Download Hinduism and Buddhism

HINDUISM AND BUDDHISM
Hinduism
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
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No single founder
No single sacred text.
Grew out of various groups in India:
The Aryans added their religious beliefs to those of
the Indus Valley.
Hindu Belie: Brahman


God is one, but is known by many
names.
Everything in the universe is part of
the unchanging, all-powerful force
called Brahman.


Hindus worship gods that give a
concrete form to Brahman.

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
Brahman is too complex for most
people to understand.
Brahma: the Creator
Vishnu: the preserver
Shiva: the destroyer
All 3 represent a cyclical view of
existence
Vishnu
Shiva
Hindu Beliefs about Life Cycle

Every person has an essential life, or atman.
 Even

the atman is just another name for Brahman.
The ultimate goal is to attain moksha - union with
Brahman.
 Takes
more than 1 lifetime
 Belief in Reincarnation


Reincarnation is the rebirth of the soul in another
bodily form.
Karma (good or bad deeds)
 affect your
future and future of those around you
The Reincarnation Cycle


All existence is ranked: Brahman, humans, animals,
plants, things.
To help advance in this cycle and attain Moksha,
must follow dharma
 Dharma
= Your duties in life
Sacred Texts

Vedas
Took form between 1200 and 200 BCE
 Introduced to India by Aryans


Upanishads
Originally parts of the Vedas
 Some verse, some prose

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Bhagavad Gita
Part of the Mahabharata
 Conversation between Arjuna and Krishna (form of Vishnu)


Messsage = knowledge, work and devotion are all paths to
salvation. Central value in life is loyalty to God.
Origins of Buddhism

Siddhartha Gautama, from the foothills of the
Himalayas, founded a new religion.
 Born

about 566 BCE (maybe)
Lived sheltered wealthy life until one day he saw a
sick person, an old person, and a corpse
 Troubled by

the existence of pain and suffering
left a happy married life to discover the realm of life
“where there is neither suffering or death.”
Finding Enlightenment
He meditated and fasted.

48 days
Believed he understood the cure for suffering and
sorrow
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Buddha = The Enlightened One
The Four Noble Truths are the heart of Buddhism:
1.
2.
3.
4.
All life is full of suffering, pain and sorrow.
The cause of suffering is the desire for things that are
really illusions, such as riches, power and long life.
The only cure for suffering is to overcome desire.
The way to overcome desire is to follow the Eightfold
Path
The Eightfold Path:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Right views
Right aspirations
Right speech
Right conduct
5.
6.
7.
8.
Right livelihood
Right effort
Right mindfulness
Right contemplation
Buddhism vs. Hinduism



Final goal of Buddhism is nirvana, union with the
universe and release from the cycle of rebirth.
Buddhism and Hinduism agree on karma, dharma,
moksha and reincarnation.
They are different in that Buddhism rejects
Priests of Hinduism
 Formal rituals
 Caste system.
 Instead, Buddha urged people to seek enlightenment
through meditation.

Spread of Buddhism
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Buddha preached in northern India and his teachings
spread.
Buddha’s followers gathered his teachings into the
Tripitaka.
Gradually Buddhism split into two schools:
Theravada Buddhism. Closely followed Buddha’s original
teachings.
 Mahayana Buddhism. Made following Buddhism easier for the
ordinary people.


Buddhism declined in India,

swallowed up by Hinduism - made Buddha another Hindu
god.