Cultural Traditions of India

Hinduism

&

Birth of Buddhism

Indian Cultural Tradition = Hinduism/Caste System

• Diversity of gods, spirits, beliefs, practices, rituals, and philosophies.

• Brahman – “World Soul” the final and ultimate reality (similar to Chinese Dao)

• Only Brahman was real, not what humans perceive with their senses = illusion.

• Final goal is to have the atman union with Brahman (called moksha = liberation)

Vedas: Poems, hymns, prayers, & rituals. Compiled by Brahmins.

Bagavad Gita“O Krishna, when I see my own people . . .

eager for battle, my limbs shudder, my mouth is dry, my body shivers, and my hair stands on end. I can see no good in killing my own kinsmen.” Krishna replied, “Do not despair of your duty. If you do not fight this just battle you will fail in your own law and in your honor.”

From Barbara Keller, ed., The Bhagavad-Gita, 1986.

Who is Krishna?How does Krishna respond?

According to the Venn diagram above, which religion claims that a single force governs the universe?

Upanishads: Sacred Texts that probed inner meaning of sacrifice described in the Vedas.

From the Katha Upanishad:

“Higher than the senses are the objects of sense.Higher than the objects of sense is the mind;

And higher than the mind is the intellect (buddhi).Higher than the intellect is the Great Self (tman).

Higher than the Great is the Unmanifest (avyakta).Higher than the Unmanifest is the Person.

Higher than the Person there is nothing at all.That is the goal. That is the highest course.”

From Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Charles A. Moore, eds., A Source Book in Indian Philosophy,

Princeton University Press, 1957.

The Four Noble Truths:1. Ordinary life is full of suffering.

2. This suffering is caused by our desire to satisfy ourselves.

3. The way to end suffering is to end desire for selfish goals and to see others as extensions of ourselves.

4. The way to end desire is to follow the Middle Path.

What causes suffering?How can we end suffering?

How does Buddhism Compare to Hinduism?Theravada = Teaching of the EldersWas a simplified and more accessible

version of Hinduism Buddha as a teacher & model, but not

divine. More of a philosophy than a religion.

Mahayana = “Great Vehicle”

Retained a view of karma through Mahayana version of Buddhism.

Bodhisattvas = spiritually advanced and developed people that prolonged their own entry into nirvana to assist others through their suffering.

Buddha himself became something of a god.

How does Buddhism Compare to Hinduism?

Key Difference Between Mahayana Buddhism & Theravada Buddhism

Mahayana Buddhism turned Buddha into a divine figure to whom one offer devotion

The Indian Brahman (concept

of the "world soul“) is most similar

to the Buddhist Nirvana.

Not THAT Nirvana!