Within Western religions, it is common that people who practice these religions believe in God and are able to be saved from the sins that they harbor. However, not all religions view gods in the same way. As opposed to the Christian belief that there is only one God, some religions believe in the existence of numerous gods and goddesses, while others believe there is no God. In Hinduism and Buddhism, the concept of gods and similar supernatural beings can be alike and differ between the two religions that aim for the same goal: freedom from samsara, which is a continuous cycle of rebirth and redeath. Hinduism is a religion practiced mainly by the people of India and Nepal and has no defined founder. Although the term Hinduism is used as a
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After living the beginning of his life in a palace where he lived a life of over indulgence, Siddhartha decided that he wanted to see the world outside of his home. When he went out, he saw an old man, a sick man, and a corpse. From witnessing the suffering of these people, Siddhartha concluded that suffering is inevitable. Then, on his last trip, he saw a sadhu, or holy man, who was at peace with the world. These experiences had led him to live his life as an ascetic and changed his lifestyle drastically from over indulgence to self-deprivation. However, it wasn’t until a young girl offered him a bowl of rice that he realized that people should not over indulge or deprive themselves of material pleasures. Instead, he concluded that people should live a life in between these two extremes, or in simpler terms, a life of moderation. One main aspect of Buddhism that the Buddha taught were the Four Noble Truths. Essentially, it states that dukkha, or suffering, is inevitable and is caused by tanha, or desires. In order to end dukkha, people must give up tanha and follow the Noble Eightfold Path. In Buddhism, there are two main denominations, Theravada, meaning “the way of the elders”, and Mahayana, meaning “the great(er) vehicle”, that differ from each other in certain ways, while aiming to escape …show more content…
People of this faith also believe in the Arhat ideal, which states that the main objective people should have is to attain nirvana in their present life. Although people of this denomination acknowledge the presence of superbeings and such, it is also believed that gods cannot provide help in escaping samsara because they are also caught in samsara. These gods are greater beings because they have a lot of good karma, but once it runs out, they can be reborn into the world. This further emphasizes the importance of self-reliance in order to reach nirvana in a person’s present life because there is no higher power to rely on, like that of Mahayana Buddhism or Hinduism. In order to gain guidance, teachings, and advice to aid in the escape of samsara, the laity, or body of religious worshippers, offer flowers and food and light incense and candles for the monastics, or monks. In return, the Theravada monks teach Dharma, or the truth of Buddha’s teachings, modeled virtues, and provided blessings, protection, and guidance. Through this interdependent relationship between the monastics and laity, the laity are able to live their lives in a way that they are able to save themselves from being stuck in the cycle of rebirth and
After living the beginning of his life in a palace where he lived a life of over indulgence, Siddhartha decided that he wanted to see the world outside of his home. When he went out, he saw an old man, a sick man, and a corpse. From witnessing the suffering of these people, Siddhartha concluded that suffering is inevitable. Then, on his last trip, he saw a sadhu, or holy man, who was at peace with the world. These experiences had led him to live his life as an ascetic and changed his lifestyle drastically from over indulgence to self-deprivation. However, it wasn’t until a young girl offered him a bowl of rice that he realized that people should not over indulge or deprive themselves of material pleasures. Instead, he concluded that people should live a life in between these two extremes, or in simpler terms, a life of moderation. One main aspect of Buddhism that the Buddha taught were the Four Noble Truths. Essentially, it states that dukkha, or suffering, is inevitable and is caused by tanha, or desires. In order to end dukkha, people must give up tanha and follow the Noble Eightfold Path. In Buddhism, there are two main denominations, Theravada, meaning “the way of the elders”, and Mahayana, meaning “the great(er) vehicle”, that differ from each other in certain ways, while aiming to escape …show more content…
People of this faith also believe in the Arhat ideal, which states that the main objective people should have is to attain nirvana in their present life. Although people of this denomination acknowledge the presence of superbeings and such, it is also believed that gods cannot provide help in escaping samsara because they are also caught in samsara. These gods are greater beings because they have a lot of good karma, but once it runs out, they can be reborn into the world. This further emphasizes the importance of self-reliance in order to reach nirvana in a person’s present life because there is no higher power to rely on, like that of Mahayana Buddhism or Hinduism. In order to gain guidance, teachings, and advice to aid in the escape of samsara, the laity, or body of religious worshippers, offer flowers and food and light incense and candles for the monastics, or monks. In return, the Theravada monks teach Dharma, or the truth of Buddha’s teachings, modeled virtues, and provided blessings, protection, and guidance. Through this interdependent relationship between the monastics and laity, the laity are able to live their lives in a way that they are able to save themselves from being stuck in the cycle of rebirth and