Hinduism

Hinduism and Buddhism are two of the five major				Buddha believed
religions in our				that you could live a perfect life and not have to
world. They are widely practiced, and have survived				continue in the
for centuries.				samsara. The basic way to this is the Eightfold Path,
Both have similarities and differences, as do all forms				which says to
of religion,				practice moderation by having the right mind set,
and I will discuss the practices and theological				actively wanting to
aspects of Hinduism				eliminate suffering, not lying, insulting or causing
and Buddhism.No one is completely sure of where				suffering with
Hinduism was started and by whom.				words. Also, to have the right conduct, means of
Today, it is the world's third largest religion. Many				livelihood,
changes have				endeavors, mindfulness and meditation. Buddhists
come upon Hinduism since they practiced it first.				believe that if you
Hinduism includes				follow this you will be enlightened.Many Buddhist
many different denominations and beliefs that have				beliefs are almost the same as a Hindu's. Buddhists do
arisen. Though				not practice the caste system. One of the only
there are many things in common with all of the				ways to achieve nirvana
Hindu sects, their				in one lifetime is to be a monk or a nun. If you
basic beliefs are what tie them together. Their				break an area in the
oldest written				Eightfold Path, then you cannot achieve nirvana.
documents, the Vedas, were written down in 1000				Also, in order to
B.C. but had existed				follow the 4th part of The Eightfold Path, all
orally long before.The religion of Hinduism teaches us				Buddhists are
that each living body is filled				vegetarians. Killing of an animal is seen as causing
with an eternal soul. Hindus say that the individual				suffering. Like
soul was a part				the Hindus, an animal has a soul.Despite all the talk
of the creator spirit, Brahma. It is each soul's job and				about suffering, Buddhism is really about the
wish to				absence of suffering. Buddhism is a way to develop
eventually return to Brahma. It is not possible				the ability to love
because of sins and				the entire universe, simply because it is. By
impurities from the world; they are no longer pure				understanding that the
and holy to return.				universe exits inside a blade of grass, just as the
The process of becoming pure is so difficult that no				blade of grass
soul can				resides within the universe. All things are
accomplish it in one lifetime. The soul is forced to live				inter-connected.Both Hinduism and Buddhism accept
life after				and believe that there is one
life until it is pure enough to return to Brahma. The				creator spirit. Each of them recognizes Brahma or a
Hindus call the				version of Brahma
cycles of rebirths samsara, or the Wheel of Life.				as the creator spirit. Though they also recognize
When a soul is				other gods, Brahma
finally cleansed enough to break free of samsara it is				is the ultimate god. All praise goes to him, no matter
called moksha.				which god you
The soul returns to Brahma for an eternity of				are praising. This is a significant similarity between
contentment and ecstasy.There is no one				the two
incorporating creed in Hinduism. A follower may				religions.The two religions of Hinduism and Buddhism
choose				believe in the process of
any god as their personal god, or may worship				reincarnation. Reincarnation is being reborn again with
several of them.				one soul.
Although, to be a Hindu there are certain things that				Inside this belief, they also believe that your deeds,
a follower must				or activities,
believe in and live by. These beliefs include a belief in				during your life will determine where you will end up.
karma,				If you have
dharma and reincarnation after death. Also, that				lived a good life, you will be rewarded by another
there are three main				good life, or you
gods: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Vedas is also				might be allowed finally to rejoin with Brahma. If
honored for sacredness.				you've led a bad
Aside from these three gods, Hindus are truly				life, you will remain on earth longer, and most likely
monotheistic by				have a bad life
believing in a single god. The reason behind this is				when you are reborn.In the religion of Hinduism
that everything				there are castes, or social classes. They
comes from Brahman. It does not matter whom the				decide what your lifestyle will be like in that lifetime.
worship is for because				If you are
it is ultimately Brahman. Brahman does not reward or				born a slave, you must stay a slave your whole life.
punish those for				Or, if you are
their deeds in life. All souls create their own rewards				born a wealthy man or woman that is what you
and				must be all of your life.
punishments through karma. Dharma, on the other				To the Hindus, it is a sin to try to change what
hand, is the ultimate				caste you belong to,
commendable balance of all things living. It belongs to				as well as to associate with a person from a caste
everything,				that is lower than
including the universe. Every soul is responsible for				yours.On the other hand, the teachings of the
balancing their				Buddha did away with the caste
dharma. The areas to balance in dharma are religious,				system. A person is allowed to change their social
social, and				class. If they
within the family. They must keep promises, and				follow the Eightfold Path, then this is permissible. It is
remain faithful to				an honor to
religious rituals, while also taking care of their family.				be a monk or a nun, for they are the ones who can
If a soul				achieve nirvana.
