The document provides information on Hinduism and Buddhism in South Asia. It describes the Harappan civilization that predated Hinduism and was later invaded by Aryans. It outlines the origins and principles of Hinduism including caste system, karma, and samsara. It then discusses the life of Buddha and the origins and spread of Buddhism as a challenge to Hinduism's caste system. Buddhism emphasized right living over caste and the path to nirvana through enlightenment and escaping samsara. While the two religions share some concepts like dharma and karma, Buddhism rejects the Hindu caste system and spread further geographically.

1. HINDUISM &
BUDDHISM
(PAGE 15 IN YOUR BINDER)

2. GEOGRAPHY OF SOUTH
ASIA

3. HARAPPAN (INDUS
VALLEY) CIVILIZATION
 Predates Hinduism
 Advanced civilization
 First civilization with
indoor plumbing
 Major cities included
Harappa and Mohenjo-
daro
 Were invaded by the
Aryans through the
Khyber Pass to the west

4. ARYAN INVASIONS OF
INDIA
 Aryans originated in a
region near the Black and
Caspian Seas
 Invade India through the
Hindu Kush
 Bring their sacred texts,
the Vedas, which become
the basis for Hinduism
 The oldest of their sacred
texts is the Rig Veda

5. HINDUISM
THE ORIGINAL DHARMIC RELIGION

6. ORIGINS OF CASTE
 According to the Rig Veda, all life was
created from the self sacrifice of the god
Purusha
 from his body came the caste system
(illustrated on the left)
 The castes belong to the Aryans and the
conquered people, such as those from the
Harappan civilization, became the Dalit, the
lowest class

7. RULES OF CASTE
 Caste is a social class system that is connected
to religion
 Everyone is born into their caste and must
remain there for life
 one’s caste is based on how well they
performed their duties in their previous life

8. PRINCIPLES OF
HINDUISM
1) atman
 the inner self, spirit, or
soul
 it is immortal even though
the body is not
2) Brahman
 the world soul that unites
all atman
 it is what ties all things
together making them all
interconnected

9. PRINCIPLES OF
HINDUISM
3) dharma
 one’s duty as
determined by their
caste
4) karma
 the sum of one’s actions
in their lifetime
 one’s karma, when they
die, will determine what
they will be reincarnated
as

10. PRINCIPLES OF
HINDUISM
5) samsara
 cycle of rebirth after
rebirth
6) moksha
 liberation from desires
and suffering
 a state of perfect
understanding
 an end to samsara

11. BHAGAVAD
GITA




12. BUDDHISM
A CHALLENGE TO HINDUISM’S CASTE SYSTEM

13. THE STORY OF
BUDDHA’S
ENLIGHTENMENT
 The story of
Siddhartha Gautama is
a compelling tale of a
man seeking truth.
 Read “The Story of
Buddha’s
Enlightenment”.
 Pay attention to why
he left on his journey
and what he
discovered.

14. ORIGINS
 Siddhartha was a prince,
destined to be a king but
refused to believe that he
would be unable to stop his
people from suffering.
 He gave up all he had,
became an ascetic, traveled
the countryside searching for
answers.
 He will eventually find the
answers he sought while
mediating under a bodhi tree

15. THE FOUR NOBLE
TRUTHS
 After 6 years
searching,
Siddhartha
discovered the
answer he was
looking for
• The way to
end all
suffering is to
end all
• the
Eightfold
Path
• people’s
selfish desire
for the
temporary
pleasures of
this world
• Everything in
life is
suffering and
sorrow. 1) The Truth
about
suffering
2) The Truth
of the cause
of suffering
3) The Truth
of ending
suffering
4) The Truth
of the
Middle Way

16. THE EIGHTFOLD PATH
 Like a staircase, each follower must climb by mastering each step one at a
time.
1) Right Understanding
2) Right Purpose
3) Right Speech
4) Right Conduct
5) Right Livelihood
6) Right Effort
7) Right Awareness
8) Right
Meditation
Wisdom
Ethical
Conduct
Mental
Developmen
t

17. BUDDHIST RULES FOR RIGHT LIVING
 Buddhist teachings challenged basic Hindu belief – caste
 Buddhism places more importance on how one lives than on one’s caste.
 Buddhists do not follow the caste system, instead they follow Rules for Right
Living:
 Hatred is never ended by hatred; hatred is ended by love.
 People should overcome anger by love.
 People should overcome evil by goodness.
 Everyone trembles at punishment; everyone loves life.

18. RULES OF BUDDHISM
 Since Buddhism comes from
Hinduism, it make sense that many
of the ideas are similar (and do
not need to be redefined)
1) dharma
 without caste, everyone’s duty is
the same
 primarily the Eightfold Path
2) karma
3) samsara
 when souls are reborn, they come
back again as people, free to
choose their path in life

19. RULES OF BUDDHISM
4) moksha
5) nirvana
 Buddha’s word for release
from selfishness and pain
 the soul’s ultimate state of
existence, free from samsara
 nirvana is achieved when a
person achieves
enlightenment – complete
understanding and freedom
from suffering and desire

20. COMPARE AND CONTRAST
Hinduism Buddhism
 What type of organizer best
illustrates “compare and contrast”?
 Create a Venn Diagram like the
one to the left
 Use the spaces in the diagram to
compare and contrast the two
religions.

21. COMPARE AND CONTRAST
Based on your
understanding of
Hinduism and
Buddhism, why do
you think
Buddhism has
spread to more
places than
Hinduism?

22. THESIS WRITING
 Do you think Hinduism and Buddhism are more alike (similar) or different?