Philosophy

Karl Marx is one of the most prominent philosophers of the ninteenth century who viewed religion as a crutch that people use against reality (Gunasekara 81). Buddhism on the other hand espouses religion as a way of life that man cannot do without. Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama who set out to understand the meaning of life. Both these philosophers had differences in what they deemed important in life.

Karl Marx viewed religion as a crutch used by men afraid of facing reality He did not believe in God or religion which he viewed as a mere artificial creation of the human mind (Gunasekara 84). Buddhists follow a certain religious way of life contrary to Marxists view of it as a crutch.

Buddhist teachings abhor violence and shedding of blood to achieve any objective. Indra Gandhi of India is a testimony to this fact in that he advocated for the use of non violent means to oust colonialists from power. Karl Marx on the other hand advocated for the murder of the middle class property owners (Schwarz 43). Other Marxist followers such as Stalin and Mao Tse-tung masterminded the mass murder of middle class property owners.

Karl Marx is reported to have commented that religion is the opium of the masses who would rather not steal to satisfy their needs to avoid being punished in the after life by a higher being (Gunasekara 86).  Buddhism and Marxism differ on the most basic principles of life.