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Hinduism
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Buddhism & HinduismWays
in which Buddhism differs (is different) from Hinduism: 2) Anyone can enter Nirvana, no matter how lowly, whereas in Hinduism only the brahmins could achieve moksha. 3) In Theravada Buddhism, there are no gods. The Buddha is not a god. 4) Karma is not earned by following the dharma of your caste. Instead you can move toward entry into Nirvana by following the eightfold path. 5) As the "middle way" Buddhism rejects extreme asceticism as well as great wealth. The ideal in Hinduism is extreme asceticism.
1) Both believe in reincarnation. 2) Both believe there are many different paths to enlightenment. 3) Both believe that our suffering is caused by excessive attachment to things and people in the physical world. 4) Both believe in an ultimate spiritual reality beyond the illusions of the physical world. 5) Both practice meditation and other forms of yoga. 6) Both believe that eventually all living spirits will achieve enlightenment and liberation, even if it takes many incarnations.Remember that in Mahayana Buddhism, the original teachings of the Buddha are assimilated to Hindu practices, including prayers, gods (even the Buddha as god in all his many incarnations). Mahayana Buddhism also introduces the idea of (temporary) heavens and hells.
Summary of Book by S. S. Upadhyayaa Hinduism & Budhism Doctrine of Four Noble Truth in Hinduism The fundamental principles of Hinduism and Buddhism are identical. Four noble truths of Buddhism are suffering, cause of suffering, way to do away with this suffering and the way to feel the state devoid of suffering. They are not different from Indian Vedic traditions. Both deserve and follow the principle of penance, restraint of passions, nonviolence and truth. Sterling they show. Both sitting on the grass in Padmasna, keeping feet on the thighs with hands are on the other in the lap undergo the process of restraining breath. Both meditate under the peepal tree and their ways of meditation are the same. With half opened and half closed eyes they concentrate their attention on the front part of the nose. Their eyes fixed on the nose tip helps them a lot in their spiritual elevation. Both sit straight, all taut. Both wear red brown coloured ropes and keep their right shoulder uncovered. Both react to happiness and sadness in an identical way. Righteousness gives them pleasure and the sinner gives them apathy from the sin. Both endeavor relentlessly to control their senses. Ten traits of Hinduism are very prominent. They are- 1. Steadiness of mind 2. forgiveness 3. endurance 4. purity 5. subjugation of senses 6. discerning intellect 7. learning 8. truth 9. eveness, wrathlessness 10. apathy from stealing. Budhism too has all these traits though trait number 8 and 10 are included in its Five virtues. Both attach prominance to the purifications of mind. Both preach to win over anger by evenness, unrighteousness by righteousness, miser by donation, lie by truth. So we realise that identical principles in theory and practice are prevalent in both the religious. Buddha was not anti- Vedas Buddha does not accept Vedas as God's utterances. They are the achievements of sages through meditation. He has been anti Vedas he would not have arranged recitation of Vedic incantations after the death of his father. He considers 'Gayatri Mantra' the premier mantra. Had he been anti-Vedas he would not have uttered those words- Not to read Vedas is to collect scum one one's mind. Study of Vedas is very dear to him. He believes in 32 embellishments of a lofty soul as propounded in Vedas. Similarly he is not anti- Brahaman. He praises the old brahmans but wants his contemporary brahmans to shun and cast off their short comings. He wants them to purify themselves through reforms. They should be as they were. Buddhism
also believes in the existence of heaven and hell, rebirth, cow protection, entity
of Narda, oblation devoid of killing, castes based on work culture and not on
birth and purity of mind. There is absolutely no difference between a sanyasi
of Hinduism and a Bhikshu of Buddhism. Buddha believes that soul
and God are one and the same thing. They are not two separate entities. He does
accept the existence of God but thinks that God is not required in meditation.
