Something that a lot of people don’t understand about Buddhism is just how compatible it is with other religions. So when we talk about Catholicism vs. Buddhism, there’s really no inherent conflict there but the conflict that people read into it. Let’s look at the basic principles of Buddhism.
1. Life as we know it is suffering. Or rather, life inevitably leads to suffering in one way or other.
2. Suffering is caused by want, by craving. Either wanting what we can’t have such as consumer goods, or longing for some state of being that is not available to us, such as wanting to make more money or be taller or be able to live forever.
3. Suffering does not end until craving ends. This can mean filling your belly while hungry, a temporary end to suffering, or it can mean enlightenment, reaching a state of being liberated from superfluous desire and craving.
4. The way to reach enlightenment is to follow the path laid out by Buddha.
There are certain aspects of Buddhism like beliefs in layers of hell, beliefs in certain deities and spirits that contrast with Catholicism, but there are non-deistic Buddhists who practice the philosophy but not the religion of Buddhism. Overcoming craving is, in fact, a concept that is very compatible with Catholicism.
In Catholicism, the principle tenets are the absolution of guilt, of sin, the worship of the Lord, reverence for the Virgin Mary, and consequences in the afterlife for one’s actions on Earth. None of these conflict with the four principle tenets of Buddhism.
In fact, it is incredibly common in Asia for people to practice multiple religions at once. As these people might tell you, Buddhism gives them guidance in their daily life, in staying happy, while Catholicism gives them moral guidance and teaches them what they can expect in the afterlife.
The Lord says to put no idols before Him, but Buddhism does not, in fact, necessitate the worship of idols. Rather, the vast majority of Buddhists simply abstain from hurting other living beings, try to control their own desires and try to live a happy peaceful life. Not only does none of this conflict with Catholicism, but in learning self control, a good Buddhist makes for a good Catholic.