COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

OF HINDUISM, THERAVADA
BUDDHISM, AND
MAHAYANA BUDDHISM
Hinduism and Buddhism are two of the five major religions
in our world today. They are widely practiced, and have
survived for centuries. Both have similarities and
differences, as do all forms of religion.
ORIGIN OF HINDUISM
• No one knows where Hinduism was started or who started it.
• Their oldest written documents, the Vedas, were first copied onto
paper in 1000 B.C. (fig. 1)
• Hinduism is thought to have originated from the Vedas.
• Both pre-Aryan and Aryan elements are found in Hinduism.
• Hinduism developed during the ancient Indus Valley civilization.
• Hinduism is the main source of three other religion (Buddhism,
Jainism, and Sikhism)
fig. 1.
Vedas
ORIGIN OF BUDDHISM
• Traces its origin in northern India
• Links its founder Siddhartha Gautama also referred as Buddha or
the “Enlightened One”.
• About 500 years after Buddha’s enlightenment, a schism within the
Buddhist religion resulted in the emergence of two major branches,
namely, The Theravada and Mahayana schools of tradition.
• It reached China, India, Korea, and Indochina Peninsula.
MORALITY IN HINDUISM
• It holds several key moral values such as karma and dharma
• Karma is closely linked to the Hindu belief of reincarnation
(samsara)
• Dharma brings morality and ethics in the Hindu belief system
• Hinduism teaches that the individual soul of all living bodies, was
part of the creator spirit, Brahma.
• They believe that each souls job and wish is to eventually return to
Brahma.
• Hindu's worship many gods, but they believe in a single god,
Brahma.
MORALITY IN BUDDHISM
Though he embraced the general framework of Indian ideas, he
altered many of them.
Similarly, the cycle of rebirth persists in Buddhism and succeeding
lives may be affected ny the moral laws of karma.
Buddhist moral thoughts are principally guided by the “Four Noble
Truths”, along with the basic guide called “Eightfold Paths”, that are
divided in three categories, Right View, Right Conduct, and Right
Practice.
Unhappiness (dukkha) is principally caused by people’s unending
desires.
The two major schools of Buddhism, Theravada and Mahayana
sects, follow the “Four Noble Truths” and “Noble Eightfold Path.”
PURPOSE IN HINDUISM
• There are four desirable goals of life (purushartha), All Hindus aim to achieve
the purpose of life that includes dharma, artha, kama, and moksha.
• In addition to the four goals of life, traditional Hindus often pass the four
stages of life (ashramas).
• The first stage of Hindu life is being a student (brahmacarya) where he
studies sacred scriptures under the guidance of a guru
• The second stage is being a householder (grihastha), wherein he takes a wife,
raises children, contributes to the society.
• The third stage (vanaprastha), he withdraws to the forest with his wife as he
undergoes meditation to understand the meaning of life.
• The fourth stage (samnyasin) involves renouncing the world and all
attachments as he now becames a holy sage.
PURPOSE IN BUDDHISM
In Buddhism, the principal purpose of one’s life is to terminate all forms of
suffering cause by attachment to impermanent entities (material, friends,
health).
In Theravada Buddhism, the monastic way of life ensures the path toward
enlightenment. For the Buddhist laity, they must first be reborn as monks
for them to be eligible for enlightenment. As member of the laity perform
good deeds, positive karma may bring forth a pleasant condition in the
next life.
In Mahayana Buddhism, it offers enlightenment to anyone, not only for the
members of the monastic order, but also for those with families and
secular careers.
DESTINY IN HINDUISM
The destiny of all Hindus involves reincarnation until they gain
ultimate enlightenment.
They believed that within the human is an eternal soul (atman) that
is reborn a thousand times in many forms subject to the law of
karma.
For Hindus, the idea of an eternal heaven or hell is unfounded as it
does not uphold genuine moral behavior.
DESTINY IN BUDDHISM
The Buddhist goal is reach nirvana or the extinguishing of fire of
longing and suffering.
In the Theravada sect., by following the “middle path” and
practicing the basic doctrines of Buddhism, there is a realization
that desire can be terminated and suffering reduced. A person who
has attained the perfect state of insight is called arhat or a “worthy
person” who must be emulated by Theravada Buddhists.
Meanwhile, The Mahayana sect devotes much attention to the
bodhisattvas or “enlightened beings”who delay their own
enlightenment for them to benevolently aid other beings to reach
their ultimate end. All beings can follow the path of the
bodhisattvas which is the ideal way for all Buddhists to live.
VIEWS ON WOMEN IN HINDUISM
• They are always seen as inferior to men in all aspects of life.
• Restrictions abound with regard to their daily activities; tending household
chores would be their primarily role.
• Religious and educational liberties for women are severely lacking.
• The Manusmriti or “Law of Manu”, based on this book, women must attend
ritualistic practices despite having no roles to play in these activities.
• According to Manusmriti, the three-stage pattern for a woman include that
a woman child be protected by her father, a wife must be protected by her
husband, and an old woman be protected by her sons.
• As a married woman, she must become a good wife and treat her husband
as a god. In return, a husband must also revere his wife as a goddess.
VIEWS ON WOMEN IN HINDUISM
• Women are not allowed to remarry after the death of their
husbands.
• Shaving their head is a requirement to make them
unappealing to other interested men.
• The most difficult chores are given to the widows and they
are forbidden to eat with their family members.
• A widow can opt to commit sati.
VIEWS ON WOMEN IN BUDDHISM
For the Buddha, men are not always wise and women can also
be wise.
In Buddhism, women should not be treated as inferior to men
because both are equally valuable in society.
Women as wives and mothers have roles to fulfill in the family
and society.
Husband and wives must equally share responsibilities in the
family with the same zeal.
Wives must also familiarize themselves in trade and business
dealings so that they can also handle these affairs.
Men and women have equal status in Buddhist societies.