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Imani Simmons

Apollo English

Mr. Ward

September 30, 2021

Hinduism and Buddhism, religious siblings

Hinduism and Buddhism, while the people of these religions have

similar views and opinions, but have different morals and opinions. In terms of

general belief, practices, and representation, Buddhists and Hindus have their

agreements and disagreements. In the past, these two religions have had

their conflict that has settled down through time. Though today, some

Buddhists and Hindus still have disdain for one another. Otherwise, the two

live in harmony alongside each other.

Through the differences, Buddhists and Hindus do agree on some points of

belief. The two agree on karma, dharma, moksha, and reincarnation. These

beliefs bring them together. Each represents how a human acts in one life

and the consequences they might have in their reincarnation.

In religions, most individuals believe in a higher power. Most refer to

them as a god or other beings. Hinduism, a polytheistic religion, contains

many gods, including Brahma, who creates the universe, Vishnu, who

preserves the universe, Shiva, who destroys the universe (Worship-Rituals). A

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core belief of Hindus is that Brahman, the God who created the universe,

represents truth and Reality. Brahman being, an entity or God that

encompasses everything in the universe.

Buddhists, on the other hand, don't believe in any God. They believe that

human life is one of suffering. To relieve suffering, one must meditate, do

physical and spiritual labor, and have the right mindset (Buddhism).

Buddhists also must follow the wheel of life, which is called The

Dharmachakra. The Dharmachakra means to have the Right View, Right

Resolve, Right Speech, Right Actions, Right Occupation, Right Effort, Right

Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. When one does these tasks, they

become enlightened, also called nirvana (Buddhism: Basic Beliefs and

Practices). While the road to Nirvana can be different for everyone, Buddhists

strive to reach it by focusing on themselves more than worshiping Gods,

unlike other religions.

When it comes to practicing these religions, there is much to be said

about Hinduism. Hindu rituals typically take place in sacred temples, but they

can be completed at home. These rituals contain chanting a god's name,

praying (verbal or silent), meditation (yoga), and charity work. This is how

most Hindus devote themselves to their gods. With every prayer comes a

sacred offering to God. These prayers are named pooja and can be led by

Hindu priests or Brahmins. These rituals help Hindu's spiritual betterment

and karma.
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For Buddhists, Puja means a prayer followed by offerings or gifts. Puja can

be carried out in a Buddhist temple or at home. Typically, a string of beads

helps focus during worship. When praying at temples, Buddhists can leave

gifts to pay respects to Buddha. Gifts like flowers to show how life can be

impermanent and beautiful or candles to show marks of light and wisdom.

These practices help Buddhists become deeply devoted to Buddhism and

open their understanding to Dharma, meaning "the eternal and inherent

nature of reality" (Worship - Rituals). These rituals are part of a Buddhist's

everyday life.

With representation in media, Hinduism and Buddhism have their ways

of expressing themselves. In Hindu art, holy symbols are always found in

paintings and sculptures. Some being the swastika, which represents

auspiciousness, and the lotus flower, which means purity, beauty, fertility, and

transcendence. These symbols mean the divine consciousness of God in art.

In art, Gods are represented with multiple limbs and heads to show the

extent of their powers and abilities (Hindu art). In architecture, temples are

usually devoted to several different deities or gods.

Just like Hinduism, Buddhists have their type of holy symbols in art. The

central 8 being a white parasol, a conch shell, a treasure vase, a victory

banner, a dharma wheel, a pair of golden fish, an endless knot, and a lotus

(Symbols in Buddhism). Buddhist art also has human representation, typically

having lobed ears, a neutral face, and some headwear. Another addition in
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Buddhist art has a naturalistic style, with wavy hair, drapery covering both

shoulders, shoes, and sandals.

These two religions, Buddhism and Hinduism, are two separate but

similar religions that both originated from India. Hindus have their way of life,

involving their beliefs of their gods, practices, and what their religion

represents. As well, Buddhists have their self-reflections, exercises, and

representations. While both being from the same place, these religions both

have a history of conflict together. Though today, they live peacefully and

continue to have their different views, opinions, and lifestyles. They are often

confused and have stereotypical views that can be damaging to their cultures

and religions altogether.

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Works Cited

“Buddhism: Basic Beliefs and Practices.” Infoplease, Infoplease,

www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/religion/eastern/buddhism/buddhism

/basic-beliefs-and-practices.

“Buddhist Art.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Aug. 2021,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_art.

Davis, Ben. “Home.” Mvorganizing.org, 24 July 2019,

www.mvorganizing.org/what-are-the-similarities-between-hinduism-bu

ddhism-and-confucianism/.

Person. “Symbolism in Buddhism.” ArcGIS StoryMaps, Esri, 10 Dec. 2019,

storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/897249eaaa174f5187e07abd08a11421.

Sodha, Allison. Important Hindu Rituals in India,

www.sodhatravel.com/blog/important-hindu-rituals-in-india.

“Worship and Rituals - Practices in Buddhism - GCSE Religious Studies

Revision - AQA - BBC Bitesize.” BBC News, BBC,

www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zkdbcj6/revision/2.