Buddhism versus HinduismHinduism and Buddhism are the two main religions of ancient India. The two religions share common beliefs but also have their differences. Some differences lie in the deities worshiped, founders of religions, sacred writings observed, and meditation practices. Throughout this essay, we will explore and compare the similarities and differences between these two religions. Hindu Religion In the Hindu religion, the founder was not a single person. Historians believe that Aryans developed Hinduism more than 3,500 years ago. The Hindu religion developed around the caste system. The caste system was the social class of India. At the top of the caste system were the Brahmins or priests. Below them were the warriors followed by merchants, agricultural workers, and finally laborers or “untouchables” (Zysk 1996). The Vedas are important books of the Hindu religion. Hindus are polytheists or believe in multiple gods (Fisher 2002). The ultimate goal of the Hindu religion is to escape samsara (karmic wheel of birth, death and rebirth) and achieve moksha or liberation from the limitations of space, time and matter. through the realization of the immortal Absolute (Fisher 2002). The Hindu religion has many priests and religious rituals. Some of these rituals include yoga. There are four main yogic paths: Raja, Jnana, Karma and Bhakti. Raja yoga attempts to achieve the highest consciousness using physical postures and breathing exercises. The goal is to make the mind absolutely calm and clear. Jnana yoga “the path of wisdom”, addresses the rational mind by asking “Who am I” and developing spiritual virtues. The ultimate wisdom is spiritual insight rather than the medium of the paper world. Studies of these two religions are important for understanding the individuals and societies that embrace them. It should also be noted that there are many different traditions and practices recognized in these two religions, which depend greatly on the geographic location of the society in which the religion is being examined. References Fisher, M. (2002). Living religions A brief introduction. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.Gyatso, GK 2007. The Life of Buddha-Siddhartha is Born. Retrieved May 7, 2008 from http://www.aboutbuddha.org/english/life-of-buddha.htm/Jayaran, V. Hinduism and Buddhism. Retrieved May 10, 2008 from http://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/h_buddhism.Zysk, K., (1996). Classification of the universe: the ancient Indian varna system and the origins of castes. The Journal of Asian Studies. Flight. 55, Iss. 3; page. 770