An Analysis of the Religions of
Ancient India
Hinduism and Buddhism
Hinduism
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Basic facts
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Combination of many ancient
religions
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Began as a Polytheistic
Religion
Aryan and Indus River
Valley religions
More beliefs/ideas slowly
added on
Belief in many gods
All are part of an all-powerful
spiritual force called Brahman
Hinduism
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Basic Facts
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Sacred texts- Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita
Ultimate goal of life is to achieve moksha, or
union with Brahman
In order to do this, a soul must be reincarnated
through different forms
If you live according to dharma (moral duty) and
ahimsa (nonviolence), you can move up each time
you are reincarnated
Karma refers to the actions you make in one life
that determine your fate in the next life
The wheel is an
important Hindu
symbol because it
demonstrates the
cyclical nature of
life or reincarnation
Hinduism
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Caste System played an
important role in
Hinduism
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Each level was a
different species of being
The higher you were, the
closer you were to
moksha
Hinduism
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Caste system prohibited people from moving
up or marrying up
However, it did provide social order/stability
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Provided identity and interdependence
Kind of like freshman, sophomore, junior
Before long, Hinduism spread throughout
India and Asia
Buddhism
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Based on teachings of mortal man
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Why is that important?
Siddhartha Gautama
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born into royalty 563 BC
chose to wander country looking for life without suffering
found enlightenment through meditation
spent his life teaching his ways
Buddhism
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Beliefs
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Four Noble Truths (heart of Buddhism)
1. all life is full of suffering, pain and sorrow
2. cause of suffering is nonvirtue, or negative
deeds and mindsets such as hatred or jealousy
3. only cure is to overcome nonvirtue
4. to overcome nonvirtue one must follow the
Eightfold Path
Buddhism
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Eightfold Path
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Right
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Views
Aspirations
Speech
Conduct
Livelihood
Effort
Mindfulness
Contemplation
Buddhism
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If you:
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Understand Four Noble Truths
Follow Eightfold Path
Follow the Middle Path/Middle Way- life of
balance not too much pleasure and not too much
pain
And Meditate
You can become Enlightened, or reach Nirvana,
being one with the universe
Buddhism
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Spread of Buddhism
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Missionaries and traders spread Buddhism
throughout Asia (see map)
Declined in India however, many beliefs absorbed
by Hinduism
Over time Buddhism was split into 2 major sects
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Theravda- only most dedicated can reach enlightenment
Mahayana- ordinary people can reach enlightenment
Assignment:
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Compare and contrast Buddhism and
Hinduism by
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writing an essay
Designing and completing a Venn Diagram
Designing and completing another graphic
organizer
Examples
Hinduism and Buddhism
Similarities
 Same traditions/roots
 Both stress nonviolence
and intense reflection
 Both believe in karma,
dharma, and
reincarnation
 Both religion’s goal is
to reach enlightenment
(nirvana or moksha)
Differences
 Buddhism does not rely
on priests- individuals
can reach enlightenment
 Buddhism rejects caste
system
 Buddhism’s founder is a
human
 Hindus worship many
gods