 According to what is recorded of his life, Buddha forsook all of his wealth, his wife and his child in order to attain enlightenment. He left his family life and began meditating in search of life's ultimate truth. He became a beggar, relying on others for food while living in relative seclusion. While meditating under a tree for 49 days, he is said to have achieved enlightenment at the age of 35. His teaching is basically the idea that life is a cycle of suffering and rebirth and that this cycle ends when one is enlightened and gains nirvana or a state of peace. Buddha taught monasticism or separation from the world and reincarnation. Yet he was unconcerned with God and his purpose for our creation. To most people, these are the most important questions that a religion should answer. (The teachings of Buddha were written down more than 400 years after his death. I am inclined to believe that a man so dedicated to finding the truth of life would not be so cavalier about God as to ignore his existence.)
In contrast, Islam explicitly explains the proper understanding of God and why he has created man. Islam rejects monasticism. It teaches that man must not live apart from those who are unrighteous, but amongst them. A Muslim is to teach them the path of righteousness and be a shining example in their midst. Islam also encourages research and investigation to attain truth. A Muslim does not see the world as merely a cycle of suffering, but one of pain and pleasure. This world is a test for mankind and he is tested in times of happiness and times of sorrow as to his devotion to God and to righteousness under any and every circumstance. Man is given but one life to live. The idea of reincarnation is a breeding ground for procrastination, whereas those who accept that God has given you this one life to live are more likely to improve their condition and their beliefs immediately.
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