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Zacarias Leizaola
April 18, 2013
Buddhism and Hinduism Essay
“A wonder of physic power is not to be exhibited to everyone. Whoever
exhibits these powers openly is doing wrong”
“-Buddha”
Hinduism and Buddhism are very alike, but they do have some differences.
Both religions have very intriguing and interesting things. They are religions like no
other, with very mysterious topics, celebrations, festivals and many more. They are
of the oldest religions and of the most interesting.
Buddhism is an extraordinary religion with many beliefs and outrageous
story’s. A very cool belief is Karma. Karma is the belief that what you do comes back
to you so basically if you do well it will come back to you and if you do bad it will
come back to you. Another belief is the Four Noble Truths, the Buddha discovered
the Four Noble Truths under the Bodhi tree. After that he would spend the rest of
his life sharing this truths with the people of India. Last but not least the eightfold
path, which is the “middle way” path. This path is to avoid suffering so when people
are suffering he says to go to the eightfold path. The origin of Buddhism comes from
prince Siddhartha; he is the Buddha, which means the awakened one. Prince
Siddhartha was born about 563 B.C.E. in the northern part of India, near the Himalayas.
Both of his parents were from the royalty. It says in the Buddhist tradition that
queen Maya had a dream. The dream said that she was carried high over the
Himalayas to a silver mountain and set on a silver couch. Then a white elephant with six
tusks walked around her and then struck her in the right side. The Brahmins said that her
son would have an amazing future, which included two paths, one that as a prince he
could rule the world and the other one that he would become the enlightened one; the
Buddha. After a while of being prince he became ascetic, to see the human suffering.
When he was ascetic he found englightment through “the middle way” and became the
Buddha. Many things happened through the way but he ended all suffering and found
true peace and happiness.
Hinduism is a very complex but interesting religion. Hinduism is a religion that
went forming through the years with many beliefs. It started with Vedic religion then it
went to Brahman and it ended in Hinduism. Basically it was formed with Vedic beliefs.
Hinduism has 5 basic beliefs karma, Dharma, Samsara, Multiple Gods and Brahman.
Dharma is basically the belief of non-violence. Brahman is the major God and the
multiple gods are the roots of Brahman so like Vishnu, Shiva etc. Samsara is the cycle of
birth, rebirth and death. Its like Brahman he creates destroys and preserves. The goal of a
Hindu is to be released from Samsara and then go with the supreme god: Brahman.
Hinduism and Buddhism are very alike they are both NOT Monotheistic.
Hinduism has ideas from Buddhism like karma. They are both mainly concentrated in
India. They both have a major God, for Hinduism is Brahman and for Buddhism it’s the
Buddha. They both believe in Moksha and Nirvana. They both share the common goal of
ending Reincarnation and belief that the cycle of rebirth and death can be ended through
meditation. They are also both eastern religions and basically have many similar beliefs.
They are both intriguing and really mysterious religions. Like the Buddha once said –“
However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they
do you if you do not act on upon them?