"It is true that even across the Himalayan barrier India has sent to the west, such gifts as grammar and logic, philosophy and fables, hypnotism and chess,

and above all numerals and the decimal system.”

Will Durant

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HINDUISM Has no historical founder Developed over many centuries along with

Indian civilization Later spread into Southeast Asia but not a

missionary religion Associated with a particular people and place Never was a single tradition Rather the term “Hinduism” derived from

outsiders – Greeks, Muslims, British

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Vedas -Earliest of Hindu texts -Collection of poems, hymns, prayers and

rituals -Compiled by priests called Brahmins,

transmitted orally for centuries (written in Sanskrit around 600 BCE)

-Brahmins gained power and wealth through the performing of sacrifices and rituals

Dissatisfaction with Brahmins led to another body of sacred texts

Upanishads (composed by anonymous thinkers between 800 and 400 BCE)

-Sought to understand the inner meaning of the sacrifices

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HINDU BELIEFS Brahman or the World Soul is the ultimate

reality Beyond all separate identities, persons, and

forms lay this divine reality According to philosophical Hinduism, the

individual human soul (atman) was part of this ultimate reality

Therefore, the perceived separateness of people and forms is an illusion

Everything is Brahman

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Beyond the quest for wealth and power, lay the effort to achieve union with Brahman

-An end to the illusory perception of a separate existence

-Moksha (liberation) But until moksha is achieved, there is

samsara or rebirth (reincarnation) Rebirth is determined by the individual’s

actions (Karma) and performance of duty (Dharma)

Therefore, the caste system is a register of every person’s spiritual progress

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BUDDHISM Siddhartha Gautama (ca. 556 – ca. 486 BCE) -Founder of Buddhism -Indian prince from a small north Indian state -Led a sheltered and privileged existence -Shocked by the existence of old age,

sickness, and death -Left family and wealth -Began search for the causation and

cessation of suffering

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Upon becoming the Enlightened One (the Buddha), formulated the Four Noble Truths

-Life has suffering. -Selfish desire is the cause of suffering. -Suffering can end. -Follow the Noble Eightfold Path (eight

actions to help eliminate suffering) Nirvana is the elimination of suffering -The identity is extinguished as greed,

hatred, and delusion are extinguished too -Loving-kindness or compassion for all living

things develops

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Many similarities to Hinduism -Karma, reincarnation, overcoming the

incessant demands of the ego, meditation, release from samsara

Differences too -Rejected religious authority of Brahmins,

ridiculed rituals and sacrifices, not much interested in the creation of world or existence of God

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Reluctantly allowed women to become Buddhist nuns

But Buddhist nuns had inferior status than Buddhist monks

Nonetheless, in opposition to “The Laws of Manu”

-Classic Hindu text on the position of women - “In childhood, a female must be subject to

her father; in youth to her husband; when her lord is dead to her sons; a woman must never be independent.”

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Buddhism’s popularity was increased by teachings in Pali, local and accessible language

During the reign of Ashoka (268 -232 BCE), Buddhism had state support

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Over time, two primary schools of Buddhism developed

-Theravada (Teaching of the Elders) portrayed Buddha as a wise teacher and model but not divine

-Mahayana (Great Vehicle) developed in the early centuries CE and claimed that help was available for the strenuous journey through bodhisattvas or spiritually developed individuals who had postponed entry into nirvana to help others still suffering (even Buddha became something of a god)

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But Buddhism died out in the land of its birth -A revived Hinduism made Buddhism less

attractive (the Mahabharata and Ramayana were epic poems that encouraged action in the world and a detached performance of caste duties leading to liberation)

-Bhakti or the way of devotion to a deity also developed

-But perhaps most importantly of all, Buddhism was incorporated into the Hindu pantheon

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Krishna encourages the Arjuna to perform his duty in the Bhagavad-Gita (part of the Mahabharata).

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According to Hindus, Buddha is the ninth incarnation of Vishnu. Buddha is a part of the Hindu pantheon.

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By 1000 CE, Buddhism disappeared as a separate religious tradition within India. However, Buddhism became a universal belief system by spreading to new lands.

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STRAYER QUESTIONS In what ways did the religious traditions of

South Asia change over the centuries? In what ways did the religious traditions of

South Asia change over the centuries? What is the difference between the

Theravada and Mahayana expressions of Buddhism?

What new emphases characterized Hinduism as it responded to the challenges of Buddhism?

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