We must first be aware that the founder of all of our Buddhist traditions was raised into the religion of Hinduism, so alot of our rituals and terminology is deeply connected to the Hundu tradition. Gautama was born and brought up and lived and died a Hindu in many respects. Alot like Jesus Christ living as Jew, yet forming Christianity. There was not much in the metaphysics and principles of Gautama which cannot be found in one or other of the orthodox systems, and a great deal of his morality could be matched from earlier or later Hindu books. Buddhism, in it's origin at least-is an offshoot of Hinduism. I would like to go over some of the similarities between the two religions with you. SIMILARITIES: 1) Both emphasize the illusory nature of the world and the role of karma in keeping men and women bound to this world and the cycle of births and deaths. 2) Both believe in the transmigration of souls and the cycle of births and deaths for each soul. 3) Both emphasize compassion and non violence towards all living beings. 4) Both believe in the existence of several hells and heavens or higher and lower worlds. 5) Both believe in the existence of gods or deities on different planes. 6) Both believe in certain spiritual practices like meditation, concentration, cultivation of certain bhavas or states of mind. 7) Both believe in detachment, renunciation of worldly life as a precondition to enter to spiritual life. Both consider desire as the chief cause of suffering. 8) The Advaita philosophy of Hinduism is closer to Buddhism in many respects. 9) Buddhism and Hinduism have their own versions of Tantra. 10) Both originated and evolved on the Indian soil. The founder of Buddhism was a Hindu who became the Buddha. Buddhism is the greatest gift of India to mankind. Now let us discuss the differences which set Hinduism and Buddhism apart. DIFFERENCES: 1) Hinduism is not founded by any particular prophet. Buddhism was founded by the Buddha. 2) Hinduism believes in the efficacy and supremacy of the Vedas. The Buddhist do no believe in the Vedas. 3) Buddhism does not believe in the existence of souls as well in the first cause, whom we generally call God. Hinduism believe in the existence of Atman , that is the individual soul and Brahman, the Supreme Creator. 4) Hinduism accepts the Buddha as an incarnation of Mahavishnu, one of the gods of Hindu trinity. The Buddhist do not accept this. 5) The original Buddhism as taught by the Buddha is known as Theravada Buddhism or Hinayana Buddhism. Followers of this do not worship images of the Buddha nor believe in the Bodhisattvas. 6) The Buddhists consider the world to be full of sorrow and regard ending the sorrow as the chief aim of human life. The Hindus consider that there are four chief aims (arthas) in life which every being should pursue. They are dharma (religious duty), artha (wealth or material possessions), kama (desires and passions) and moksha (salvation.) 7) Hindus also believe in the four ashramas or stages in life. This is not followed in Buddhism. People can join the Order any time depending upon their spiritual preparedness. 8) Buddhists organize themselves into Order (Sangha) and the monks live in groups. Hinduism is basically a religion of the individual. 9) Buddhism believes in the concept of Bodhisattvas. Hinduism does not believe in it. My hope is this gives you, the Buddhist practitioner, a brief synopsis about the ties Buddhism has to Hinduism, and what brings us together, and to some seems to set us apart. I do not believe that two paths make one wrong, the other right. I think so long as you take each road-you are bound to end up somewhere! Hapchang my friends:)