loses this balance, then it will affect their karma.				Buddhists also will mingle with those of less
Dharma has been				importance then
called tradition, duty, and a custom, but to a Hindu it				themselves.Hinduism teaches that you must go
is spiritually				through samsara in order to finally
more than that.The society of Hinduism is strictly				reach moksha. They do not believe that a soul can
divided. The different levels,				totally cleanse
castes, do not mingle. The division is largely due to				itself of all impurities in just one life. It is a gradual
the practices of				process
dharma and karma. Both practices express the idea				involving dharma, balancing one's life, and karma,
that if someone is				weighing the deeds
born into a specific lifestyle, they must stay there. It				of a lifetime. Meanwhile, the Buddha again went and
would be bad				brought question
karma to attempt to leave that lifestyle. Within the				to samsara. He found that it is possible to cleanse
caste system,				oneself in one
there are four levels along with two groups that are				lifetime and return to Brahma; he called it nirvana. In
apart from the				order to
castes. Every caste comes from Brahma, with the				achieve nirvana, a Buddhist must follow and accept
highest level being				The Four Noble
the Brahmin. This level is the priestly caste, but also				Truths, and the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path
included				serves as an
teachers and keepers or the religion. The next level,				instructional guide as how to keep oneself on the
the Kshatriyas,				right path to
were the kings and soldiers. The third level is the				nirvana.Hinduism and Buddhism also have several
Vaisyas. They				smaller differences. The area
occupy the jobs of merchants, artisans, and farmers.				of greatest concentration for Hinduism is India. India
The fourth and				is where
final caste is Sudras. These people are the manual				Buddhism originated, but Hinduism eventually was a
workers,				more appealing
represented by Brahma's feet. It is considered a sin				religion and became dominant. Buddhism is found
to associate with				mostly in East Asia,
people of a lower caste than you. So each caste is				inside China and Mongolia. These areas prefer having
made up of a				small gods, as
different level of the society.There are also two				opposed to the Hindus only having three major ones
groups outside the caste system. One group is for				and then smaller,
foreigners. They might be a nonbeliever or anyone				less important gods. Buddhism was founded by
who receives special				Suddartha Gautama, or the
treatment from the Hindu society. The second				Buddha. Hinduism was started gradually; no one
outcaste group is known				knows for sure who
as the Untouchables; these people are considered				founded it; most likely, it was many people. Both
nonhuman and cannot				practice meditation,
participate in any Hindu practices. They do the work				butthey practice it in different forms. A Hindu will
no one wants to				meditate obtaining
do and do no associate with anyone that is of a				inner peace through the charkras of the body. Once
higher caste.Siddartha Gautama founded Buddhism				all of the charkras
and became the Buddha. His				have been balanced, a white light is said to be
intentions were not to form a new religion, only to				above the person's
modify an older				head, and they are enlightened. Buddhists meditate
one. Brahmanism, or Hinduism, had become very				similarity, but
mainstream. Siddartha				have different variations of how it is preformed;
was a minor king of northern India. He ventured				their main goal is
outside the palace				to end suffering.The two religions of Buddhism and
walls one day and saw how life really was. Inspired,				Hinduism are very alike, and yet
Siddartha left				very different. To accept their way of thinking, one
his home, and family to discover the meaning of life.				must put aside
For years he				their own religion. They strive for an inner peace,
listened to and studied with the Indian wise men; he				and finally to
then turned to				reach heaven through either moksha or nirvana. I
meditation. Discouraged by not finding the answer				being a Christian,
he desired, he sat				have found in some ways it hard to understand the
under a fig tree for 49 days. When the answer				process of
finally came to him, he				reincarnation, and Brahma. Though, I can see how
became Buddha. Therefore, Buddhism was				that for people of
founded.Buddhism is a reformed version of Hinduism.				another culture, these religions are very supportive,
Buddha discovered the Four				and soothing.
Noble Truths, which are the foundation for all forms				Culture plays a big part in determining your beliefs.
of Buddhist				Obviously, they
philosophy. There is suffering, suffering is caused,				are very deep-rooted for surviving longer than
eliminating the				Christianity. I admire
causes of suffering can extinguish suffering and the				their strong faith and their desire to become pure
way to extinguish				and unblemished.
the causes of suffering is to follow the Middle Way				Hinduism and Buddhism are two major religions,
stated in the				firmly planted in theirThe article was produced by the
Eightfold Path.The Eightfold Path also comes from				member of
Buddha; it teaches to practice				Sharon White is a senior writer and writers
moderation. If followed, one may achieve true				consultant at term papers. Get some useful tips for
enlightenment, or				thesis and buy term papers.
nirvana. Nirvana is reaching Brahma in one lifetime.

Yogananda Dif

Hinduism

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