Comparing Hinduism And Hinduism

Both Hinduism and Buddhism originated in the Indian subcontinent. Both show a deep understanding about the philosophy of life but have a rather peculiarly long and uncomfortable relationship.

The UPANISHADS basically form the core of Indian philosophy. The very meaning of Upanishads meant sitting down or sitting close to, this is a very important concept as the Upanishads could be described as, the supreme work of the Indian mind which was passed on from generation to generation strictly through oral transmission from the guru to the disciple. In the Indian culture the teacher/GURU is considered as the most knowledgeable, the know all preacher who is well versed with the fundamental truths of the universe. The spiritual teacher passes on the fundamental teachings that are central to Hinduism like Karma(action), samsara(reincarnation), moksha(nirvana),the atma(soul),the Brahman(absolute almighty). The Upanishads also tell about the two major paths to self-realization, being yoga and meditation. The core of the Upanishads is that this can be achieved by meditating with the awareness that one’s soul is one with all things, and that ‘one’ is ‘Brahman’ which becomes the ‘all’. The aim of the guru was to guide a few chosen pupils to the point of liberation, which they themselves had attained.

Some of the core concepts of upanishads are karma, moksha, samsara, atman, Brahman, Yoga and meditation.

Brahman: Brahman is the central concept of the upanishads. Who is considered as the supreme force and the foundation over which everything else is founded? In Sanskrit the gender of the term is neuter, yet in many contexts is spoken of or referred to as a person, a supreme god and sometimes even depicted as a him. In both senses of the term, ...

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... over millions of years. Also technically speaking Hinduism is considered to be just a group of movements and practices that followed by people of that era like the religious beliefs, history, tradition and practices. In contrast in comparison to Hinduism is more established and organized commonly called Dhamma.

Another way to conclude was that Buddhism was famous only in the subcontinent and later spread throughout the Asian continent. In the process Buddhism evolved through a very complex sectarian, theological and from geographical diversity and traditions of its own that it became one of the major influential religions of the world.

People who are not familiar with the history of the Indian subcontinent will fail to understand the deep connection that existed between Hinduism and Buddhism and how immensely they enriched, influenced and helped each other grow.