By: Hari Venkatesh
Map depicting spread of Hinduism and Buddhism.
Hinduism
- Hinduism became the dominant religion and cultural tradition in India
- The Upanishads taught that only renunciation and detachment from the world could help individuals escape the cycle of incarnation.
- Krishna has taught that individuals should meet their responsibilities in a detached manner
- Humans should not become personally or emotionally involved in their actions, and especially should not strive for material reward or recognition.
- Perform their duties faithfully, concentrating on their actions alone.
- One's business is with action alone, not by any means with fruit of action.
- There are two types of epics in Hinduism, Mahabharata and Ramayana
- Hinduism went through a similar evolution compared to Buddhism, where they generated new ideas and increased its popularity.
- They transformed Hinduism into a popular religion of salvation by influence from the Vedas.
- As they were drawing inspirations from the Vedas and Upanishads, they gradually departed away from the older teachings of the Brahmins.
- The great Hindu poems called the Mahabharata and Ramayana help illustrate the development of Hindu values.
Mahabharata
Bhagavad Gita
Ramayana Mahabharata Bhagavad Gita |
Ramayana
|
4 Principles of Human Life
- Dharma: Obedience to religious and moral laws
- Artha: Pursuit of economic well being and honest prosperity
- Kama: The enjoyment of social and physical pleasure
- Moksha: The salvation of the soul
- Dharma + Artha + Kama = Moksha
How are Hinduism and Buddhism different?
How did Hinduism become Popular?
- Hinduism gradually replaced Buddhism as being the most popular religion in India.
- Buddhism moved towards China because Hinduism became more popular in India.
- Gupta and his successors helped Hinduism become the dominant religion in India. They also supported an educational system that promoted Hindu values.
- While Hinduism grew popularity, Buddhism entered a noticeable decline in India.