Buddhism vs. Hinduism

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Cultural connections with the classic Greek and Hellenistic world were virtually unchanged 359-323 BCE Duiker & Spielvogel, 2011, p. 96). The cultural imprint during the conquest of Alexander left this cultural legacy well into the Hellenistic era and its kingdoms (Duiker & Spielvogel, 2011, pg. 96-97). Hellenism (or Hellenization): the official and unofficial promotion of supposed Greek ideals in the organization of personal life and civic accomplishment. The parallel is that the characteristics of civilization was very evident and is a common trend to civilization which are based on urban focus, new political & military structures, new social structure based on economic power, the development of more complexity in material sense, a distinct religious structure, the development of writings, new and significant artistic and intellectual activities (Duiker & Spielvogel, 2011, p. 7). In the twelve years during the conquest, Alexander dominated the lands from west of the Nile to east of the Indus and brought the Persian Empire, Egypt, and much of the Middle East under his control creating the foundation for the Hellenistic world. Each of these cultures although Hellenistic, became diffused; influences by the local society customs and the death of Alexander became the springboard for change with in each area, especially since there was no clear political power (Duiker & Spielvogel, 2011, pg. 96-99). Enter the Romans; the Romans rise of civilization was phenomenal, virtually a rebirth of Greek civilization as the Romans borrowed heavily from the Greeks as well as other cultures as well (Instructors notes). The difference was in the Government, while Greek trusted and invested in the Polis, the Romans had another view of governme...

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...istic elements that cause sorrow (Duiker & Spielvogel, 2011, pg. 43-44). Buddhism also differed from Hinduism in rejecting the result of Karma- rather Nirvana placed you on the scale of life in accordance with your behavior in this life (McNeill & McNeill, 2003, p. 64).

Buddhism is considered much simpler than Hinduism and Buddhism does not have the magnificent or impressive array of gods like Hinduism. Buddhists view Buddhism more of a philosophy to a certain extent than a religion (Duiker & Spielvogel, 2011, pg. 45-46), (McNeill & McNeill, 2003, pg. 63-64).

Works Cited

Duiker, W. and Spielvogel, J. (2011). The Essential World History (Sixth ed.). Boston,

Massachusetts: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

McNeill, J. and McNeill, W. (2003). The Human Web: A Bird’s Eye View of World

History (First ed.). New York and London: W.W. Norton and Company.

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