Hinduism vs Buddhism

History 101 Midterm 11/4/2014 5a. Attempt a comparative analysis of Hinduism and Buddhism with specific reference to their origins, beliefs and practices. Hinduism is the dominant religion, or way of life, of the Indian subcontinent, and consists of many diverse traditions. It includes Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism among numerous other traditions, and a wide spectrum of laws and prescriptions of daily morality based on karma, dharma and societal norms. Hinduism is a categorization of distinct intellectual or philosophical points of view, rather than a rigid, common set of beliefs. Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, and some practitioners refer to it as Sanatana Dharma, the eternal law or the eternal way beyond human origins. It prescribes the eternal duties, such as honesty, mercy, purity, self-restraint, among others. Hindu emerged around the beginning of the Common Era, and co-existed for several centuries with Buddhism, to finally gain the upper hand in most royal circles during the 8th century CE. Hinduism has re-asserted itself as a coherent and independent tradition. The popular understanding of Hinduism has been dominated by Hindu modernization in which mysticism and the unity of Hinduism have been emphasized. Hindu practices include daily rituals such as (worship) and recitations, annual festivals, and occasional pilgrimages.. Hinduism, with about one billion followers is the worlds third largest religion, after Christianity and Islam. Hinduism believes in idol worship, reincarnation, karma, dharma and moksha. Some moral ideals in Hinduism include non-violence, truthfulness, friendship, compassion, fortitude, self-control, purity and generosity. Human life is divided into four stages, and there are defined rites and rituals for each stage from birth till death. Hinduism grants absolute and complete freedom of belief and worship. Hinduism conceives the whole world as a single family that deifies the one truth, and therefore it accepts all forms of beliefs and dismisses labels of distinct religions which would imply a division of identity. Hence, Hinduism is devoid of the concepts of apostasy, heresy and blasphemy. Hinduism is about understanding Brahma or existence from within their own Atman, roughly soul, whereas Buddhism is about finding the Anatman or not soul. In Hinduism, attaining the highest life is a process of removing the bodily distractions from life, allowing one to eventually understand the Brahma nature within. In Buddhism, one follows a disciplined life to moved through and understand that nothing in ourselves is me such that we dispel the very illusion of existence. In so doing one realizes Nirvana. Buddhism, founded in the late 6th century B.C.E. by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha), is an important religion in most of the countries of Asia. Buddhism has assumed many different forms, but in each case there has been an attempt to draw from the life experiences of the Buddha, his teachings, and the spirit or essence of his teachings (called dhamma or dharma) as models for the religious life. However, not until the writing of the Buddha Charita (life of the Buddha) by Ashvaghosa in the 1st or 2nd century C.E. do we have a comprehensive account of his life. The Buddha was born (ca. 563 B.C.E.) in a place called Lumbini near the Himalayan foothills, and he began teaching around Benares (at Sarnath). His era in general was one of spiritual, intellectual, and social ferment. This was the age when the Hindu ideal of renunciation of family and social life by holy persons seeking truth first became widespread. Buddhism, like most of the great religions of the world, is divided into a number of different traditions. However, most traditions share a common set of fundamental beliefs. One fundamental belief of Buddhism is often referred to as reincarnation -- the concept that people are reborn after dying. In fact, most individuals go through many cycles of birth, living, death and rebirth. A practicing Buddhist differentiates between the concepts of rebirth and reincarnation. In reincarnation, the individual may occur repeatedly. In rebirth, a person does not necessarily return to Earth as the same entity ever again. He compares it to a leaf growing on a tree. When the withering leaf falls off, a new leaf will eventually replace it. It is similar to the old leaf, but it is not identical to the original leaf. After many such cycles, if a person releases their attachment to desire and the self, they can attain Nirvana. This is a state of liberation and freedom from suffering. Hinduism vs Buddhism Place of OriginIndian SubcontinentNepal, IndiaPlace of WorshipTempleMonasteries, pagodas and templesPracticesMeditation, yoga and offerings in the templeMorality, Concentration and WisdomBeliefDiverse beliefs depending on sects.The Buddha was the teacher to show us the four noble truths and eightfold path ( path to nirvana)Religious LawDharma shastrasDharmaTime of Originc.3000 B.C.Ec.563 B.C.E PAGE PAGE 3