HINDUISM                                     BUDDHISM

 

 

 

 


              Both are religion.

              Both originated in the Indus River Civilization.

 

              Both are polytheistic religion. Both had a cycle of rebirth.

 

              Both preached the important of living a “good” life.

 

              Both religions experienced division that bore off-spring religions.

                 

 

                 

 

 

 


Beliefs and practices                        FOUNDER                      Siddhartta Gautama

 


Around 700 B.C.                    DATE OF EXISTENCE       Around 530 B.C.

                                                                            

Vedas and Upanishads          RELIGIOUS BOOK        4 Noble Truths and Eight-

                                                                                                Fold path      

 


See next page!                  6 CHARACTERISTICS          See next page!

                                

    Jainism                          OFF-SPRINGS                  Theravanda/Mahayana

 

     Purusha                            MAIN GOD                      Buddha (Gautama)

                                  

 

 

Summarize:
 
                        

                             Which religion would you choose and why?

 

 

 

 

6 CHARACTERISTICS:

 

HINDUISM:

 

Aryan priest created elaborate rituals and offered sacrifices to appease the gods and win their favor.

Not founded by one person.

All living things have souls.  Their bodies tie them to the material world, for a short time. 

                           To know true freedom, a soul must separate from the material world and

                           unite with Brahman Nerguna.

Became a complex religion of many deities. Three main gods:

                           Brahma:  Creator

                           Vishnu:  Preserver

                           Siva:  Destroyer

Self-denial, such as fasting, helped people achieve union with the universal spirit. 

Reincarnation: rebirth of the soul depending on a person’s karma. 

Ahimsa: must protect all living things.

Rebirth continues until a person’s reaches moksha (freedom from rebirth because the

                           souls has paired with Brahman Nerguna)

Person’s birth determines their place in society.

 

BUDDHISM

 

Gautama lived a rich life until he saw sickness for the first time.  Left his home @ 29 and

                           wondered for 7 years.  He found enlightenment under a tree.  Began to

                           preach and gain a following.

Buudha = “Enlightened One”

Four Noble Truths: 

1.      All people suffer and know sorrow

2.      Peoples suffer because their desires bind them to the cycle of rebirth

3.      People could end their suffering by eliminating their desires

4.      People could eliminate desire by following the Eightfold Path

Eighthfold Path:

1.      Know the truth

2.      Resist Evil

3.      Say nothing to hurt others

4.      Respect life

5.      Work for the good of others

6.      Free their minds of evil

7.      Control their thoughts

8.      Practice mediation

Nirvana:  state of freedom from the cycle of rebirth.

Person’s place depended on the person, not the person’s birth.