference to God. As such, the differences are so vast, as you are dealing with two completely difference subjects, as to make any meaningful comparison impossible.

Answer:

At the base Catholics are a sect in the Christian group of religions and part of the Abrahamic tradition. Buddhist is an overall term for several Buddhist sects and traditions that are part of the Dravidian group of religions.

Except for the feeling that being "good" is better for the followers than being "bad" there are few similarities between the two religions. Examples:

• Catholics worship god(s), Buddhism doesn't
• Buddhists believe in reincarnation, Catholics don't
• Catholics revere Jesus as a divinity, Buddhists don't
• They both have some have teachings common to Hinduism
• Catholics have creation myths , Buddhists don't
• Buddhists feel man's "salvation" is essentially his own concern, Catholics see the need of divine intervention
• Christians have a Heaven, Buddhists don't
• Catholics pray for favours and special treatment from their deity, Buddhists have no deity
• The founder of Buddhism, Buddha, was just a man, Catholics see their founder, Jesus, as a deity
• Buddhists have no set of rules, Catholics have their ten commandments
• Buddhism is 500 years older than the Catholics or Christianity
• Buddhists and Catholics have legends of their founder talking from the cradle.

Answer 2

The main difference is that Catholics (and Christians in general) have a Holy Book called The Bible which was deity-given. Buddhism has no deity, so no deity given book, in fact no holy anything. Buddhists have number of writings which record meetings between the Buddha and his initial followers which are revered, but they are not "Holy."