Buddhism and Hundusim Gods and Worship, Essay Example

The religious traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism are different in many ways, yet the two belief systems also share some commonalities. This is not surprising, considering that Buddhism and Hinduism are rooted in some of the same ancient religious beliefs and practices. The founder of Buddhism was Siddhartha Gautama, who became known to followers as “the Buddha,” a term which means “the awakened one” or “the enlightened one.” Siddhartha Gautama lived in India several centuries B.C.E., and was raised in the religious traditions of his time, which also served as the basis for the growth of Hinduism. His teachings are generally nontheistic, and some proponents describe Buddhism as more of a philosophy than a religion in the classical sense. Hinduism, by contrast, is a multitheistic religion comprised of numerous sects and offshoots, and contains more traditional religious elements such as a priesthood and specific worship practices. Despite their differences, however, both Buddhism and Hinduism share some common elements, especially in terms of the ways in which they view the nature and purpose of human existence.  The following paper provides an overview of some of the basic teachings of the two religions with an emphasis on the different ways each religion perceives the concept of gods and how they practice worship.

In order to understand the different ways that Buddhism and Hinduism perceive the concept of gods and deities and how they engage in worhsip, it is first helpful to understand how the religions developed. The reason for this is that Buddhism can be seen as an offshoot of Hinduism, so the two religions share several common elements (Eliot, 1962). Despite these commonalities, however, Hindus and Buddhist generally hold widely divergent viewpoints on the concept of deities and gods, and these differing viewpoints represent the most significant differences between the two religions. Hinduism and Buddhism each trace their origins back to the 5^th or 6^th centuries B.C.E., and in many ways the two religions developed along parallel courses in the thousands of years since then. The early teachings of what would become Hinduism were established in the Upanishads, which are written texts which influenced the development of both religions (Eliots). There are aspects of the Upanishads that are closely reflected in the teachings of Buddhism, though some scholars note that the Buddha also seemed to directly oppose some of the basic elements of the Upanishads as well. This opposition would serve as the basis for some of the fundamental differences between Hinduism and Buddhism as the two religions developed and evolved in the centuries to come. Each religion has its own texts, though the teachings of the Buddha are not understood to be scripture in the same way that the Upanishads are (Eliot, 1962).

Hinduism and Buddhism both differ from the major Western religions of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, as those religions are monotheistic, meaning that their followers worship one god. Neither Hinduism nor Buddhism is monotheistic, and each of the two religions recognizes a wide variety of different spiritual beings, deities, and gods (diffen.com). At the same time, however, Buddhists and Hindus hold widely different views on the nature and significance of these deities. Both religions have established practices of worship based on the concept of reincarnation, and among the most notable practices are meditation and yoga (Carman, 1994). To outsiders, yoga and meditation might almost seem like forms of prayer; in the monotheistic religions the practice of prayer is used to allow followers to commune with God. In the monotheistic religions the universe is seen as having a beginning and (eventually) and ending, and God is the Creator of the universe. In Hinduism there is also a Creator god, the Atman, but there are also thousands of other deities, gods, and other spiritual entities (Eliot, 1962). Buddhists, by contrast, do not believe in a Creator, and do not perceive the universe as having a beginning; instead, it is seen as an eternal and endless cycle (Carman, 1994). Because Hindus believe in the Atman and in many other deities, they engage in the practice of prayer to these deities.  The practices of meditation and yoga, however, are not the same as prayer, and both Hindus and Buddhist practice yoga and meditation as a means of getting in touch with the spiritual world that exists apart from the physical world (Eliot, 1962).

The worship practices of Hinduism are ultimately based on the concept of reaching enlighten and joining with the Atman. Hindus believe that they are reincarnated in cycles that will eventually bring them to the point of enlightenment (hinduwebsite.com, 2014). In each life cycle a Hindu practices his or her religion to become more enlightened, and the practices of mediation and yoga are part of the process through which enlightenment is attained. Buddhists have practices that appear somewhat similar, but are based on fundamentally different perceptions of the universe. Buddhists believe in thirty-one planes of existence, and believe that each time they are reincarnated they will be born into one of these planes of existence based on their karma in their previous life (Eliot, 1962). In essence, karma is the result of one’s actions in life, and karma can have a positive or negative effect on the circumstances of one’s life and the plane of existence they will be born into in the next life (Carman, 1994). The ultimate goal of the Buddhist path is to reach Nirvana, which is a state of universal bliss and oneness with the universe.

While Hindus believe in both a Creator god and a pantheon of deities and spiritual beings, Buddhists do not share these beliefs. The Buddha taught that there is no Creator god, and also taught followers to respect and honor the deities of Hindu without worshipping them in the manner Hindus worship them. Simply put, Buddhism is a non-theistic religion, and the path of Buddhism is based on the concept that suffering is a part of the physical world. The attainment of Nirvana happens when a follower of Buddhism is able to let go of the attachments of the physical world (Carman, 1994). Hindus, by contrast, do not reject the physical world, and their religious practices include payer and devotion to a variety of gods. The choice of gods to be worshipped is based on such factors as where one lives and the specific cultural practices of their cultural background and their place in the caste system which determines social hierarchy(hinduwebsiote.com, 2014).

Hindus and Buddhists both utilize temples in the practice of their religions, though Hindu temples are used for worship of Hindu deities, while Buddhists use their temples for meditation and other practices unrelated to the worship of gods. Neither Hinduism nor Buddhism has the kind of clergy that is found in the monotheistic religions; instead, Buddhists have monks and nuns who teach the beliefs of their particular sect, who lead meditation, and who oversee other elements of their practices. Hinduism has an even less structured system of clergy, and incorporates yogis, gurus, monks, and other practitioners who lead prayers, teach yogic practices, and guide the specific practices associated with each of the many different gods and deities worshipped in the various Hindu sects. At the core of each religion is the belief in reincarnation and the concept that reincarnation will eventually lead to the highest level of spiritual existence. Despite these similarities, the fact that Buddhists reject the worship of gods is a profound difference that separates the two practices in fundamental and unmistakable ways.

Works Cited

Carman, John Braisted. Majesty And Meekness. 1st ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eeerdmans, 1994. Print.

Diffen.com,. ‘Buddhism Vs Hinduism – Difference And Comparison | Diffen’. N.p., 2014. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.

Eliot, Sir Charles. Hinduism And Buddhism. 1st ed. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1962. Print.

Hinduwebsite.com,. ‘Hinduism And Buddhism’. N.p., 2014. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.