Similarities and differences between Hinduism and Buddhism

Hinduism and Buddhism are two of the world's greatest and most influential religions. Both of these religions arose in India, and thus stem from a similar philosophy and culture.. The relationship between Hinduism and Buddhism is much the same as between Catholicism and Protestantism. One can equate Catholicism with Hinduism and Protestantism with Buddhism. Protestantism grew as a reform movement out of Catholicism. Just Protestantistm was a reaction to the corruption and power of the 15th century Catholic Church, Buddhism also grew out of the corruption, immorality, and restrictive power structure of Hinduism to give the people more freedom and dignity. Unlike Hinduism which evolved over many ages, Buddhism, like Christianity, was founded by a historic individual. The word 'Buddha' means 'enlightened one' or 'awakened one'. The person who became a Buddha was Siddhartha Gautama who was born in Northern India in or around the sixth century BCE. The traditional story describes him as a prince who became discontented with his life of pleasure when he began to realize that it would pass and that life was subject to old age, sickness and death. Consequently, he left his home and family and spent six years searching for enlightenment. To achieve this, he starved his body and undertook other activities hoping that he would find an ultimate answer to the mysteries of life. At the end of these six years, he realized that the methods he was using were not working. Therefore, he went back to eating properly again, thinking that it was important that he looked after his body enough to maintain health and vigor. Then, one day, he sat under a tree and began to meditate, determined to win enlightenment or die. Before he arose once again from that spot, Gautama Siddhartha had become an enlightened being - a Buddha. This paper will discuss the similariarities and differences between the two religions.

Dharma and Dhamma

The essential Hindu concept defining the individual and his responsibilities is dharma. Dharma refers a sense of obligation. One must fulfill his roles in society and the world. Such responsibilities include reproduction and caste duties, but extend into the philosophical realm of peaceful and humble acceptance of one's position. Dharma defines correct living for a Hindu.

Buddhism has a similar concept, dhamma (note even the linguistic similarity). Dhamma does not imply specific biological or social obligations, but maintains a comparable philosophical construct. The Buddhist definition of right conduct and personal obligation, dhamma is the path which must be taken to escape the suffering of worldly life. Like the Judeo-Christian tradtion has the ten commandment, Buddhism has a list of what constitute right and wrong actions and thoughts in the Noble Eightfold Path and the Five Precepts.

Caste System

Central to Hinduism is the caste system. The caste system divides the Hindu people into four major classes, Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra, and "untouchables," or people outside of all the classes. Members of certain castes have certain duties. Caste is determined by birth, allowing no social advancement, career choice, or individual freedom. The castes are socially ranked, forming an upper social division as well as lower ones. Caste, then, determines one's profession, one's potential education, one's social position, even defining these limitations for your children.

These social limitations are reinforced by the concept that caste is determined by sins or virtues in a previous life: how well one fulfilled his dharma in the past. The responsibilities of one's current caste also constitute the dharma which will further advance or punish one in your next life. In other words, exceeding one's dharma in not only unnecessary, but in all probability will hurt your dharma, causing you to fall into a lower caste in your next life. This intertwining of social strata with religion creates a fatalism derived from inevitable destiny, guilt complexes of past life caste determination, a philosophy of acceptance, and fear of punishment for transcending one's dharma.. Both religions maintain a broad perspective of religious worship; however,. Hinduism is polytheistic while Buddhism maintains no structured belief in an independent, sentient god-like entity (especially in human form).

Both religions believe in a system of reincarnation, and both religions emphasize the community over the self. The major rift between the two religions seems to stem from the role of social structure in the two religions. Hinduism's caste system perpetuates a fatalism and apathy toward social rights and advancement while reinforcing the ruling establishment. Buddhism concentrates on the individual's release from suffering, implying no overriding social definition.

Conclusion

Buddhism also seems to be less ritualistic, culture-specific and deity-dependent than Hinduism. The lack of an artificial "diety" to instill purpose in a religion's followers makes Buddhism significantly different, and more advanced, than Hinduism. In this light, Hinduism becomes a tremendous force for stagnation, eliminating the initiative for progress in a philosophy of acceptance which breeds an apathy for social justice. Such a pervasive philosophy becomes an asset to the status quo and ruling stratum, stabilizing the social structure at the expense of individuals.

Hinduism, since it is based on the concept of a caste system, has not had much success taking root outside of South Asia; however, such Hindu beliefs, such as the concept of reincarnation and yoga, have become popular in the West. On the other hand, Buddhism, especially in its Zen Buddhist form, has had a profound influence on Western culture via the Beat movement. Many towns in the United States, especially on the West Coast, have Buddhist temples and the Dalai Lama is, after the Pope, the most influential religious leader in the world.