Hinduism Introduction

When we think of the Hindu religion, unlike other religions in the world, the Hindu religion does not claim any one prophet; it does not worship any one god; it does not subscribe to any one dogma; it does not believe in any one philosophic concept; it does not follow any one set of religious rites or performances; in fact, it does not appear to satisfy the narrow traditional features of any religion or creed. It may broadly be described as a way of life and nothing more. Thus some scholars argue that the Hinduism is not a religion per se but rather a reification of a diverse set of traditions and practices by scholars who constituted a unified system and arbitrarily labeled it Hinduism. The roots of the diverse set of religious beliefs, traditions and philosophy of Hindus were laid during the Vedic age which originated in India between 2000 and 1500 BC. The ancient Vedic religion is considered by most scholars as the predecessor of the modern religion of Hindus and it has had a profound impact on India''s history, culture and philosophy. Vedas are the oldest sacred books of Hinduism and lay the foundation of several schools of Hindu thought. The Upanishads refers to those scriptures which form the core teachings of the Vedanta philosophy. Adi Shankara''s commentaries on the Upanishads led to the rise of Advaita Vedanta, the most influential sub-school of Vedanta.

Buddhism Introduction

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha (Pali/Sanskrit "the awakened one"), and is classified as an Indian religion. The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BC. He is recognized by adherents as an awakened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings end suffering (or dukkha), achieve nirvana, and escape what is seen as a cycle of suffering and rebirth. Historically, the roots of Buddhism lie in the religious thought of Ancient India during the second half of the first millennium BC. That was a period of social and religious turmoil, as there was significant discontent with the sacrifices and rituals of Vedic Brahmanism. It was challenged by numerous new ascetic religious and philosophical groups and teachings that broke with the Brahmanic tradition and rejected the authority of the Vedas and the Brahmans. These groups, whose members were known as shramanas, were a continuation of a non-Vedic strand of Indian thought distinct from Indo-Aryan Brahmanism. At the same time, they were influenced by, and in some respects continued, earlier philosophical thought within the Vedic tradition as reflected e.g. in the Upanishads. These movements included, besides Buddhism
Despite of the origin of the two religions in India, they seems to be much interlinked in several ways on other hands, several differences will be found in both the religions.

Ways in which Buddhism differs in Hinduism:

1. No need of Brahmins or rituals
2. In Buddhism, anybody can enter nirvana, no matter of how lowly, whereas in Hinduism, only the Brahmins could attain Moksha.
3. In Theravadha Buddhism, there are no gods, Buddha is not a god.
4. Karma is not earned by following the dharma of a caste. Instead one can move to nirvana with eight fold path.
5. As the middle way Buddhism rejects extreme asceticism as well as wealth. The ideal in Hinduism is extreme Asceticism.

Ways in which Buddhism and Hinduism are similar:

1. Both believe in rebirth.
2. Both believe that there are many different paths to enlightenment.
3. Belief of Suffering is caused by extreme attachments to things and people in this world.
4. Both believe in an ultimate spiritual reality is beyond the illusions of physical world.
5. Both practice meditation or other form of yoga.
6. Both believe that eventually all living spirits will achieve enlightenment and liberation, even if it takes many rebirths. 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):

Fundamental principles of Buddhism and Hinduism are identical. Four noble truths of Buddhism are suffering, cause of suffering, way to do away of suffering and way to feel the state divide of suffering. These are not different from Indian Vedic Transitions. Both deserve and follow principle of self punishment, control of passions, non violence and truth. True they show. Both sitting on grass in Padmasana, Keeping feet on thighs with hands on lap, undergo the process of restraining breath. Both meditate under peepal tree and their ways of meditation are same. With half opened and half closed eyes, have their concentration on tip of the nose. Both sit keeping spine straight and firm, both wear orange colored dress and keep their right shoulder uncovered. Both reacts to happiness or sadness in an identical way. Righteousness gives pleasure and sin gives them the indifference of the sin. Both effort continuously to control ones senses.

