Similarities between Buddhism and Christianity:

1. The word 'birth' has a psychological meaning (rather than a physical meaning), as Jesus explained to Nicodemus in John 3 and the Buddha explained in SN 12.2; SN 23.2 & SN 5.10. Therefore, 're-birth' happens when living rather than at the termination of life. MN 86 states:

> *Sister, since I was born in the noble birth, I do not recall intentionally killing a living being.*
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2. The word 'death' has a psychological/spiritual meaning (rather than a physical meaning). 

> *Dhammapada 21. Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless. Heedlessness is the path to death. The heedful die not. The heedless are as if dead
> already*
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3. Dependent origination is taught in both, namely, James 1:15: 

> *But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;
> and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.*

4. While the Gospels mostly teach about 'Eternal Life', which is alien to Buddhism, at times Christianity teaches about the 'Deathless', which is the same as Buddhism, such as in the Gospel of Thomas verse 1 and John 21:23.

> *And he said, "Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death."*

5. Craving ('*tanha*'; lit. '*thirst*') as the cause of suffering is taught in both; as is the end of craving being 'Nibbana' or 'Eternal Life'.  

> *What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you? James 4:1*
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> *But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up
> to eternal life. John 4:14*

6. 'The world' ('loka') is equated to suffering & the 'lokuttara' state of 'beyond the world' is the state of freedom. 

> *John 16:33 - The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world!"*
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> *John 18:36 Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world".*
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> *1 Corinthians 7:29-31 What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they
> do not;  those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as
> if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to
> keep;  those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in
> them. For this world in its present form is passing away*

7. 'Satan' is the ruler of the world: 

> *The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.*
> 
> *John 12:31*
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> 
> *44. Who shall overcome this earth, this realm of Yama and this sphere of men and gods? Who shall bring to perfection the well-taught path of
> wisdom as an expert garland-maker would his floral design?*
> 
> *45. A striver-on-the path shall overcome this earth, this realm of Yama and this sphere of men and gods. The striver-on-the-path shall
> bring to perfection the well-taught path of wisdom, as an expert
> garland-maker would his floral design.*
> 
> *46. Realizing that this body is like froth, penetrating its mirage-like nature, and plucking out Mara's flower-tipped arrows of
> sensuality, go beyond sight of the King of Death!*
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8. Both teach the destruction of kamma. 
> *And what is the cessation of kamma? From the cessation of contact is the cessation of kamma; and just this noble eightfold path — right
> view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood,
> right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration — is the path of
> practice leading to the cessation of kamma. AN 6.63*