Buddhism and Hinduism are different religions, with different type of rituals, holidays and founders. Hinduism can be termed as a collection of religious beliefs, which has been compiled slowly over a long period. Significantly, Hinduism is a component of different cultures and beliefs, hence, it is difficult to discover its origin. On the other hand, Buddhism was born into the Hinduism society. Thus, its beliefs and culture are mainly based on Hinduism. Arguably, both Hinduism and Buddhism have been around for an extended period, and it is not possible to know every integration of the two religions. However, the most significant thing is to learn about the beliefs and customs of Hinduism and Buddhism, in order to understand how they connect or differentiate from each other. Some of the aspects that Hinduism and Buddhism have a connection with is karma and rebirth in which they have differences and similarities. Therefore, an analysis of Buddhism and Hinduism believes in karma and rebirth is of essence.
Karma in Buddhism and Hinduism
Similarities between Buddhism and Hinduism Karma
Karma is the law of moral analysis, which is an essential doctrine in Buddhism and Hinduism. It implies that a person’s past actions influence their present and future state (Nandan & Jangubhai, 2013). Furthermore, karma states that a person’s afflictions and suffering in life are explained by their previous misdeeds (Lin & Yen, 2015). Likewise, Buddhism and Hinduism hold that worldly desires yield karma. As such, the religions teach on the importance of practicing detachment from worldly pleasures for a person to overcome the problem of bad karma. Similarly, both religions hold that karma differentiates living beings into high and low states (Burley, 2015). Notably, it is the variances that bring about the dissimilarities in individuals’ lives, and brings about features such as beautiful and ugly, high born and low born and deformed and well built. Also, the differences include gain and loss, blame and praise and happiness and misery (Lin & Yen, 2015).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Additionally, Hinduism and Buddhism believe that karma can be addressed through the ethics and values of an individual's moral understanding and reasoning. Relatively, personality differences are caused by a person’s actions and susceptibility in the past and present. Furthermore, in both religions, karma is an effect and not a substance . The main reason why karma is a good ethical concept for people in today’s life is that it encourages a natural association between the actions of a human being and consequences that befall them. In other words, karma defines the connection between sin and suffering and virtue and reward (Burley, 2015). Typically, the reason a person suffers or succeeds is based on their actions as opposed to the intervention of either divine punishment or reward.
Moreover, both Hinduism and Buddhism believe that resolving karma is vital to achieving freedom. Hence, the attainment of liberation. This means that with karma, there is no hope for human beings escaping from birth and death. Also, Hinduism and Buddhism believe in purification due to the effects of karma. Normally, a person’s past life remains stored in the body to form an impression in the subconscious. As such, they form part of the consciousness in the following birth, but they could remain hidden. However, through purifying the mind and body with a spiritual effort, one can resolve specific problems brought up by karma of the previous life.
Differences between Buddhism and Hinduism Karma
In Hinduism, rituals like the visiting of shrines, praying and visiting temples are associated with good karma. Notably, these type of ceremonies enable one to earn good merit and resolve any sinful actions. On the other hand, Buddhism does not believe in the activities of rituals, but rather in a person's proper actions and deeds. According to Hinduism, karma is restricted to gods, which are not mortal and cannot be bound by karma. Hence, some consequences in a person's life are not caused by karma but by other causes. Conversely, in Buddhism, the gods are mortal, thus, they cannot escape karma. Besides, Hinduism suggests that though human beings are bound by karma, the personal soul is free. Nonetheless, Buddhism does not believe in the existence of eternal souls (Molloy, 2013). As such, no part is pure and resistant to karma. Likewise, Buddhism posits that a person's actions are determined by their will. Therefore, one can reform from adverse actions by themselves. When it comes to Hinduism, humans are controlled by gods’ divine will. Hence, they are bound by their actions to God.
Rebirth in Buddhism and Hinduism
Rebirth is a process that takes place after death and also a process that takes place during a person’s life. In other words, as a person is continuously going through changes in their lives, it can be presumed that they are being reborn as a different person depending to their moods; and how they experience various states of thinking and actions. It is through rebirth that change occurs. Normally, rebirth is determined by a person's actions, hence, does not stop at a person's death but it does go on (Molloy, 2013). Arguably, the concept of rebirth has a positive effect because it enables a person to maintain a positive moral and spiritual practice (Burley, 2015). Though death signifies the loss of all physical possessions and makes one be away from their loved ones, the rebirth of character is better since it is developed into something that cannot be destroyed by death. Essentially, it becomes part of a person who grows in their next life (Nandan & Jangubhai, 2013). Though the spiritual development of a person’s life could be neglected or built on, the positive thing is that it can be used as a foundation for someones' further development.
Similarities between Buddhism and Hinduism Rebirth
Both Buddhism and Hinduism believe that there is an endless cycle of births, which is commonly known as samsara. Also, karma is a determining factor of a person’s rebirth in both Hinduism and Buddhism (Nandan & Jangubhai, 2013). Additionally, both Hinduism and Buddhism entail the rebirth notions of the existence of diverse planes and dimensions like the lokas of devas and demons and hell or heaven.
Differences between Hinduism and Buddhism Rebirth
Generally, the central defense is that in Hinduism, though there is a process of rebirth, there is usually a subconscious in human beings called the eternal self (Molloy, 2013). Accordingly, rebirth only occurs when there is a mind and body. However, in the case of Buddhism, they do not believe that they are self-conscious, which is necessary in this process (Burley, 2015). Also, Hindus believe in a soul known as atman, which is everlasting through the rebirth of a soul in another body. Specifically, it is through spiritual practice, whereby the Hindu liberate moksha so that the soul can combine with the universal divine force known as Brahma, which is their God. Conversely, according to Buddhist teachings, everyone will go through the normal process of life, hence, life is not permanent. In Hinduism, surrendering to God can help one to be released from the chains of rebirth while in Buddhism, they do not believe that being devoted to God can make a person not to suffer.
Conclusion
There are both remarkable similarities and differences in Hinduism and Buddhism. For instance, karma is a teaching that tells people that whatever they do in their lives matters. Therefore, karma expresses a close relationship between the choices a person makes and the subsequent person they become. In Hinduism, karma is precisely determined by a person's actions while in Buddhism, karma is dependent on a person’s intentions. In other words, though both Hinduism and Buddhism came from India and their primary goal is to be free from the cycle of rebirth, the way they perceive karma differs. Concerning rebirth, both Hinduism and Buddhism believe in the multiple cycles of births, which is commonly known as samsara and they would also like to be free from these rebirths. As such, Buddhism considers karma and rebirth merely as laws of nature lacking divine intervention.
References
Burley, M. (2015). Karma and rebirth in the stream of thought and life. Philosophy East and West , 64(4), 965-982. doi: 10.1353/pew.2014.0079
Nandan, G. B., & Jangubhai, A. (2013). The Comparative study between Hinduism and Buddhism. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention , 2(5), 27-31. Retrieved from http://www.ijhssi.org/papers/v2(5)/version-1/D252731.pdf
Lin, C. & Yen, W. (2015). On the naturalization of karma and rebirth. International Journal of Dharma Studies , 3(6), 239–264. Retrieved from https://internationaljournaldharmastudies.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40613-015-0016-2
Molloy, M. (2013). Experiencing the World's Religions: Tradition, Challenge, and Change. New York: McGraw-Hill.
