What are the differences between the ten commandments and the eightfold path?

The eightfold path concentrates on the following: View, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and concentration. The Buddhist path focuses mostly on attitudes creating correct outward actions. For the most part, intent is the important aspect of sprituality.

The ten commandments concentrate on: Honoring parents, holy Sabbath day, stealing, lying, murder, coveting, adultery, prohibition of image of God, prohibition of other gods, and the prohibition of speaking God's name. The focus is opposite, creating more specific rules of outward actions to improve the inner person and the correct relationship with God.

The eightfold path makes no specific mention of honoring parents, but is implied in the all-inclusive mankind. It also makes no mention of having a special day set aside for spirituality or worshiping other Gods. The Buddha is not considered a diety per se (with a few denominational exclusions), but a state of being for which to strive. Judeo-Christian belief is monotheistic and makes no mention of inner searching in the ten commandments (later passages cover the philosophy of inner peace and joy, but are a result of correct outer action in the Old Testament).

The similarities include the prohibition of murder, stealing, inappropriate sex, covetousness, and lying. Again, the commandments prohibit the act directly: Thou shalt not steal; whereas the path prohibits the act by a comparison: Do not conduct yourself in the manner of a thief. The result is the same, but the approach is opposite.

So in short the main difference between the two is the Buddhist inner leads to outer good, and the Judeo-Christian outer leads to inner good.