1. Development of Hinduism and Buddhism

2. Introduction
Aryans began moving to India – at first they practiced their own religions
Then they intermingled with the native people of India and their religions blended
People began to question their place in the world, and wondered if the traditional Indian priests should gain so much wealth
Out of this turmoil, new religions formed and ideas arose that have continued to influence millions

3. Hinduism
Hinduism is a collection of religious beliefs that have developed slowly over time
Some aspects can be traced back to ancient times
Ex. Today a bride and groom marry in the presence of a sacred fire, just as they did centuries ago
Hinduism cannot be traced back to 1 founder

4. Beliefs Hindus share a common worldview
Religion is seen as a way of liberating the soul from the illusion, disappointments, and mistakes of everyday life
A book, the Upanishads, explores how a person can achieve liberation from desires
Hindus are trying to achieve “Moksha”
A state of perfect understandings of all things

5. This understanding does not usually happen in one lifetime
That is why Hindus believe in reincarnation
The process of an individual soul being born and reborn until Moksha is achieved

6. During the process of reincarnation, a persons karma follows them
Your Karma determines certain circumstances in your reincarnation such as caste, health, wealth, or poverty

7. Buddhism Developed from the same period of religious questioning
The founder was Siddhartha Guatama
The prophecy of this time was…
If a child stayed home, he was destined to be a world leader
If a child left home, he would be a spiritual ruler

8. His father chose the 1st, and kept Siddhartha at home

9. Siddhartha’s Quest Always dreamed of the outside world
When he was 29, he left the palace 4 times
Those times, he saw 4 people:
an old man, a sick man, a dead man, and a holy man who seemed at peace with himself
He believed that the first three were inevitable and that the only way to find refuge from the pain of these three was to be holy

10. Siddhartha then dedicated his life to searching for religious truth
He tried many methods to reach enlightenment and after 49 days, he did
He then received the name Buddha, meaning “enlightened one”

11. Beliefs of Buddhism
In his first sermon, Buddha taught what he called the “4 Noble Truths”
Life is filled with suffering and sorrow
The cause of all suffering is peoples selfish desire for the temporary pleasures of the world
The way to end all suffering is to end all desires
The way to overcome these desires is to attain enlightenment in the Eightfold Path, which is called the Middle Way

12. What is the Eightfold Path???
The Eightfold Path was designed like a staircase in which Buddhists must master one step at a time
What is the Eightfold Path???
By following this path, they could reach Nirvana
release from selfishness or pain
Buddha accepted the idea of reincarnation

13. 8 Fold Path: Right Views Right Resolve Right Speech Right Conduct
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration

14. Buddhism v. Hinduism
Buddhism differs from Hinduism in that Buddhism rejected:
the Gods of Hinduism
the wealth of the religious leaders of Hinduism
and the caste system
Both have the same final goal:
Moksha – Hindus
Nirvana – Buddhists
Both involve a perfect state of understanding and a break from the chain of incarnations

15. Buddhism in India
Buddhism rejected the caste system, so many early followers were laborers and craftspeople
Eventually, Buddhism would fade in India
One theory is because Hindus believed that Buddhism was one of the 10 incarnations… thus leaving them with no reason to convert