Instituted by the Aryan invaders after 1500 BC as evidenced in their Vedas Hinduism Hindus believe in the divinity of the four Vedas, the world's most ancient scripture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are God's word and the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion. Our beliefs determine our thoughts and attitudes about life, which in turn direct our actions. By our actions, we create our destiny. Beliefs about sacred matters--God, soul and cosmos--are essential to one's approach to life. Hindus believe many diverse things, but there are a few bedrock concepts on which most Hindus concur. The following nine beliefs, though not exhaustive, offer a simple summary of Hindu spirituality. Hindus believe in a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality. Hindus believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution. Hindus believe in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds. Hindus believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved, and moksha, liberation from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. Not a single soul will be deprived of this destiny. Hindus believe that divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, sacraments and personal devotionals create a communion with these devas and Gods. Hindus believe that an enlightened master, or satguru, is essential to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry, meditation and surrender in God. Hindus believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, noninjury, in thought, word and deed. Hindus believe that no religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine paths are facets of God's Light, deserving tolerance and understanding. Hinduism, the world's oldest religion, has no beginning--it precedes recorded history. It has no human founder. It is a mystical religion, leading the devotee to personally experience the Truth within, finally reaching the pinnacle of consciousness where man and God are one. Hinduism has four main denominations--Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism and Smartism.

It is based on the principle that there is an ultimate being in the universe and it is man’s duty to seek it in the hope of reaching “eternal bliss” (Moksha) This ultimate God is called a Brahman…. By seeking it, man can merge with Brahman after death Nirvana is the supreme state free from suffering and individual existence. It is a state often referred to as "self realization" or "God realization". It’s the ultimate religious goal of all Hindus. The attainment of nirvana breaks the otherwise endless rebirth cycle of transmigration. Hindus call this nirvana "eternal bliss". However, no one can describe in words what nirvana is. It can only be experienced directly. The goal of the individual soul is moksha. Moksha is liberation: the soul’s release from the cycle of death and rebirth. It occurs when the soul unites with Brahman by realizing its true nature. Several paths can lead to this realization and unity: the path of duty, the path of knowledge, and the path of devotion (unconditional surrender to God).

Reincarnation is a main part of this belief The soul reincarnates itself several times until it can reach its final goal of union with God Samsara Believe all humans seek this ultimate goal In both Hinduism and Buddhism, the word refers to a higher state of being, but the two religions view this state very differently. Hinduism calls it Mukti, Buddhism calls it nirvana. But it's still a Sanskrit word. Nirvana or "nivriti" means in "primordial concept" that all material desires come to an end, no longer desire for material sense gratification. Or, in other words, "Termination of all material happiness" means ---> real happiness, desire nothing more substantive. This kind of happiness is "Brahmananda". Some people think desirelessness mean arrest of mental activity, but this is not possible. The living thing (creature) is "nitya-cetana" = eternal sentient. Nirvana refers only to material happiness / sense of satisfaction, but not spiritual. Nirvana is the supreme state free from suffering and individual existence. It is a state often referred to as "self realization" or "God realization". It’s the ultimate religious goal of all Hindus. The attainment of nirvana breaks the otherwise endless rebirth cycle of transmigration. Hindus call this nirvana "eternal bliss". However, no one can describe in words what nirvana is. It can only be experienced directly. In Buddhism, this state, which the Buddha couldn't relate in language, is called nirvana. The word is Sanskrit for "to extinguish." In this case, it means to extinguish ignorance, hatred and earthly suffering. The term is most closely associated with Buddhism, though it's applied to a similar concept in Hinduism. By achieving nirvana, you can escape samsara, the cycle of reincarnation that characterizes both Hinduism and Buddhism. In each life, a soul is punished or rewarded based on its past actions, or karma, from the current life as well as earlier lives (which also include lives as animals). When you achieve nirvana, you stop accumulating bad karma because you've transcended it. You spend the rest of your life and sometimes future lives "working off" the bad karma you've already accumulated. Once you have fully escaped the karmic cycle, you achieve parinirvana -- final nirvana -- in the afterlife. As with Hindu nirvana, souls that have achieved parinirvana are free of the cycle of reincarnation. The Buddha never specified what parinirvana was like. In Buddhist thought, it is beyond normal human comprehension.

