user289: Despite communism as practiced (as opposed to what Marx might have had in mind) being the source of some of the largest slaughter of lay and monastic Buddhists ever (except maybe the Imperial Chinese)... are the principles of Buddhism and communism (or socialism) compatible?
Did the historical Buddha or the later sutra writers hit on any of the same concepts that Marx did in any substantive way?

user208: 
Did the historical Buddha or the later sutra writers hit on any of the same concepts that Marx did in any substantive way?

To me, yes he did. Principles of Buddhism and Communism are definitely compatible. 
On what basis do I say this? - I have not gone through material originally written in Pali or Sanskrit or Tibetian etc. I have not studied "tripitak". I have tried to study "Dhammapad" but that too in Marathi (one of the local Indian languages) - a translated work. But I have read work on Buddhism and its philosophy, message by others like P. Lakshumi Narsu, Dharmanand Kosambi, Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar, Sangharakshit etc. 
Book by Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar is major source of my answer - Buddha and His Dhamma.Dr. Ambedkar was student of Buddhism. Dr. Ambedkar has written a separate book on the issue - Buddha and Karl Marx . If you are interested I can post the links here. 
I came across THIS article. Though is not written to address the issue mentioned in the question, while talking on something else, it also speaks about relationship between Marxism (Communism) and Buddhism. I am not expressing my personal opinion about the article. Just posting it for adding more information to carry on this useful discussion.

user11983: Communism cannot free you from suffering, it only prepares you for more different kind if you will suffering where as Buddhism promises freedom from all kind of mental afflictions. 

user145: Answer is greatly depend on what communism is. There is many opinions on communism, and in the course of history it have appropriated many unfortunate misconceptions (like vulgar atheism and dialectical materialism). I would define communism as idea of scientifically improving humanity (society as a whole and each person in particular). This most general idea does not contradict with Buddhism. Improving society is barely touched in Buddhism, but improving persons is. Alas, actual communist traditions have accepted ideas that really contradict Buddhism. For example, Leninism state that 'everything that is good for working class is moral'. That is directly contradictory to Buddhist discipline.
Also, curious quote from Dalai Lama:

"Still I am a Marxist," the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader said in New
  York, where he arrived today with an entourage of robed monks and a
  heavy security detail to give a series of paid public lectures.
"(Marxism has) moral ethics, whereas capitalism is only how to make
  profits," the Dalai Lama, 74, said.

And another:

Midway through the conversation, His Holiness, much to their surprise,
  told them "as far as socio-political beliefs are concerned, I consider
  myself a Marxist ... But not a Leninist," he clarified. [...]
When one student asked if this didn't contradict the Dalai Lama's
  philosophy, he replied: "Marx was not against religion or religious
  philosophy per se but against religious institutions that were allied,
  during Marx's time, with the European ruling class."


user295: Buddha did preach on tenfold virtue of the ruler but this cannot be taken as endorsement of any particular system of politics though people may try to argue as so which they have freedom to do. So references by later authors should be examined in the context of the scriptures to see if they are accurate.

user97: Marxism is strictly materialistic. It builds on the idea that if you distribute all goods evenly, people will stop suffering. That was a reasonable assumption to make when the vast majority of the population suffered from uneven distribution of goods.
Buddhism on the other hand does not regard changing the outer conditions as being important in overcoming suffering. More precisely, it suggests that transcending the outer conditions is the key to overcoming suffering, so in essence it denies the core question that Marxism seeks to give an answer to. 
So I would say that they are pretty much orthogonal. Buddhism could probably act as a formidable complement to the Marxist theories when trying to build a society. But to individual Buddhists, Marxism is not necessarily useful.

