Comparison of Hinduism and Buddhism

Fifteen hundred years before Christ, Hinduism, the oldest of the world's major religions, took root ("Religion, The Different ...." 8). Unlike many other religions, the Hindu faith is not the result of one leader's teachings. It was born and nurtured over thousands of years by the peoples and cultures of India, starting in North India where Caucasian colonizers from Persia and Afghanistan settled in the Indus Valley and became known as Hindus. The term "Hindu" was first applied to these people by the invading Muslims in the 8th century and means "inhabitants of the 'land beyond the Indus River.'" (Hinnells 149). This term was later used to identify their beliefs as well. Today, about three-quarters of India's people, 600 million, are Hindus ("Religion" 8).

The original Hindus, whose language was Sanskrit, found expression in religion through an unconventional form. Through meditation and gathering to talk about the purposes of life and its mysteries, some received great insight and became like prophets of the Old Testament. It was their teachings that were passed down, generation to generation.

Hinduism, also found outside India in countries to which Hindus have migrated such as Ba

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indu social classes. In Hindu cosmology, it is said that the Brahman at creation emerged from Brahma's head. These social classes or "castes" referred to above are intrinsic to the Hindu tradition. Each caste has its own code of behavior and is not supposed to mix with other castes. Below the Brahmans was the warrior class, Kshatriya, and then the merchant class, Vaishya (Ibid. 344). Below these three were the workers, or serfs (shudras) who suffered heavily under the caste system. Also known as the "untouchables" today, these outcasts performed tasks no one else will do and are shunned by society. Since 1950, the Indian government has outlawed this discrimination and tried to convince Hindus to loosen the caste system, but in India's rural villages, most continue the traditional Hindu ways. Buddhism emerged from Hinduism in the sixth century B.C. and, though sharing many of its ideals, is a historical religion all its own with its founder a prince of a small North Indian state (Nepal). Today, there are approximately 307 million Buddhists located mainly throughout China, Nepal and East Asia ("Religions,..." 8). Siddhartha Gautama was born a Hindu prince. It was foretold at the time of his conception that he would b
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1772
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)