Practices in Hinduism and Buddhism

Ten traits of Hinduism are important:

1. Steadiness of mind
2. Forgiveness
3. Endurance (Patience)
4. Purity of mind and body
5. Defeat of senses
6. Discerning Intellect
7. Learning
8. Truth
9. Evenness, worthlessness
10. Apathy (Lack of emotion or feeling) from stealing

Buddhism 8 fold path

1. Right View
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

Buddhism also have all the traits though they are 8 in count and 10 are included in 5 virtues. Both attach importance to purification of mind. Both says to win anger by evenness, unrighteousness by righteousness, miser by donation and lie by truth. So one can realize identical principles in theory practice are available in both the religions

Buddha was not Anti to Vedas:

Buddha doesn''t accept Vedas as Gods'' utterances. They were the achievements of saints through Meditation. If he has been anti to Vedas, he would not have arranged performance of Vedic Chantings after death of his father. He considers "Gayathri Mantra" as 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 additions of a superior soul as propounded in Vedas. Similarly he is not anti- Brahmin. He praises the old Brahmins, wants his contemporary Brahmins'' to avoid and cast off their short comings. He wants them to purify themselves through reforms. They should be as they were.

Soul, God and Rebirth

Buddhism also believes in existence of heaven, hell, rebirth, cow protection, Entity of Narda, Oblation divide of killing, Castes based on work culture and not on birth and purity of mind.Buddha believes soul and god are one and the same thing. They are not two separate entities. He doesn''t accept the existence of the God but thinks god isn''t required in meditation. To be immortal depends of knowledge. If there is a supreme being why doesn''t buddha name him and give Him a specific identity. He is the view of the Supreme Being beyond description and all his names and identities are superimposed. So like "Advitha" in Hinduism. Buddhism also accepts the entity of God but presence can be felt . 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.

Varnas and Ashramas

He does accept Varna (Caste) 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 (bodily manifestation of a Supreme Being) 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 mendicants 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 (self punishment). Buddhism does not stick on 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.There is absolutely no difference between Sanyasi of Hinduism and Bhikshu of Buddhism. In Hinduism in the Bhagavad-Gita 4:13, Hindu God Krishna pointedly declares that not by birth/hereditary reasons, but that the class of an individual is based on each person''s inherent nature and capability in doing work. More over these were depicted in Manusmrithi Considered as ancient book of varnas in Hinduism. But the actual intention was much submerged with narrow mindedness of few people. Considering this, as a hazard, Buddha has opposed few works of Brahmans.

Clear Differences

1. No worship of five gods: Sun, Siva, Durga, Easwar and Vishnu
2. No worship of stars and planets
3. No Tilak/ Dowry In Vivah Samskara
4. No surname suggestive of caste
5. Offerings are to be given only to Bhikshu (Sanyasi) not Brahmins
6. No look of hair on the crown after the tonsure
7. No god or goddess but only Buddha is worshiped
8. No fasting to protect husband.
9. No Oblation (A presentation made to a deity as an act of worship. Especially Bali to kill an animal)

Others

Both the religions believe that correctness can end birth and rebirth cycle and obtain Moksha. Both agree that sacred river bathing cannot give salvation. Body purification has its importance but before that cleaning of scum and dirt accumulated on the mind is to be done. 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 centers 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 (places of worship) only. They are to inculcate religious favor 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 superior souls are worshiped and remembered and worshipers 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 realize that Buddha is not anti yojna. He is against killing, exploitation, harm to objects of nature and useless show off. Huge belongings he shuns like Lord Krishna he advocates self-punishment but it should not be for the full filment of certain ulterior motives and desires. He favors it if done for salvation otherwise it leads to unhappiness only. Like Hinduism, Buddhism also believes in Tantra-Mantra. Due importance is given to chantings also. Muttering of prayer is common in Buddhism.
Similarities does not end here. Both the religions have similar rules concerning family, society and state. At the time of death, corpse is laid on the earth with its head towards north. 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 (inducement) system is there to urge and good people to do righteous deeds.

Conclusion

Hinduism is an ancient religion. With the passage of time many flaws did creep into it. Mud gets accumulated at the bottom of an ever flowing river even. Self interests and hidden motives do cover 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 had 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 secure. This is the case with Hinduism also. New religious have helped it in its purification. It has changed and improved in the process of purification. It will not be high talk and hyperbolic (having the form of) to say that the fundamental principles of Hinduism and Buddhism are identical.

Atma Namasthe