Hindu temples are architecturally dedicated to the worship a certain god: Lord Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu, Ganesh, or Lakshmi , etc. Hinduism architecture can be found in simple shrine structures by the side of roads or in large temple complexes like Swaminarayan Akshardham the largest in Delhi.
The famous originally Hindu-style temples Angkor Wat and Bagan in Cambodia and Burma respectively were later converted to Buddhist-style temples! Buddhism temples are designed to represent the pure land or pure environment of a Buddha. The largest Buddhist temple in the world is Borobudur in Indonesia. Buddhism and Hinduism are the third and fourth-largest religions in the world after Christianity and Islam.
Hinduism is mainly focused in India. The second largest populations of Hindus outside India are in Nepal and Mauritius. Buddhism originated in northern India, but it is a religion that is distributed more widely.
Thailand and the neighboring countries of Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia and other East Asian countries have the greatest numbers of Buddhists. Small numbers of Buddhists are found outside Asia. All festivals in Hinduism are predominantly worshipful in character and significance. They usually combine with religious ceremonies of sacrifice and washing, semi-ritual spectacles, deity worship and prayer, and processions.
Festivals are also an important aspect of Buddhist practice. As you visit India and experience the local culture, you will be able to see that Buddhism and Hinduism share many intriguing similarities, but also have distinct differences in their beliefs and practices. Contact us for a tailor-made tour to help you plan a memorable journey across this enchanting country. At Asia Highlights, we create your kind of journey — your dates, your destinations, at your pace.
You can have any trip tailor made for your travel. Hinduism and Buddhism Comparison Overview Hinduism Buddhism Similarities Started in India Share common concepts such as samsara , karma , and dharma Recognize symbols such as Dharmachakra and Mudra Practice meditation, yoga, and mantra although in different ways Differences Not founded by a single person Founded by Gautama Buddha Followers are mainly in India Followers are mainly in East and Southeast Asia Recognizes many gods Recognizes the existence of one god but does not focus on it Focuses on religious rituals Focuses on ethical behaviors Traditionally divides society with a caste system Recognizes that all humans are equal Has temples for certain gods and believes that Buddha was a reincarnation of Vishnu Has temples only for Buddha Festivals have banquets, ceremonies, and ritual activities.
Festivals are for Buddhist practices and offerings in temples. Top 12 Things to Do in Himachal Pradesh. Top 10 Diwali Food to Try with Pictures. Chandni Chowk Guide. How to Plan a Trip to Kerala.
Taj Mahal story-history behind Taj Mahal Agra. Sculpture of Hinduism temple. Kini News Lab. Special Reports. Reach Us. Oldest religion in the world is Published: Jul 22, AM. Read more from this author :. Read more like this :. In Kashmir, the Jayendra monastery at Shrinagara and the Raja vihara at Parihasapura declined by the eleventh century, but the Ratnagupta monastery and Ratnarashmi monastery at Anupamapura flourished in the eleventh and twelfth centuries.
In Bengal and Bihar, the Palas were patrons of Buddhism. Various monasteries such as Nalanda, Odantapura near Nalanda , Vikramashila identified with Antichak in Bhagalpur district, Bihar , and Somapuri located at Paharpur flourished in their kingdoms.
In Orissa, remains of early medieval Buddhist stupas, monasteries, and sculptures have been found at Lalitagiri and Ratnagiri.
Several Buddhist viharas were built during this period in Nepal, as well as in Ladakh, Lahul, and Spiti. It was the Tantric form of Buddhism that flourished at most of the major monastic centres.
It should be noted that some of the monasteries that were established in Tibet and in the western Himalayas during these centuries have a continuous history right down to the present. So Buddhism did not completely disappear from the subcontinent, but it did decline and was relegated to the geographical, political, and cultural margins. There is much about the history of Buddhism in early medieval India, especially the reasons for dwindling lay support and patronage, that remains obscure.
But although the texts may present a dramatized, exaggerated version of events, there is no doubt that religious competition and conflict are part of the story. It is worth noting that apart from the especially fierce Tantric deities, the iconography of many Indian deities includes weapons, and their mythology involves killing, even if those being killed are evil beings. Why is there so much violence in representations of Indian gods and goddesses and in stories of their exploits? Even if these images are interpreted metaphorically—the defeat of evil, the passions, or the ego—the stark violence in them cannot be ignored.
India needs free, fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism even more as it faces multiple crises. While the Hindu tradition of India embraces the belief in many gods and goddesses— million of them, according to some sources —there are also atheistic strands of thought found within Hinduism. The Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy is one such example. It believes that humans can achieve liberation for themselves by freeing their own spirit from the realm of matter.
Another example is the Mimamsa school. This school also rejects the idea of a creator God. The Mimamsa philosopher Kumarila said that if a god had created the world by himself in the beginning, how could anyone else possibly confirm it? Kumarila further argued that if a merciful god had created the world, it could not have been as full of suffering as it is. According to the census , there were approximately 2.
Atheism is still a significant cultural force in India, as well as in other Asian countries influenced by Indian religions. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.
0コメント