INL - Buddhism and Hinduism in Society Lesson

Buddhism and Hinduism in Society

The Buddha

Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who is mainly known as the Buddha. Buddha means "the awakened one". According to tradition, the Buddha lived and taught in India between the 6^th and 4^th centuries BC, and he was a teacher who shared his teaching to help people attain nirvana, or the highest level of peace of mind—being free from suffering. The Buddhist philosophy also believes in the system of rebirth—that there is no permanent self, and each person goes through a series of lifetimes in different forms.

The teachings of the Buddha can be broken down into several different categories. Two of these main categories are the Vinaya literature and the Sutras. Vinaya literature focuses on the discipline of being a monk and the rules that come along with being a monk. However, the vinaya also contains Jatakas, or birth stories. Along with the Vinaya literature, the Sutras are also important Buddhist teachings. Jatakas appear as a category in the Sutras, also, and tell of the previous lives of the Buddha in animal and human form. Each Buddhist teaching focuses on Karma and Samsara. Samsara is the process of repeating birth and death (reincarnation). Karma refers to the actions people make that have a consequence, and the consequence can be either good or bad depending on the choices made.

Nonfiction

Buddhism and Hinduism were two major religions or philosophies that people practice in India. Click here to read an overview of the philosophies of Buddhism and Hinduism. Links to an external site.

Buddhism and Hinduism Interactivity

Now, you will practice your knowledge of Buddhism and Hinduism in order to understand the perspectives of the Indian culture.

Sacred Texts of India

The Vedas in Hinduism

Remember that Hinduism is polytheistic, meaning the belief in many gods. The Vedas are the oldest scriptures of Hinduism and were supposed to be directly revealed instead of remembered. The Vedas contain scriptures, or hymns to be recited by the priest that praise the various Devas (a divine being in Hinduism), and the individual verses are called mantras. Read The Vedas and notice how they praise the Devas. Recall other sacred texts we have studied and how they are similar or different. Click here to read The Vedas. Links to an external site.