Differences between Hinduism and Buddhism

The two religions trace their origins from India. They share lot in common, but there are many notable differences between them. The major differences in summary are the concept of Atman and existence of everlasting soul. There is difference in how they consider suffering. The process of reaching God and attaining peace is another difference. The last most obvious difference is the issue of gods and goddesses.

There is a strong belief in Atman and Brahman among the Hindus. Atman means the soul while Brahman means the eternity of once-self. The Buddhism does not support this concept. The expression of worshiping various gods and goddesses is prominent among the Hindus. The Buddha claims that there is no sense of worshiping an individual one is not aware of, but it did not deny their existence.

The Buddha initially became depressed with the human sufferings. He proclaimed how life is full of misfortunes and sorrows. Buddha claimed that seeking of nirvana is the answer to such sufferings. Hinduism too recognizes human suffering. It attributes all the scenarios to karma and the acts of the people. Seeking atman and Braham is the only way one can cleans him or her. The followers of the Hinduism pray and worship all sorts of kind. These include sun, stones, water, mountain and winds. The situation is different in Buddhism. They worship only Buddha as their only god.

There are several ways of seeking God in the Hinduism context. Among them include meditation or Raja Yoga. Karma Yoga means abiding by the rightful deeds in the world. The third way to seek God is through devotion and prayers. The final passage is Jnana Yoga, which means, the highway of knowledge. Preaching in Buddha claims absolute truths and the complete path to acquire Nirvana. Among the truths, are acknowledging the uniform reality of human suffering. The lamentations are as a result of the changing world which comes with false needs and desires. The third truth is that searching for eternal life increases suffering. The ultimate fact requires one to understand a humble straight course to receive nirvana.