COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

GROUP 3

SUBMITTED BY:

GISELLE F. CAGAMPAN

PRISCILLA LIAN A. CARINO

MARIAL XANDRINE S. CAYETANO

KARL LENNARD C. SISON

 Hinduism and Buddhism (along with two of its major schools, Theravada and Mahayana) are two, or three, for this matter, of the world’s major religions that are known to thrive in
East, South and Southeast Asia. It is said that they originated from places that are close in proximity, if not from the exact same place, as Buddhism’s major figure was known to be born as a
wealthy Hindu prince named Siddhartha Gautama, more recognized nowadays as the “Buddha”. It was a transition between having a polytheistic kind of faith that served a lot of deities and gods
to leading a non-theist religion that rejects the idea of a creator and claim that gods are only distractions from the enlightenment they are seeking.

This paper aims to take a closer look at not only the uniqueness and similarities between Hinduism and Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, but it also seeks to give a wider
perspective of the aforementioned religions. It also tackles their history altogether, their influence on the world, and their individual origins, world views, and modern expressions. Given that these
are two of pop culture’s most misappropriated religions, it is important for the students themselves to have a wider a deeper knowledge on these for them to be able to avoid inappropriate
comments and gestures which may come off as offensive to their respective religious groups. By conducting a group research, the students will now be able to distinguish these religions from one
another, and are now aware of their views and beliefs, as well as the importance of these.

1.) Identify the uniqueness and similarities of Hinduism, Theravada Buddhism & Mahayana Buddhism

RELIGION HINDUISM THERAVADA BUDDHISM MAHAYANA BUDDHISM

UNIQUENESS Hinduism is different from Theravada Buddhism is older Mahayana Buddhists believe
many religions because it has and the more conservative of they can achieve
no specific beliefs that the two main divisions of enlightenment through
everyone must agree with to Buddhism and is often following the teachings of the
be considered a Hindu. referred to as the ‘traditions Buddha. The goal of a
Instead, it is inclusive of of the elders’. Many Mahayana Buddhist may be
many different, sometimes Theravada Buddhists follow to become a Bodhisattva and
contradictory, beliefs. the teachings of the Buddha this is achieved through the
Hinduism can mean different exactly, and many of them Six Perfections. Compassion
things to everyone who are monks or nuns. is very important in
practices it. Also, there are Mahayana Buddhism.
many different gods and Theravada Buddhists strive to Therefore, Bodhisattvas
goddesses that are be arhats. Arhats are choose to stay in the cycle of
worshipped in Hinduism. perfected people who have samsara to help others to
Which god or goddess is gained true insight into the achieve enlightenment as
most important to a person nature of reality. This means well as themselves.
often depends on where they have followed the Noble
they're from in India. Belief Eightfold Path to ‘blow out’ This is a key difference
in reincarnation is another the three fires of greed, between Theravada and
characteristic that sets hatred and ignorance and Mahayana Buddhists.
Hinduism apart from most have become enlightened. In Whereas Theravada
 other religions. Buddhism, enlightenment Buddhists strive to become
leads to nibbana (or nirvana), Arhats and gain freedom
which means freedom from from the cycle of samsara,
the cycle of rebirth (samsara). Mahayana Buddhists may
Consequently, they will no choose to stay in the cycle of
longer be reborn through samsara out of compassion
samsara. for others.

 Syncretism;
 Buddhism and Hinduism are similar because their architecture is vibrant and colorful. They both have dharma and believe in reincarnation. Both of t
Due to Buddhism’s connection and origination within the Silk Road, merchants carried philosophies and faiths along the journey. In modern da
Hindus share the common story of Ramayana. Many people in Thailand, a dominant Buddhist country, tell the story with Hindu gods, but share
intertwined. The best example of syncretism between Hinduism and Buddhism is the Great Stupa at Sanchi. It was constructed in the first century
Hindu temples, Southeast Asian Buddhist temples, and Eastern Asian pagodas are seen in the Great Stupa.
 Theravada, Mahayana, and Hinduism are all rooted in the basic teachings of the historical Buddha but in Hinduism, Hindus worship idols like Vish
the major gods and Lakshmi, Parvati and Saraswati are the major goddesses in Hinduism and all emphasize the individual search for liberation from
death, rebirth...).

