Core Spiritual Ideas of Buddhism and Hinduism

Introduction

• Explore the core spiritual ideas of Buddhism relative to Hinduism.
• Significant parallels exist; Buddhism grew out of Hindu tradition.

Reality as a Quasi-Illusion

• Both belief systems suggest reality is an illusion.
• Hinduism (Upanishads):
  • Maya: The concept of illusion.
  • Atman: True self, connected to Brahman (true nature of reality).
  • Individuality is an illusion caused by Maya, which affects sensory perception and notions of ego, time, and causality.
• Buddhism:
  • Reality occurs in the mind; nothing exists beyond that.
  • Trishna (Sanskrit) / Tana (Pali): Craving for impermanent things leads to suffering.

Suffering and Consequences

• Suffering (Dhukkha): Result of craving; universal experience.
• Karma: Actions lead to consequences; affects both this life and future realities.
• Samsara: Cycle of birth and rebirth, present in both traditions.

Escaping Samsara

• Hinduism:
  • Aim to escape samsara through meditation and merging Atman with Brahman.
• Buddhism:
  • Escape through meditation, following the Eightfold Path, and recognizing the Four Noble Truths.

Freedom from the Cycle

• Moksha (Hinduism): Liberation from samsara.
• Nirvana (Buddhism): Merging with emptiness; "blown out."
• Debate exists on whether Nirvana is a state of non-existence or ultimate bliss.
• Common understanding: Both traditions emphasize the merging with true reality/universe (Brahman vs. emptiness).

Conclusion

• Both Hinduism and Buddhism view the state of release as ultimate bliss.
• Encouragement to practice towards achieving this state.