289: <p>Despite communism as practiced (as opposed to what Marx might have had in mind) being the source of some of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Buddhists#Persecution_under_Communism" rel="noreferrer">largest slaughter of lay and monastic Buddhists ever</a> (except maybe the Imperial Chinese)... are the principles of Buddhism and communism (or socialism) compatible?</p>

<p>Did the historical Buddha or the later sutra writers hit on any of the same concepts that Marx did in any substantive way?</p>
 208: <blockquote>
  <p>Did the historical Buddha or the later sutra writers hit on any of the same concepts that Marx did in any substantive way?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>To me, yes he did. Principles of Buddhism and Communism are definitely compatible. </p>

<p>On what basis do I say this? - I have not gone through material originally written in Pali or Sanskrit or Tibetian etc. I have not studied "tripitak". I have tried to study "Dhammapad" but that too in Marathi (one of the local Indian languages) - a translated work. But I have read work on Buddhism and its philosophy, message by others like P. Lakshumi Narsu, Dharmanand Kosambi, Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar, Sangharakshit etc. </p>

<p>Book by Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar is major source of my answer - <em>Buddha and His Dhamma</em>.Dr. Ambedkar was student of Buddhism. Dr. Ambedkar has written a separate book on the issue - <em>Buddha and Karl Marx</em> . If you are interested I can post the links here. </p>

<p>I came across <a href="http://www.unipune.ac.in/snc/cssh/ipq/english/IPQ/6-10%20volumes/10%2003/PDF/10-3-1.pdf" rel="nofollow">THIS</a> article. Though is not written to address the issue mentioned in the question, while talking on something else, it also speaks about relationship between Marxism (Communism) and Buddhism. I am not expressing my personal opinion about the article. Just posting it for adding more information to carry on this useful discussion.</p>
 11983: <p>Communism cannot free you from suffering, it only prepares you for more different kind if you will suffering where as Buddhism promises freedom from all kind of mental afflictions. </p>
 145: <p>Answer is greatly depend on what <em>communism</em> is. There is many opinions on communism, and in the course of history it have appropriated many unfortunate misconceptions (like vulgar atheism and dialectical materialism). I would define <em>communism</em> as <em>idea of scientifically improving humanity</em> (<em>society</em> as a whole and each <em>person</em> in particular). This most <em>general</em> idea does not contradict with Buddhism. Improving society is barely touched in Buddhism, but improving persons is. Alas, actual communist traditions have accepted ideas that really contradict Buddhism. For example, Leninism state that 'everything that is good for working class <em>is</em> moral'. That is directly contradictory to Buddhist discipline.</p>

<p>Also, curious quote from <a href="http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/im-a-marxist-says-dalai-lama-but-agrees-capitalism-has-helped-china/story-e6frfku0-1225869459169" rel="nofollow">Dalai Lama</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"Still I am a Marxist," the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader said in New
  York, where he arrived today with an entourage of robed monks and a
  heavy security detail to give a series of paid public lectures.</p>
  
  <p>"(Marxism has) moral ethics, whereas capitalism is only how to make
  profits," the Dalai Lama, 74, said.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>And another:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Midway through the conversation, His Holiness, much to their surprise,
  told them "as far as socio-political beliefs are concerned, I consider
  myself a Marxist ... But not a Leninist," he clarified. [...]</p>
  
  <p>When one student asked if this didn't contradict the Dalai Lama's
  philosophy, he replied: "Marx was not against religion or religious
  philosophy per se but against religious institutions that were allied,
  during Marx's time, with the European ruling class."</p>
</blockquote>
 295: <p>Buddha did preach on tenfold virtue of the ruler but this cannot be taken as endorsement of any particular system of politics though people may try to argue as so which they have freedom to do. So references by later authors should be examined in the context of the scriptures to see if they are accurate.</p>
 97: <p>Marxism is strictly materialistic. It builds on the idea that if you distribute all goods evenly, people will stop suffering. That was a reasonable assumption to make when the vast majority of the population suffered from uneven distribution of goods.</p>

<p>Buddhism on the other hand does not regard changing the outer conditions as being important in overcoming suffering. More precisely, it suggests that transcending the outer conditions is the key to overcoming suffering, so in essence it denies the core question that Marxism seeks to give an answer to. </p>

<p>So I would say that they are pretty much orthogonal. Buddhism could probably act as a formidable complement to the Marxist theories when trying to build a society. But to individual Buddhists, Marxism is not necessarily useful.</p>
