The Role of Religion in Attaining Self-Purification and Self-control; A Comparative Study between Islam and Buddhism

Abstract

This thesis undertakes a comparative study of Buddhist and Islamic approaches to self-purification, examining how each tradition conceptualizes purification, structures its practices, and promotes self-control and discipline. The study was conducted in response to a notable gap in comparative religious scholarship: while Buddhism and Islām are each extensively studied in isolation, direct and sustained comparisons between their respective purification frameworks remain limited, particularly with regard to their practical effectiveness in everyday human life. The central question guiding this research is whether one of these traditions offers a more effective, universal, and sustainable framework for self-purification and self-restraint. Methodologically, the thesis employs qualitative textual analysis of primary Buddhist and Islamic sources, including scriptural texts and classical commentaries, alongside interdisciplinary scholarship in religious studies, ethics, and psychology. The study is structured across three chapters: an examination of the doctrinal foundations of Buddhism and Islām, an analysis of their respective purification methodologies such as meditation, tazkiyat an-nafs, ethical discipline, cognitive vigilance, ritual acts, and moral accountability, and a comparative evaluation using four shared criteria: structure, practicality, accessibility, and comprehensiveness. The analysis reveals that Buddhism offers a highly refined and psychologically precise system of self-purification, centred on direct cognitive insight, disciplined mental training, and liberation from suffering through the deconstruction of self-identification. Islām, by contrast, situates purification within a theistic framework that emphasizes moral responsibility, divine accountability, and the integration of ethical refinement into social, legal, and communal life. While Buddhist methods excel in clarity and internal coherence, the Islamic framework demonstrates greater adaptability, inclusivity, and sustainability across diverse social contexts, suggesting a broader practical effectiveness for long-term self-purification and self-control. These findings matter because they challenge the assumption that highly individualized or ascetic models of purification are inherently more effective than socially embedded religious frameworks. By placing two rarely juxtaposed traditions into sustained dialogue, this thesis contributes to comparative religion and religious ethics, offering new insights into how moral discipline, psychological well-being, and spiritual growth are cultivated across differing conceptions of the self, society, and ultimate purpose.