Christianity, Hinduism & Buddhism

and Buddhism, focusing on their origins and basic beliefs as

presented in the historical context of The Heritage of World

Civilizations, by Albert Craig, et al. In general, Hinduism and

Buddhism, religions of the East, are more similar to one another

than to Christianity, a religion of the West. Both Hinduism and

Buddhism are much older historically than Christianity, while

Christianity, unlike the other two, is monotheistic. Both the

Eastern religions believe in reincarnation, while Christianity

holds that the individual has one earthly life and thereafter

experiences an eternal existence in either hell or heaven.

Hinduism is the major religion of India, traceable to "the

second millennium before our common era." Craig adds that today

the term Hinduism "has become a catchall term used for all the

Indian religious communities that looks upon the texts of the

Vedas as eternal, perfect truth." The Hindu "vision of existence"

holds that there is a fundamental connection between the Brahman,

or Ultimate Being, and the "inmost self" o