Understanding Hinduism and Buddhism

In the reading, Maya has been given different meanings by the Upanishads. From my understanding, the world contains both magic and matter. Therefore, the world is real because it takes many different forms and accommodates diversity. Therefore, God is our creator who directs us to the concept of Maya when dealing with nature. For the Shvetasvatara this implies that God is the one who rules over Maya and this includes human beings and all other things found on earth. The world can be looked at as something stable and permanent, but some disparity can be drawn from the aspect that makes movements. This move has enabled it to shift and change all the time and is similar to the world of one’s thoughts and dreams where changes also take place. Time is also seen by people to be something that is real and the distinct divisions in this element of time are the past, present, and future occurrences. However, the real variable given to the element of time is that it is relative.

The brief introduction of the word Maya brings us to look at the reality that has been displayed by the Upanishads. When we look at any given machine, what comes to mind first is the different elements brought together to make the object mobile. A machine is considered to have individual parts that make a realistic comprise and has a purpose. This is similar to our realization of things in the world. From the concept, we look at the world and recognize that it also has different forms that enable it to shift with amazement of varying degrees. Reality then hits individuals to contemplate of death being the end of everything that has matter and is magical. Nonetheless, this view is not shared with the Upanishads who view individuals as being manifestations that come from the realm of Divinity. Therefore, for them, an individual does not become extinct ones their soul dies, but instead, they continue to live on but in a different form altogether. Looking at Hinduism, the process of reincarnation occurs when they believe in death as an introduction to a new reality where people are reborn enabling them to take a new life force.

Buddha does not agree to anything having a permanent identity, and this takes us to having a reality check where each person and thing in the world does change because it has different parts that change continuously due to different factors. Buddha defines this as “no permanent identity.” When referring to people, it can be defined as having “no identity soul or self.” All this, ‘no identity’ proverb to the Pali is what is called Anatta while for the Sanskrit it is called anatman or “no Atman.” For Buddha and Hindu, timeless is a notion that they do not agree on as the Hindu views it as something that has an unchanging reality. For instance, when we consider a non-living thing, say a car, many things have been assembled to make the product. The things comprising the car undergo wear and tear; they will need to be repaired at some point. Although we define human beings based on their gender as males or females, we must appreciate that each of them unique regarding ideas, body parts, and even organs. All the things that make up an individual or human being continue to change as they grow. However, such beliefs contradict what Buddha followers hold because they take a strange angle when viewing reality. However, it is rational because when the car faces mechanical issues, or even a friend fails to be a friend in need at some point, the Buddhist view comes into play.

Reality is also known to undergo suffering where people become dissatisfied with how things are going or playing out and for Pali they refer to it as dukkha while Sanskrit say Duhkha. This looks at life as one element that will never bring satisfaction to any living being or creature because of the changes that occur in the world every day. Although we try putting things in order, life will bring us back to reality by re-introducing dis-order, and this gives people a wakeup call that life is never satisfying. For example, rich people are never satisfied with the amount of wealth they have amerced over the years and will continue to hunger for more. Even when one is happy with his or her achievements, worries set in when they are remembering a family member, friend or relative who may be struggling to make ends meet in life. Life brings such issues to people because of its changing nature including misery such as floods, the death of a loved one and sickness among others. The suffering in question for Pali (dukkha) does comprise the whole range of suffering and frustrations in life. A new car is pleasant for a short while because time brings to reality that things required for the car to move appropriately and help in running our daily activities smoothly. In conclusion, Buddha asserts that when it comes to living, individuals should also embrace the idea of being sorrowful and dissatisfied with life’s experiences. Overall, suffering is a characteristic of life that is inevitable for people to evade. Thus, it is appropriate to devise strategies that people can use in responding to what life brings their way.

Hinduism

Brahma has been considered as “the cosmic power” controlled by priests during their chants and sacrifices. It has a divine reality when dealing with innate and emotional issues (Shipton, Coetzee and Takeuchi 129-130). In essence, we talk about the Truth when describing Brahma because it talks about nature’s divine reality.

Atman is the reference to the self or soul that is possessed by each living on earth. Nonetheless, the Upanishads offer a different explanation of having humans share in the same atman (divine, holy and timeless). This implies the sacred found in oneself (Shipton, Coetzee and Takeuchi 130).

Karma looks at moral law that affects people’s cause and effect issues and translates down to having people being careful about how they live on earth. Typically, the choices made on earth reflect back to where their rebirth will take place when they eventually die (Shipton, Coetzee and Takeuchi 130). It can either be into lower or higher forms of existence.
Samsara is the wheel of life that portrays the constant rebirth cycle that Hindu people may want freedom from at one point in time (Shipton, Coetzee and Takeuchi 130).
Moksha has been defined as the ‘liberation’ or ‘freedom’ sought by many Hindus. The Upanishads has not given clear directions on how to attain the freedom or liberation, but certain things can be done to achieve ones sacred reality. Examples include showing people and animals kindness and having a generous spirit among others (Shipton, Coetzee and Takeuchi 130).

Buddhism

Three Marks of Existence

Impermanence
The mark of impermanence (Anicca) talks about living beings being subjected to death’s reality and thus, shows their impermanent nature here on earth. According to Buddha views, all phenomenon found in the physical realm undergo constant change and fluctuation of things that include their external environment, states of emotion and cognition. Unfortunately, ignorance of the truth has led many to be attached to simple experiences of life’s pleasure, of things and even people. This has forced many to limit their exposure to negativity and fail to recognize that both positives and negatives are impermanent (Titmuss 81).

Unsatisfactoriness
The mark of dissatisfaction (Dukkha) helps in showing why suffering always accompanies life. The suffering can occur at the physical, mental and emotional levels. Moreover, it can be associated with ignorance that results in attachments to pleasurable things, having unmet expectations, external circumstances, and conditioned states. Human beings go through a life cycle and being unsatisfied is part of the entire living process that needs to be embraced by human beings for them to attain the freedom they seek in life (Titmuss 82).

Non-Self
The mark of non-self (Anatta) forces us to reflect on the Who am I aspect of life that makes us discover illusions we make up. Buddha’s teachings show that the ego has numerous aspects, and personal characteristics, which are rarely solid. Therefore, the idea of ‘self’ does not have any substantial basis (Titmuss 85).

Four Noble Truths

Suffering (Dukkha)
The truth of suffering under Buddha teaching looks at old age, sickness and death kind of suffering. Satisfaction of needs for humans should be considered temporary because pleasure is a monotonous thing that does not last (Shipton, Coetzee and Takeuchi 125).

Origin of Suffering (Samudaya)
Desire (tanha) is considered by Buddha teaching as the root of all suffering and comes in the form of greed and desire, ignorance and lastly, hatred and destructive urges. It should be noted that there are definite desires like those of enlightenment and good wishes for other people in Buddha teachings (Shipton, Coetzee and Takeuchi 125).

Cessation of suffering (Nirodha)
An attachment according to Buddha teachings is a possibility of liberation because it has been known to be a way of extinguishing one's desire. When an individual reaches their enlightenment phase, then they will have extinguished the three fires of delusion, greed, and hatred. Therefore, one has reached the nirvana where they experience the profound spiritual joy that has no negative ambiance regarding emotions and fears (Shipton, Coetzee and Takeuchi 125).
Path to the Cessation of Suffering (Magga)

This prescription is that of ending suffering and results in the Eightfold Path that avoids indulgence and severe asceticism because it is a means of enlightenment. The eight stages are grouped into wisdom, ethical conduct, and meditation.