Hinduism and Buddhism The picture of the Hindu temple looks like it’s heavily decorated. There is much detail to it. You can look at it from any angle and you will see something. However, if you focus on one section of the temple, it won’t have any meaning to it. The temple as a whole resembles something. But one section will not resemble anything. This is mostly because of the ideology and correlation of Atman: inner self and Brahman: the great cosmic spirit (Smith 22). The Brahman is the unexplainable reality. At the end of the day, everything is Brahman. In Hinduism, there is a belief that there is a cycle or Samsara of life, death and reincarnation. The Samsara is not the ideal life or ultimate goal in Hinduism. The ultimate goal in life
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But it does not represent the whole temple (the Brahman). The statues and artwork are only part of a whole Building of architecture. Atman is Brahman; the statues are part of the whole temple. Now on the other hand there is this Buddhist artwork that is called a Mandala. The Mandala is made by single grains of colored sand. These things are made grain-by-grain until there is this beautiful picture. There is a ceremony and then at the end, the Mandala is destroyed. There is a reason for this and it explains the idea of Anatman (No inner-self). In Buddhism, the Vedic Buddha (the enlightened one) did not believe in a greater cosmic spirit. In Buddhism, one of the main goals in life is to become spiritually awakened through meditation and ending all desires in your life. This is what’s called enlightenment. Once you have become enlightened, you will reach Nirvana: Liberation from all material things in the world (Smith 77). Bringing this back to the Mandala, You start it by putting the grains of sand together (meditating and ending all desires in your life) until you have this beautiful artwork that is the Mandala (reaching enlightenment). Once that is done, you blow the mandala away …show more content…
Krishna (avatar of Vishnu, god of sustenance), would be talking about how ones goal in life is to achieve Moksha (breaking free from the cycle of life). That is done by realizing that Atman (inner self) is Brahman (great cosmic spirit). One needs to know their role in this world. If they are a laborer, they need to work. If they are a soldier, they need to serve. If you know your role in this world, you will realize that the Atman is Brahman and you will achieve Moksha. You cannot be selfish with your role in this world. If you are selfish, you will not achieve moksha. Buddha on the other hand, would be talking about reaching Nirvana (Liberation from material things in the world). One reaches Nirvana through enlightenment. One is enlightened by ending suffering and following a middle path in life. One must not live in total luxury nor must one live in extreme frugality. (Smith 61) However, in Buddhism, if you do not end all desires (which is the root of all suffering), one cannot achieve enlightenment and cannot achieve Nirvana. So their views are the same and different at the same time. Hinduisms beliefs are in the Brahman and achieving Moksha, Buddhism is about enlightenment and Nirvana. However, they both believe in self-realization as being key to achieving the ultimate goal. Buddhism is about ending all suffering by ending desires to reach Nirvana and Hinduism
But it does not represent the whole temple (the Brahman). The statues and artwork are only part of a whole Building of architecture. Atman is Brahman; the statues are part of the whole temple. Now on the other hand there is this Buddhist artwork that is called a Mandala. The Mandala is made by single grains of colored sand. These things are made grain-by-grain until there is this beautiful picture. There is a ceremony and then at the end, the Mandala is destroyed. There is a reason for this and it explains the idea of Anatman (No inner-self). In Buddhism, the Vedic Buddha (the enlightened one) did not believe in a greater cosmic spirit. In Buddhism, one of the main goals in life is to become spiritually awakened through meditation and ending all desires in your life. This is what’s called enlightenment. Once you have become enlightened, you will reach Nirvana: Liberation from all material things in the world (Smith 77). Bringing this back to the Mandala, You start it by putting the grains of sand together (meditating and ending all desires in your life) until you have this beautiful artwork that is the Mandala (reaching enlightenment). Once that is done, you blow the mandala away …show more content…
Krishna (avatar of Vishnu, god of sustenance), would be talking about how ones goal in life is to achieve Moksha (breaking free from the cycle of life). That is done by realizing that Atman (inner self) is Brahman (great cosmic spirit). One needs to know their role in this world. If they are a laborer, they need to work. If they are a soldier, they need to serve. If you know your role in this world, you will realize that the Atman is Brahman and you will achieve Moksha. You cannot be selfish with your role in this world. If you are selfish, you will not achieve moksha. Buddha on the other hand, would be talking about reaching Nirvana (Liberation from material things in the world). One reaches Nirvana through enlightenment. One is enlightened by ending suffering and following a middle path in life. One must not live in total luxury nor must one live in extreme frugality. (Smith 61) However, in Buddhism, if you do not end all desires (which is the root of all suffering), one cannot achieve enlightenment and cannot achieve Nirvana. So their views are the same and different at the same time. Hinduisms beliefs are in the Brahman and achieving Moksha, Buddhism is about enlightenment and Nirvana. However, they both believe in self-realization as being key to achieving the ultimate goal. Buddhism is about ending all suffering by ending desires to reach Nirvana and Hinduism