3.4 Content

Comparing and Contrasting Eastern Religions

Hinduism

The Shiva is a primary deity in Hinduism

Hinduism is a religion that originated in India and developed gradually over a long period of time. Unlike religions such as Judaism, Christianity, or Islam, you cannot trace Hinduism back to one founder with a single set of ideas. Most of the information known about the origins and beliefs of Hinduism are in the sacred writings called the Vedas and Upanishads. Written in Sanskrit, these sacred writings give insight into how Hindus view God. Specifically, Hindus believe in one god that takes many forms. Three of the many forms of god that Hindus worship are Brahma, the creator of the universe, Vishnu, the protector of the universe, and Shiva, the destroyer (fixer) of the universe.

Reincarnation is the rebirth of the soul into another form. It is determined by karma, the belief that a person's individual thoughts and actions in life impact how he or she is reborn in the next life. According to Hinduism, people live many lives and gain many experiences before they can reach a state of perfection. This belief is reflected in the caste system. For example, people who have good karma will move up in the caste system in their next life. Conversely, people who have bad karma will move down in the caste system in their next life. Moksha is the state that all Hindus seek to achieve. When someone achieves moksha, he or she no longer gets reincarnated, but rather becomes one with the universal spirit. In Hinduism, all living things are part of the universal spirit.

Hinduism was spread along major trade routes, and is the third largest religion in the world today. Most observers of Hinduism live in South Asia.

Buddhism

Although many people believe Buddhism originated in China, it actually began in India near the Himalaya Mountains. In contrast to Hinduism, Buddhism traces its roots to a founder - a prince named Siddhartha Gautama. After feeling overwhelmed by the sadness in the world, and having a transformative religious experience, Siddhartha Gautama became known as the Buddha, or "the enlightened one." In this interactivity, you will discover how Siddhartha Gautama transformed into the Buddha. Click the player button to begin.

View a printable version of this interactivity.

Religious Doctrines

The Buddha on Lantau Island, Ngong Ping

The Buddha's beliefs are found in the doctrine, The Four Noble Truths. These include the following:

All life is full of suffering.
The cause of this suffering is desire.
The cure is to overcome desire.
To overcome desire, one must follow the Eightfold Path.

The second religious doctrine is the Eightfold Path to Enlightenment. Buddha describes the full path as a moral code for Buddhists to live by. To be in line with the Eightfold Path, one must have the following:

Right views
Right ambitions
Right speech
Right conduct
Right livelihood
Right effort
Right mindfulness
Right contemplation

Buddha believed that people will reach nirvana if they follow both the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Nirvana is the final stop for Buddhists, where they achieve union with the universe and are released from the cycle of rebirth.