The proof is in the path

I have come to the opinion that there is a subtle, but profound, difference between the practice of Buddhism and the practice of Christianity.

When you follow the life of Christ you are becoming a good Christian.

When you are following the instruction of Buddha you are becoming Buddha.

The difference is in the end goal. In Christianity, you can never come close to being Christ (unless you, yourself, are the son of God). But in Buddhism your only goal is to be come Buddha; to wake up.

With Christianity, one must try their best to imitate and follow the life of Christ. And to the degree that you follow the mandates of your own church, you can be called either a good or bad Christian.

There are no good Buddhists, just varying degrees of awareness. 'Waking up' does not require submission to law. But, instead, the cultivation and practice of mindfulness, compassion, and equanimity.

The difference is expressed beautifully in their titles. Christ literally means "the anointed one." A title given by divine grace to one who encapsulates the Godhead. Where 'the Buddha' means "the one who woke up." A title given to someone who has fully integrated insight and action.

The question is which path to follow. To make oneself a facsimile of divinity and wait for God's blessing or go out and cultivate the Godhead for yourself?