Question

comparing buddhism with hinduism
before beginning:

1. read the entire assigned reading - or at the very least - perform a deep skim or careful investigation of all contents and organization of chapter 3. but also: return to the previous chapter on hinduism now and then as you read, particularly when you come across vocabulary and ideas used in both traditions so you can begin to locate where they ideologically differ.
2. develop at least a basic idea how hinduism and buddhism are related! im not sure how many folks out there who know of the tworeligions are aware or privy to the history, relatedness and overlap between the two!

this activity with the two chapters is again less discussion board and serves a platform to display the objective and focus of this assignment in one place. once you post/submit others take a look to and see how their experience compares to yours.
directions

1. locate three practices, beliefs, worldviews, commitments, afterlife experiences, cosmology, nature of human souls (or our being), or any of the other radical changes instituted as buddhism emerged as an outgrowth of hinduism.
2. review, carefully study, and compare how those three elements shape and characterize the religious system now known as buddhism.
3. create a brief write - up articulating how - what we might casually refer to as \hinduism 2.0\ - changed in at least three significant ways. your focus here is to demonstrate you recognize the kinship and continuity between the two faiths and that you can readily explain how they differ in significant ways!

***as with the other assignment and nearly all your work in college/uni and beyond - its always better to explain more about things than you think is necessary
. one paragraph per practice/belief etc.
. clearly demonstrate to your audience your knowledge of related ideas in hinduism and how buddhism diverged and coalesced into a unique and contrasting worldview (or two, maybe three or more per prothero).
. 350 - 500 words max -> roughly 125 ± words for each paragraph.

1. no replies in this assignment.

Explanation:

The task is to compare Buddhism and Hinduism. First, identify three elements like practices or beliefs where Buddhism diverged from Hinduism. Then analyze how these elements shape Buddhism. Finally, write a short - up to 500 - word piece highlighting at least three significant differences while also acknowledging their kinship. Each element should be in a separate paragraph of about 125 words.

Answer:

1. Element 1: Belief in a Permanent Self

• In Hinduism, there is a belief in the Atman, a permanent self or soul that reincarnates. Buddhism, on the other hand, posits the concept of Anatta (no - self), denying the existence of a permanent, unchanging self. This difference shapes Buddhism's approach to the nature of existence and the path to liberation, which focuses on the impermanence of all things and the non - existence of a fixed self.

1. Element 2: Role of the Vedas

• Hinduism places great importance on the Vedas as sacred scriptures. Buddhism, while emerging from the Hindu cultural context, does not consider the Vedas as authoritative. Instead, it has its own set of scriptures like the Tripitaka. This divergence means that the sources of religious authority and the nature of religious knowledge are different in Buddhism compared to Hinduism.

1. Element 3: Path to Liberation

• Hinduism has multiple paths to liberation (Moksha) such as the path of knowledge (Jnana Marga), the path of action (Karma Marga), and the path of devotion (Bhakti Marga). Buddhism emphasizes the Noble Eightfold Path as the way to achieve Nirvana. This difference in the path to liberation reflects different understandings of what constitutes ethical and spiritual practice in the two religions.

In the write - up, one would elaborate on these differences while also noting that Buddhism emerged from Hinduism, sharing some concepts like reincarnation (although with different interpretations). Each paragraph would be around 125 words to meet the word - count requirement.