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| | 5. Both religions emphasize detachment and renunciation of materialism, and treat desire as the major cause of suffering. | | 5. Both religions emphasize detachment and renunciation of materialism, and treat desire as the major cause of suffering. |
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| − | There are also many important differences between the two religions: | + | There are also key differences between the two religions: |
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| − | 1. Buddhism does not believe in the existence of souls or “first cause” (God). For this reason many do not consider Buddhism to be a true religion, but merely a belief system. Hinduism believes that Brahman is the Supreme Creator and that the soul (Atman) does exist. | + | 1. Buddhism does not believe in the existence of souls or "first cause" (God). For this reason many do not consider Buddhism to be a true religion, but merely a belief system. Hinduism believes that Brahman is the Supreme Creator and that the soul (Atman) does exist. |
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| | 2. Buddhism views the world as filled with sorrow, and the highest goal of human life is to end sorrow. Hinduism has four major goals for everyone to pursue: religious duty (dharma), wealth (artha), desires (kama) and salvation (moksha). | | 2. Buddhism views the world as filled with sorrow, and the highest goal of human life is to end sorrow. Hinduism has four major goals for everyone to pursue: religious duty (dharma), wealth (artha), desires (kama) and salvation (moksha). |
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| | 6. Buddhism rejects the sacred scriptures of Hinduism, the Vedas. | | 6. Buddhism rejects the sacred scriptures of Hinduism, the Vedas. |
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| − | The Hindu response to the competition presented by Buddhism was to treat the Buddha as another god of Hinduism (the incarnation of Mahavishnu, one of the gods of the Hindu trinity). This enabled Hinduism to remain far more popular than Buddhism in India, but not outside India. | + | The Hindu response to the competition presented by Buddhism was to treat the Buddha as another god of Hinduism (the incarnation of Mahavishnu, one of the gods of the Hindu trinity). This was typical of how Hinduism adapted to other religions to thwart the competitive threats. This enabled Hinduism to remain far more popular than Buddhism within India, but not outside India. |
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| | === India’s Contributions === | | === India’s Contributions === |