What Are The Similarities Between Hinduism And Buddhism

Hinduism and Buddhism Comparison Being two of the most popular polytheistic faiths in the world, Hinduism and Buddhism originated in India. While both have roots stemming from the Vedic religion and share many similarities, the two religions have many differences that set them apart from one another.

Both religions are compassionate, emphasizing peace and nonviolence toward all living and non-living things. Both religions practice different forms of yoga and meditation with the intention of calming one’s mind and gaining control of their thoughts in the same way as the Buddha.

One cannot convert to Hinduism, they have to be born into it. However, anybody can convert to Buddhism. The Hindus believe in the Vedas while the Buddhists don’t

There are four castes within this system: the Brahmans, who are the priests and sacrificers; the Kshatriyas, who are the warriors and kings; the Vaishyas, who are the merchants; and lastly, the Shudras, who are the farmers and laborers. This system is inflexible, and reflects the ‘religious purity’ of each group. The castes system is inflexible, meaning that no one can move up or down within the castes. The only way to ascend or descend through the caste system is through reincarnation. While the Hindus reside in theses respective castes, it is expected of them to fulfill their social duties, which is called Dharma. The Upanishads originated the first concepts of Karma and Samsara, the cycle of rebirth, both of which play vital roles in both religions. In Hinduism, the goal of a person’s current life is to accumulate good karma in hopes of moving up in a caste in the next life. If not, that person could be reincarnated to a lower caste or even as an animal. The goal is always to move up within the cycle of Samsara, whereas in Buddhism, the goal is to escape Samsara by reaching Nirvana. In Hinduism, a similar concept of Nirvana exists, known as Moksha, but only the Brahmans are able to reach

In this religion, it’s often encouraged to seek (or desire) these four attributes. In its respective order, each goal is considered more noble than the previous one. The First is Kama, which is pleasure sought through the desires of the mind and physical body, and passion and emotion --- things that are discouraged in the Buddhist faith. Next is Artha, which is wealth and power. The pursuit of these two things is considered noble if one is from the upper castes, for it is their destiny, otherwise known as Dharma. It’s a set of standards that are assigned to each caste. The members of each caste are expected to fulfill their respective duties to the best of their ability. To do so keeps society in balance. Lower castes, however, are discouraged from seeking wealth and power, as that is a part of their social duty. The last is Moksha, which is the release from the cycle of rebirth. In order to be achieved, one must renounce their way of life. This requires the renunciation of the first three of the four goals, and requires one to become an