Hinduism Vs Buddhism Research Paper

987 Words4 Pages
The differences between Hinduism and Buddhism strongly outweigh the similarities, making each religion individually distinguished and more singular. Hinduism and Buddhism both began spreading widely throughout India, around 500 B.C.. Buddhism was then scattered more globally, making itself more predominantly present in Asia, even today. Although both religions constantly influenced each other and built off of each other’s pivotal choices, there are more distinct, more significant differences present between the two religions. For example, Hinduism was based on the Caste System, or a person’s social status, while Buddhism chose to keep followers at a more leveled and evidently balanced “scale”. Hinduism, which was and still is based mainly…show more content…
The journey to complete enlightenment was very different in Buddhism than it was in Hinduism because Buddhism, to start, had no use of gods. Buddhism is, in a sense, not monotheistic, because Siddhartha Gautama, Buddha, advised that he was to be regarded as a guide and not viewed as a higher power. Hinduism on the other hand, initially had hundreds of gods, each that held their own role towards the final goal, as mentioned above. Through time, three gods out of hundreds, Brahman, Vishnu, and Shiva were mainly favored in Hinduism and worshipped actively. In addition, the different documents of both religions make the journey to enlightenment completely disparate. Buddhism for instance, had the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, two teachings that served as the ultimate guide and key to true understanding. Although the Four Noble Truths are short, they are also vague and have no concrete specificity; each individual can interpret these “rules” in customized ways. For example, one of the truths is “All life is suffering.” This, can easily be interpreting differently because of the many possible explanations it creates. But with these different takes on final liberation, both Hinduism and Buddhism believe in an after life. In Hinduism, moksha is the final “emancipation” and “release”, and in Buddhism, nirvana is commonly known as the “stillness…show more content…
It seems to be, although not officially confirmed, that Buddhism’s purpose as a religion is based mainly on the individual, and “finding of self”. Each way to approach the Eightfold Path varies, making Buddhism feel almost like a way of life instead of a “proper”religion. It is a choice for one to follow the teachings of Buddhism instead of a strict obligation. If one fails to follow, the only consequence faced is a delay to reaching nirvana. Buddhism also mainly circles around the idea of “self awareness.” Once one has extinguished vanity and desire from their life, they will have true knowledge as to who they are and what they are in the world. Contrary to Buddhism, Hinduism prefers consider its religious purpose as one of salvation, deliverance from wrong doing. The cycle of rebirth is much more important in Hinduism, along with the Caste System’s impact on regular life. In Hinduism, one’s dharma is specific and set, unlike in Buddhism. Hinduism feels more like a concrete religion, as there are expectations, requirements, specific ways to go on with a given life. Big differences between Hinduism and Buddhism, such as the use of the Caste System, create a window for smaller, less recognized differences to make an appearance, such as moksha versus nirvana. More and more evidence constantly leads people to understanding how different
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    Buddhism and Hinduism are the two most popular religions in the world. Both religions share common beliefs and have their differences, but the goal of these religions is to reach happiness. The basic similarities of Hinduism and Buddhism are; they both believe in reincarnation, both of these religions believe in different paths to enlightenment, both practice meditation and other forms of yoga. On the other hand, there are some common differences between these two religions. In Buddhism, there is

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