World Religions Comparative Essay : Hinduism And Buddhism

Hinduism and Buddhism are among the oldest traditions in the world. Incidentally, both traditions have their roots in India. Since their beginning, both traditions have co-existed peacefully and even spread beyond India in similar patterns. Most people have scattered information about the traditions and make assumptions that they are similar. However, they also have clear distinguishing features. This paper intends to study the similarities and contrasts between the two traditions in various contexts. First, the traditions will be compared and contrasted based on how they began. The development processes of both religions will then be contrasted. The paper will then discuss the similarities and differences between the two religions based on the social and the political roles they played.

As two of the world’s oldest and most established religions, Hinduism and Buddhism have their similarities, as well as differences. Both religions are practiced in Southeast Asia, starting in India and have influenced each other. Hinduism dates back to 5,000 years ago, while Buddhism was created three centuries ago. I will explore what the two religions share and what separates the two from one another covering the origins, number of followers, the texts used, and the belief system followed.

While Hinduism and Buddhism come from the same cultural backgrounds, they are extremely diverse in their beliefs on afterlife, deity, and rituals. Both religions believe in reincarnation, but it is where an individual goes after he or she gets off the endless cycle that differs. These religions also part when it comes to whom they do or do not worship. Every religion comes with rituals and Hinduism and Buddhism are no exceptions.

Buddhism is seen as a way of life rather than a form of religion that needs to be closely followed and constantly practiced. The idea of “enlightenment” carries through one’s entire lifetime in an attempt to reach nirvana, which is an end to all suffering. A person’s lifetime is spent being faithful and relying on karma to eventually achieve nirvana and enlightenment, in which people embark on the path of awakening. The awakening is a very crucial aspect of the Buddhist religion, as it was Buddha’s own personal awakening and understanding of how the world works, in which he passed it on to be believed and understood by others. It’s closely related to other religions in the way that rebirth and reincarnation are the beliefs surrounding the idea of the afterlife, however Buddhism in particular is an anatta tradition, or ‘not-self,’ which often sets it apart from other religions.This complex ideal entails that one’s external self, consciousness, feelings

Buddhism and Jainism both believe in the concept of karma as the force responsible for all of the suffering in existence. Both also acknowledge the absoluteness of karma and its unavoidable effect on the beings who are subject to the cycle of birth and death. But they differ in the concept of the nature of karma and how it impacts the various beings. According to the beliefs held by Jainism, karma is not only a result of a being’s actions, but a real substance that becomes attached to each jiva, or self, while it takes part in many actions throughout the course of its existence. This karma, which is made up of tiny particles, binds to the being until it is cleansed through the observation of the morals and practices of the Jain religion, including pure conduct and severe austerities. There are two types of karma within Jainism, one that is known as “harming” karmas and there is “non-harming” karmas. The karmas can be fully liberated through moksha alone. In Buddhism, as in Hinduism, karma is a consequence of one’s

Buddhism and Hinduism both derive from India. The two religions are centered around the concepts of nature and awareness, but they also believe in extended variations of Heaven and Hell. Hinduism and Buddhism believe in karma which is the sum of a person’s actions throughout all their existences, which in turn determines their future. Another similarity between the two faiths is that they practice peace and nonviolence which ties into their compassion for nature. Common practices between Buddhism and Hinduism are meditation and focus on clearing the mind. Desire is the greatest source of misfortune among both religions. The two religions also share a plethora of likenesses that pertain to their beliefs. They believe in reincarnation, paths to enlightenment, and philosophy. They also take part in yoga and

Buddhism is known to be a rich and compassionate religion, preaching many valuable teachings that have similarities to several other religions. Buddhism is directly related to Hinduism as the founder of Buddhism, Buddha himself was born a Hindu and embedded several concepts of Hinduism he liked into Buddhism. The similarities between Buddhism and Hinduism exemplified in both the textbook and the film are the preaching of dharma, karma, samsara, puja, and nirvana. Although they share the concept of breaking the endless cycle of rebirths, samsara, it is called parinirvana in Buddhism, and moksha in Hinduism. In addition, parinirvana in Buddhism is attaining complete nirvana, or enlightenment, and moksha in Hinduism is attained by uniting atman with Brahman.

