Hinduism and Buddhism

Hinduism Buddhism Confucianism Daoism

Core beliefs
Belief in God Brahman as the sole Non-theistic religion- Non-theistic religion Non-theistic religion
divine principle believes in the —Confucius, —emphasizes the
Avatar- incarnations/ existence of devas however, believes in Way, which is not
manifestations of the (gods) but does not the Dao which anthropomorphically
deity in different call one to worship manifest itself in God
forms them. terms of change
Trimurthi- the highest Some schools believe
three gods in the that Buddha is
hindu pantheon rightful to receive
(brahma, Vishnu, devotional worship
shiva)
Sacred text Shruti scriptures: the Suttas (sutras) The four books: the Daodejing
vedas and Upanishads believed to be the analects, great
Smriti scriptures: words of the Buddha learning, the docrine
Mahabharata, himself of mean, the Mencius
Ramayana, dharma, Three cannons: Pali
shastras, puranas Canon, Mahayana
Canon, Tibetan Canon
Summary of beliefs No one summary of Taking refuge five The development of Dao, wu wei,
beliefs; it depends on precepts the junzi, the five longevity and chi and
the school of thought great relationships, the yin-yang.
or deity worshipped and the virtues: ren,
Hsiao, shu and li
Origin
Founder No one founder, but Siddharta Gautama Confucius Laozi
many teachers and
sages
Place of origin Indus valley (Western Lumbini and Bodh China China
india) Gaya (northeast india
and Nepal)
Practices
Worship Devotional worship or Chanting suttas in Proper observance of The recitation of
deities puja in temples temples monks can rituals, conducts and mudras.
A priestly class sometimes do norms.
(Brahmins) officiate blessings, but they are
worship considered
renunciants rather
than ritual experts
Common lifestyle Doing one’s function Renunciation of the Living one’s life as a Living in accordance
in the social order world through junzi, to cultivate with Dao
(caste system) monasticism one’s character, and
Householders (non- to act according to
monks) adhere to the one’s proper role in
five precepts and the community
study buddha’s
teachings
Festivals Major and minor Events surrounding Confucian festival Daoist festival
festivals mostly based the Buddhas’s life, calendar represents an calendar represents an
on the lunar calendar most important is amalgamation of amalgamation of
(except for one Visakha (vesak), the various sources, and various sources, and
festival) celebration of the varies according to varies according to
Each locality, temple Buddha’s passing sect region, and sect, region, and
or deity will have temple temple
 their own local
festivals
Divisions
Sectarian divisions Vaisnavites (devotees Theravada, Mencius, Xunxi, Northern and southern
of Vishnu) Saivites Mahayana, Vajrayana Dong Dongshu, Song Daoism, Chin tan
(devotees of Shiva) and Ming (Golden Elixir)
the mother goddess Confucianism, Taoism, Ch’ing wei
(devotees of Devi, Korean and Qing (Clarified Tenuity)
Durga or other female Confucianism, Taoism, T’ien
deites Modern Confucianism hsin(heart of heaven)
Taoism, Shen Hsiao
(Divine Empyrean)
Taoism, T’ung-ch’u
(youthful incipience)
Taoism, T’ai I
(supreme union)
Taoism, Chenta
(perfected greatness)
or Ta-tao (great way)
Taoism
Schools of thought Samkhya, yoga, Same as sectarian Same as sectarian Religious Daoism,
Mimamsa, divisions divisions philosophical daoism
Vaisheshika, nyaya,
Vedanta

Shinto and Indigenous religions

Shinto Indigenous religions
Core beliefs
Belief in God Kami- gods that are found in nature; Nature spirits that reside in trees,
later in Japanese history, important bodies of water or land forms like
people and heroes are also worshiped mountains. Some recognize a supreme
as kami creator as head of a pantheon of gods
and goddesses
Sacred text No recognized sacred text; Kojiki and No recognized sacred text; most of the
Nihongi are important collections of traditions are passed orally or through
ritual prayers to the kami the performance of rituals
Summary of beliefs No one summary of beliefs or creed No one summary of belief or creed
Origin
Founder No one founder; took from slowly and No one founder; mostly kinship-based
was called “Shinto” to distinguish it and relies on genealogies that
from Buddhism sometimes appeal to a mythical first
man
Place of origin Japan It depends on locality; most of the
indigenous peoples live in the Asia-
pacific region
Practices
Worship Norito (public worship), Harai Rituals based on agricultural cycle,
(purification), Shinsen (offering), reinforcing kinship ties, and special
Naorai (symbolic feast), needs
Common lifestyle No particular lifestyle dictated by No lifestyle is particularly “religious,”
teaching but life in the tribe is considered
important and duties to kinfolk and
other friendly tribes are honoured
Festivals Oshogatsu (new year), setsubun-sai Festivals based on agriculture cycles
and haru matsuri (spring festivals) and important life events (rites of
 natsu matsuri (summer festivals) aki passage)
matsuri (autumn festival)
Divisions
Sectarian divisions Jinja Shinto (temple-based) kyoha None
Shinto (personality-based) tsuzuko
Shinto (community-based)
Schools of thought None None