SIMILARITIES
2.) Provide evidence that Hinduism, Theravada Buddhism & Mahayana Buddhism share common roots from India.

 Buddhism and Hinduism have common origins in the Ganges culture of northern India during the "second urbanisation" around 500 BCE. They have shared parallel beliefs that
have existed side by side, but also pronounced differences.
 Buddhism attained prominence in the Indian subcontinent as it was supported by royal courts, but started to decline after the Gupta era and virtually disappeared from India in the
11th century CE, except in some pockets. It has continued to exist outside of India and has become the major religion in several Asian countries.
 Hinduism and Buddhism originated in Northern India but later expanded throughout Asia around 500 BCE.

3.) Justify that Hinduism, Theravada Buddhism & Mahayana Buddhism, as Vedic religions, have largely influenced the world today.

 It laid great emphasis on love, equality and non-violence. It became an article of faith for the followers of Buddhism. It laid emphasis on the fact that man himself is the architect of
his own destiny. It was devoid of any elaborate idea of God. Although Buddhism could never dislodge Brahmanism from its high position, it certainly jolted it and inspired
institutional changes in Indian society
 Hinduism has impacted the world in the sense that it has risen to become one the top 3 religions in the world today. About 14% of the worlds population claims Hinduism as their
religion. The Hinduism faith is considered to be one of the most religiously tolerant religions in the world.
 Mahayana Buddhists believe they can achieve enlightenment through following the teachings of the Buddha . Whereas Theravada Buddhists strive to become Arhats and gain
freedom from the cycle of samsara, Mahayana Buddhists may choose to stay in the cycle of samsara out of compassion for others.
4.) Conduct group research on the doctrines of each of the three religions and compare them in the aspects of the origin, world views, modern expressions, and views on

Women.

RELIGION HINDUISM THERAVADA BUDDHISM MAHAYANA BUDDHISM

ORIGIN Hinduism is considered as the oldest and Buddhism also traces origin in northern Mahayana Buddhism has diverged into
most complex of all world religions. India around the sixth century B.C.E as numerous schools with each developing its
Hinduism belief may have begun around the another interpretation of the Hindu belief. own canon and rituals since its founding
third Millennium B.C.E. The term “Hindu” This religion is linked to its founder, more than two thousand years ago. It is also
originated from the Persian word Hindu Siddhartha Gautama who is also referred as known as the “Great Vehicle”. It emerged
which means river. Hinduism evolved and the Buddha or the “enlightened one” when out of monastic rule and doctrinal
developed during the ancient Indus Valley he abandoned his palace to discover the differences within the original form of
civilization. Hinduism was originally known remedy to universal suffering he observed in Buddhism. Like the Theravada, Mahayana
as “Arya Dharma” or the “Aryan Way”. this world. He preached mainly in the also originated from the foundational
Hinduism has no precise moment of origin eastern part of Indian subcontinent such as teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, their
and no one specific founder or prophet. in Magadha and Kosala. Theravada difference is their methods and search for
Hinduism became the source of three Buddhism is the school of Buddhism that deliberation from the cycle of reincarnation.
religion namely Buddhism, Jainism, and draw its scriptural inspiration from the Pali The Mahasamghika, one of the early
Sikhism. Hinduism has pre- Aryan and Canon or tipitaka. Theravada Buddhism Buddhist Schools may have been the source
Aryan elements. with 150 million adherents followed in of Mahayana Buddhism especially during
Myanmar, Thailand and Sri Lanka. The the Second Buddhist Council that occurred a
teachings of him includes the Four Noble hundred years after Buddha’s death.
Truths, Eight Fold Path, Impertinence of
things and Dependent Origination.
 The Hindu worldview presents The Supernatural: Many faiths offer Buddhism, like most Indian systems
artha, kama, dharma and moksha as supernatural solutions to the spiritual of thought, sees the world as a realm
the four major goals of human life. problems of human beings. of transmigration, or reincarnation
While artha and kama represent Buddhism does not. The basis of all (samsara), from which one may
physical and psychological goals, forms of Buddhism is to use escape by attaining nirvana. In the
dharma and moksha represent moral meditation for awakening (or Mahayana tradition, the emphasis is
and spiritual goals, respectively. enlightenment), not outside powers. less on nirvana and more on
knowledge or wisdom, the mastery
o Supernatural powers are of which constitutes awakening.
not disregarded but they Central to Mahayana ideology is the
are incidental and the idea of the bodhisattva, one who
Buddha warned against seeks to become a Buddha. In
them as fetters on the contrast to the dominant thinking in
path. non-Mahayana Buddhism, which
 The Buddha: Siddhartha Gautama limits the designation of bodhisattva
was a man who became Buddha, to the Buddha before his awakening
the Awakened One - much in the (bodhi), or enlightenment, Mahayana
same way as Jesus became Christ. teaches that anyone can aspire to
WORLD VIEWS Since his death the only contact achieve awakening (bodhicittot-
with him is through his teachings pada) and thereby become a
which point to the awakened state. bodhisattva. For Mahayana
 God: There is no omnipotent creator Buddhism, awakening consists in
God of the sort found in Judaism, understanding the true nature of
Islam and Christianity. Gods exist reality. While non-Mahayana
as various types of spiritual being doctrine emphasizes the absence of
but with limited powers. the self in persons, Mahayana
 The Path to Enlightenment: Each thought extends this idea to all
being has to make their own way things.
to enlightenment without the help
of God or gods. Buddha's
teachings show the way, but
making the journey is up to us.

