HINDUISM AND BUDDHISM

Basic facts  Combination of many ancient religions  Began as a Polytheistic Religion  Aryan and Indus River Valley religions  More beliefs/ideas slowly added on  Belief in many gods  All are part of an all-powerful spiritual force called brahman HINDUISM

Trinity of Important Gods -Brahma -Shiva (destroyer) -Vishnu (preserver) TRIMURTI

HINDUISM Basic Facts  Sacred texts- Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita  Ultimate goal of life is to achieve moksha, or union with brahman  In order to do this, a soul must be reincarnated through different forms  If you live according to dharma, moral duty, and ahimsa, nonviolence, you can move up each time you are reincarnated  Karma refers to the actions you make in one life that determine your fate in the next life

The wheel is an important Hindu symbol because it demonstrates the cyclical nature of life, or reincarnation

Caste System played an important role in Hinduism  Believe that each level was a different species of being  Higher you were closer you were to moksha HINDUISM

Caste system originally based on occupation – unable to move up it in life. However, it did provide social order/stability  Provided identity and interdependence  Marriage across castes was originally prohibited Before long Hinduism spread throughout India and Asia

Based on teachings of mortal man  Why is that important? Siddhartha Gautama born into royalty 563 BC and chose to wander country looking for life without suffering  Found enlightenment through meditation  Spent his life teaching his ways BUDDHISM

Beliefs  Four Noble Truths (heart of Buddhism) 1. all life is full of suffering, pain and sorrow 2. cause of suffering is desire for worldly goods (possessions, love, etc) 3. only cure is to overcome this desire 4. to overcome this desire one must follow the Eightfold Path

BUDDHISM Eightfold Path Meditation

BUDDHISM If you:  Understand Four Noble Truths  Follow Eightfold Path  Follow the Middle Path/Middle Way- life of balance not too much pleasure and not too much pain  And Meditate You can become Enlightened, or reach Nirvana, being one with the universe (no more reincarnation)

BUDDHISM Spread of Buddhism  Missionaries and traders spread Buddhism throughout Asia (Silk Road)  Declined in India however, many beliefs absorbed by Hinduism  Over time Buddhism was split into 2 major sects  Theravada- only most dedicated can reach enlightenment  Mahayana- ordinary people can reach enlightenment

SYMBOLS OF BUDDHISM

Similarities Same traditions/roots Both stress nonviolence and intense reflection Both believe in karma, dharma, and reincarnation Both religion’s goal is to reach enlightenment (nirvana or moksha) Differences Buddhism does not rely on priests- individuals can reach enlightenment Buddhism rejects caste system Buddhism’s founder is a human Hindus worship many gods HINDUISM AND BUDDHISM