To be immortal depends on learning and knowledge. If there is a some supreme being
then why does not Buddha name Him and give Him a specific identity. He is of the
view that the supreme being is beyond description and all his names and identities
are imginary and are superimposed. So like Hinduism. Buddhism also accepts the
entity of God but his presence can be felt only. Truth can never take the shape
of words. Soul is immortal. Only by knowledge developed and attained through meditation
one can have sensual perception of the supreme being. One of the glaring similarities in the two religions is that both consider the visible world shadow and mere illusion. Buddha believes in birth and rebirth. He is of the firm view that creatures through various births can climb the higher rungs of human life. He does accept Varna system not on the basis of birth but on the basis of work culture. Strangely enough he has said nothing about other castes except brahmans. He considers Kashtriya superior to Brahamans. Had it been not so incarnations would not have descended in the Kashtriya dynasty almost all the time. He accepts Ashram system but with some reservations. He is also praise for Brahmcharya Ashram. He thinks medicant is better than householder. Like Hindusim he does not consider Grahsth Ashram the root of all ashramas. A householder is not entitled to solution until and unless he endeavors not to be at par with a mendicant and only then he can yearn for Moksha. He asks the householder not to kill, not to steal, not to tell lies, not to drink wine, not to eat food at night, not to put garland, not to use perfume and so on. He also wants him to observe celibacy if he aspires to be mendicant like and give up cushy bed and sleep on the earth or wooden platform. Hinduism also advises so but unlike Buddhism it asks the householder to perform oblation and undergo penance. Buddhism does not adhere strictly to the order of the four ashramas. A householder can take a leap and directly adopt sanyas ashram. In Hinduism strict adherence to the order is desirable like Hinduism Buddhism believes that desire is the root cause of rebirth. Hinduism has 16 samskaras whereas Buddhism has only 10. Six samastaras are not counted but they are observed in one way or the other. Glaring disparities 1. No worship of 5 gods- sun, shiva, durga, gnesha and vishnu 2. No worship of stars and planets 3. No 'Tilak' and dowry in Vivah Sanskara 4. No Surname suggestive of Caste. 5. Offerings are given only to Bhiksu and not to Brahman 6. No look of hair on the crown of the head left after tonsure 7. No God and Goddesses but only Buddha is worshipped. 8. No fasting to protect the husband 9. No oblation Both the religions believe that rectitude
can and birth and rebirth cycle and procure Moksha. Both agree that sacred river
bathing cannot procure salvation. Body purification has its importance but for
salvation scum and dirt accumulated on the mind is to be removed. Rivers and places
of worship help in concentration of mind only. Places of worship being near to
mountains and sacred rivers bring about peace of mind. They are centres of religious
discourses. Statues in the temples are miniatures of the supreme being for Hinduism.
In Buddhism places of pilgrimage are memorials only. They remind of Buddha and
his messages. Unlike Buddhism Hinduism thinks that places of worship and pilgrimage
are means to fulfill wishes. Why so? Pilgrimages are only baits to be righteous.
They are allurements only. They are must to inculcate religious favour in the
hearts of people in general. Oblation means sacrifice. Real oblation is sacrifice of self interests for the sake of social well being. It purifies environment. Planting of trees and feeding the animals and insects help in maintaining ecological balance. Another name of oblation is donation. It makes man less attached to luxuries and materials. Donation should be given with compassion. It imparts great blessing. Above all it helps religious preachers, beggars, helpless, blind and handicapped persons. During oblation loftysouls are worshipped and remembered and worshippers aspire to be like their idols. According to Buddha attainment of knowledge is better than formal oblation. Worship of pure souls is for superior to oblation. Buddha is anti oblation probably because of a lot of sacrifices and killing of animals involved in it. Even upnishadas call oblation a broken boat which can not lead to salvation. If we see deeply we will realise that Buddha is not anti yojna. He is against killing, exploitation, harm to objects of nature and useless show off. Huge paraphernalia he shuns like Lord Krsihna he advocates penance but it should not be for the fulfilment of certain ulterior motives and desires. He favours it if done for salvation otherwise it leads to unhappiness only. Like Hinduism Buddhism also belives in Tantra-Mantra. Due importance is given to incontations also. Muttering of prayer is common in Buddhism. Similarities do not end over here. Both the religious have similar rules concerning family, society and state. At the time of death, corpse is laid on the earth with its head towards worth. Before eating obeisance to food is done. Charity, fidelity to husband is a sacred thing. Repayment of three debts is a sacred duty. Both undertake planting of trees and social work for the appeasement of the forefathers. Bait system is there to urge and good people to do righteous deeds. Hinduism
is an ancient religion. With the passage of time many flaws did creep into it.
Silt gets accumulated at the bottom of an everflowing river even. Self interests
and ulterior motives do eclipse good things but it is a temporary phase only.
Hinduism is very comprehensive and it embraces almost all departments of human
life. Many unwanted things became part and parcel of Hinduism but its soul remained
pure. Unwanted things were simply superimposed. All subsequent religions played
reformatory roles so to say. Retaining good things they suggested ways and means
to get rid of the unwanted things. They advocated changes according to changed
circumstances. But spirit and essence of Hinduism remained intact. For example
Buddhism advocated burning of incense. It is oblation in miniature form only.
New things do creep into with the dawn of new religious but time tested eternal
values remain impregnable. This is the case with Hinduism also. New religious
have helped it in its purification. It will not be high talk and hyperbolic to
say that the fundamental principles of Hinduism and Buddhism are identical.
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