 Some modern-day traditions of  Modern Theravāda derives from the Some modern practices of mahayana
MODERN EXPRESSION Hinduism include regular traditional Mahāvihāra order, a Sri Lankan buddhism includes the first to one to
prayer at home, personal traditions branch of the Vibhajjavāda tradition, arose in the Mahayana tradition
created by individual families, and who are in turn a sect of the Indian which includes the repetition of
 reading traditional Hindu literature. Sthavira Nikaya. This tradition sacred words, also known as
began to establish itself in Sri Lanka mantras, and a visualization practice
from the 3rd century BCE onwards. in which images of a 'pure land' of
During the modern era, new perfect enlightenment are conjured.
developments have included
Buddhist modernism, the vipassana  Approximately half are
movement which reinvigorated practitioners of Mahayana
Theravāda meditation practice, the schools in China and it
growth of the Thai Forest Tradition continues to flourish. The
which reemphasized forest main countries which
monasticism and the spread of practice Buddhism currently
Theravāda to other Asian and are China, Japan, Korea, and
western countries such as India, Vietnam
Nepal, several European countries
and the U.S.A. by immigrants and
converts.

Views on Women Women were seen as dependent minors who Women's roles in society became relatively For Buddha, men are not always wise and
needed to be controlled by men in order to different and better because of Buddhism. women can also be wise. In Buddhism,
succeed under the influence of Hinduism. Women's social status had improved greatly women should not be treated as inferior to
Hinduism had caused women's rights to under Buddhism due to this. Women and men because both are equally valuable in
decline tremendously during the Vedic men were equal in theory which caused for society. Women as wives and mothers have
period (1600-1800 BCE). Women are more rights for women. While patriarchal roles to fulfill in the family and society.
subservient to men in everyday life under society stayed the same, women were Wives must familiarize themselves in trades
the practice of Hinduism. allowed more freedoms and were seen as and business dealings so that they can also
Even though the Manusmriti states that independent in the Buddhist society. handle these affairs.
women should be honored in Hindu society, Women were allowed to become nuns and
women have always been considered be religiously and socially active. Overall,
inferior to men in all aspects of life. A Buddhism had allowed for women to be
woman’s life revolves around the men in her seen as independent and had improved
life. Women are relegated to perform women's rights in society.
household chores and expected to become
loyal to their husbands even if after
husbands die. As a married woman, she
must become a good wife and treat her
husband as god. Women must attend
ritualistic practices.
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