Some people may think that Hinduism and Buddhism are the same religions with just two different names. They aren’t, Buddhism and Hinduism both have different types of rituals, holidays, founders, and so-on. The two extensive religions of Hinduism and Buddhism have lots of information behind themselves. They are made up of cultures, rituals, practices, and many other things.

The beginning of this class consists of two sections, Hinduism and Buddhism, both of which we have learned a lot about. Within these religions we see some differences and some similarities that one could relate the two with, and one of those is the term Dharma. When examining Dharma in both Hinduism and Buddhism, people may notice that they are somewhat similar, but they will also see that there even more differences within this term. To better understand this term, we must first define it within the religion and then see what they have in common with one another, if anything at all, and finally notice where the big differences are between them.

The Question of Origin is answered by the Hinduism Worldview as “everything has always been in existence and is a part of god” (Weider & Gutierrez, 2011). A part of the worldview is that the universe and god is one in the same thing. Hinduism believes that itself has always existed, that it did not have a creator. God is viewed "as an infinite, impersonal force" (Weider & Gutierrez, 2011).

Hinduism and Buddhism are both eastern traditions with much to say about the human condition as well as the reason human beings exist at all. In some ways they are different while also being similar in other ways. In this essay, those differences will be discussed and the similarities examined for their message. In conclusion, we will examine what these two faiths offer to the human beings of the twenty-first century.

Additionally, a belief in karma, or the idea that every action has consequences (what comes around goes around), unites these two religions. The major difference between Hinduism and Buddhism is how to achieve moksha, or the liberation from the wheel of samsara. In Hinduism, there are many paths, but all end in full realization that Atman, the inner soul, is Brahman, the world soul, and that everything is one. A Buddhist, on the contrary, is liberated from the suffering of this world by following the eightfold path, and ultimately realizes that everything is nothing. In seeming contrast to these notions is existentialism. In the existentialist train of thought, the core tenet is that existence precedes essence. It is radically individualistic, and holds that the self is all that can be known to exist. To existentialists, the world is naturally meaningless, and as humans we must realize this complete freedom and create meaning in our own lives. Now, with a general overview of the parts of the individualistic and interconnected perspectives we will be studying, we can proceed to examine their commonalities.

Hindus believe in the four stages of life, but the Buddha do not share that believe. Whereas the Buddhists believe in the concept of Bodhisattvas, or the enlightened existence, but the Hindus do not. Buddhists must believe that the Buddha, Sangha, and Dhamma are the three most important requirements on the eightfold path, or the principal teachings of the Buddha. Hinduism has many different paths of self realization. Both religions believe in karma and reincarnation, but their terms and conditions vary, different in as many ways as they are similar. Buddhists have no priests or rituals like the Hindus do. Also, in the Buddhist religion, any follower than achieve Nirvana, but in the Hindu religion, only the Brahmins, or priests, could achieve moksha, the Hindu equivalent of Nirvana. Another large difference is that Buddhists do not believe in the Caste System, a main factor in Hinduism. This is one of their largest differences. Hinduism does not know their original creator, unlike most other religions; they’ve lost any information about their founder over the many years, whereas the Buddhists know their creator, Buddha. Buddhism is a much younger religion than Hinduism. The two religions are very much different.

Throughout the world, different nations have different beliefs or religion. Some religions evolve from others, and others are combination of other religions. Religion is a way of life, a lifestyle; it should dictate how you live your life. For instance, in India, Buddhism evolved from Hinduism, a religion were people believe in 300, 000 gods. Even though, Hinduism and Buddhism have different similarities such as believes in god, soul, and rituals, which in some ways connected to each other, both religions believe of what happens after life.

The doctrine of Buddhism is to attain enlightenment and be released from the cycle of rebirth and death, thus attaining Nirvana. Whereas, the doctrine of Hinduism was to escape the cycle of reincarnation, and attain salvation. In Buddhism, rebirth occurs as a result of “ignorance” in the unconscious life stream at the time of death. This term means a mind containing illusion and defilement such as frustration, greed and selfishness are among them. The unconscious life stream is considered to be endless stream of energy stretching back into the past and future. It is sometimes known as the Mind.