A person’s reincarnation is based on their “karma” or force created by a person’s actions in life It ultimately determines how a person will be reborn in the next life So a person’s current status is not purely accidental

At the same time, “karma” is ruled by “dharma” (the divine law that requires all people to just do their duty) Duties vary depending on their status in society More is expected of the higher ups Reincarnation justifies the higher ups and gives hope to the lower classes

To reach oneness with God, Hindus developed the practice of yoga “When all the senses are stilled, when the mind is at rest, that, say the wise, is the highest state” Not for exercise at the time… Designed to leave behind the cycle of earthly life and achieve union with Brahman (like in a dreamless sleep)

Most Hindus view the many gods as just different expressions of the one ultimate God (Brahma)

The Beginning of Buddhism Approximately 1,000 years after Hinduism came about, Buddhism appeared in Northern India It came to rival Hinduism

It was founded by a prince (Siddhartha Gautama) “Buddha” “Enlightened One” He will also be called the Buddha or Enlightened One who vowed to end human suffering…

He gave up everything and began searching for the meaning of life and the way to end suffering Shaved his head Gave up royal clothes Abandoned his family Tried to follow ascetics (people who practiced self-denial to achieve an understanding of ultimate reality But the abuse of his physical body put him close to death Then he went off and tried meditation He tried self-denial and then meditation until one day he reached “enlightenment”

He spent the rest of his life preaching what he discovered His ideas became the foundation of Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion and way of life Gautama believed the basis of suffering came from the material world Only this realization would allow a person to achieve nirvana (the ultimate reality) Or ultimate reality---the end of the self and a reunion with the Great World Soul These strict principles helped one achieve nirvana He said all human beings could reach nirvana as a result of their behavior in this life Gautama accepted the idea of reincarnation, but he did not like the rigid caste system Who Was the Buddha? Siddhartha Gotama was born into a royal family in Lumbini, now located in Nepal, in 563 BC. At 29, he realised that wealth and luxury did not guarantee happiness, so he explored the different teachings religions and philosophies of the day, to find the key to human happiness. After six years of study and meditation he finally found 'the middle path' and was enlightened. After enlightenment, the Buddha spent the rest of his life teaching the principles of Buddhism — called the Dhamma, or Truth — until his death at the age of 80. • Was the Buddha a God? He was not, nor did he claim to be. He was a man who taught a path to enlightenment from his own experience. • Do Buddhists Worship Idols? Buddhists sometimes pay respect to images of the Buddha, not in worship, nor to ask for favours. A statue of the Buddha with hands rested gently in its lap and a compassionate smile reminds us to strive to develop peace and love within ourselves. Bowing to the statue is an expression of gratitude for the teaching. • Why are so Many Buddhist Countries Poor? One of the Buddhist teachings is that wealth does not guarantee happiness and also wealth is impermanent. The people of every country suffer whether rich or poor, but those who understand Buddhist teachings can find true happiness. • Are There Different Types of Buddhism? There are many different types of Buddhism, because the emphasis changes from country to country due to customs and culture. What does not vary is the essence of the teaching — the Dhamma or truth. • Are Other Religions Wrong? Buddhism is also a belief system which is tolerant of all other beliefs or religions. Buddhism agrees with the moral teachings of other religions but Buddhism goes further by providing a long term purpose within our existence, through wisdom and true understanding. Real Buddhism is very tolerant and not concerned with labels like 'Christian', 'Moslem', 'Hindu' or 'Buddhist'; that is why there have never been any wars fought in the name of Buddhism. That is why Buddhists do not preach and try to convert, only explain if an explanation is sought. Too attached to worldly things Let go of worldly things and then pain, sorrow, and cares can be forgotten • What is Buddhism? Buddhism is a religion to about 300 million people around the world. The word comes from 'budhi', 'to awaken'. It has its origins about 2,500 years ago when Siddhartha Gotama, known as the Buddha, was himself awakened (enlightened) at the age of 35. • Is Buddhism a Religion? To many, Buddhism goes beyond religion and is more of a philosophy or 'way of life'. It is a philosophy because philosophy 'means love of wisdom' and the Buddhist path can be summed up as: (1) to lead a moral life, (2) to be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions, and (3) to develop wisdom and understanding.

After Gautama’s death in 480 BC, his followers continued his teachings throughout India and made Buddhism popular