The Hindu religion is based around several different texts. The word text is used loosely, as many of the most important “documents” in regards to the religion have never been written down. They are remembered orally, word for word, and passed down to each new generation in this manner. The highest of these is the Vedas, which is composed of four different smaller parts. The oldest of these, which was first learned in the Sanskrit language, is the Rig-Veda. It is believed to have been created from 1500 to 1000 BC and is made up of 1028 hymns that have been memorized and passed down to each new generation of Hindi people. The three other parts are the Yajur-Veda (textbook fo

Perhaps the most recognizable sights of the Buddhist culture outside of its practitioners is that of monastic life. From the very beginning of the religion, monks have been the most devoted followers of Buddha’s teachings. They are easily identifiable by their shaved heads and unsewn robes of orange cloth. They are the most active in the religion and our often called upon to recited scripture at ceremonies such as funerals and ceremonies to honor the deceased. Rules governing monastery life differ between the various sects, as the religion obviously gives a lot of leeway in the way its members choose to lead their lives. Monasteries and temples are important structures within the religion and demonstrate some of the amazing architectural and sculptural abilities of the Buddhist peoples.

These texts create a complex philosophy that is very unique to the Hindu religion. The central idea of their beliefs is that the universe is an enclosed item, with many concentric layers. They are made up of many worlds, hells, heavens, oceans, continents, etc., with India being the center of it all. For them time is both degenerative and cylic; with their being three periods of time, each of decreasing amounts of goodness until at the end of the third period Kali Yuga, the world is destroyed as its engulfed in flames. After each Kali Yuga though, the world starts over again, in its purest time period. Another fundamental of their belief system is that just as the world is cyclic, so is life. Upon death, the soul will be recycled and come back to life in one of four forms; human, animal, vegetable, and mineral. The level of goodness in your previous lives, the concept of karma, determines what form is taken in future lives. This endless series of life is known as samsara. Release (moksha) from this can only come from the giving up of all worldly desires during one of your lives. Based on this principle, Hindus can essentially be divided into two distinct sects. These are those that seek worldly rewards, such as good rebirth, and those that look for release from the world altogether. The ideals of the first group are derived from the oldest texts, the Vedas, and are represented today in temple Hinduism. The second sect gets their advisement from the Upanishads and is found in ideology of most Hindus. The worldly aspect of Hinduism originally consisted of three Vedas, classes of society, stages of life, and goals of man with the goals and purpose of women being rarely discussed. The first three classes were those of priests, warriors and general populace. The original stages of life were the chaste student, the householder, and the forest-dweller and they held three debts; the study of the Vedas, a son, and a sacrifice to the gods. The three goals of men were rtha (material success), dharma (righteous social behavior), and kama (sensual pleasures). Upon the creation of the Upanishads, a fourth stage of life and goal were added as well; that of the renouncer and the goal of moksha, in order to be released from the world. As part of dharma, most Hindus are vegetarian, as by doing such they abide by one of their highest rules, to abstain from the desire to injure. Though their philosophies play a major role in the religion, many of their old beliefs derive from the multiple deities that are part of the Hindu religion.

At the very center of Buddha’s enlightenment lies the Four Noble Truths, these in turn have become a basis for the religion in general. Each of the Noble Truths builds upon the previous one, as almost a guide to reach enlightenment. The first is simply stated: Life is suffering. This is more than a mere recognition of the presence of suffering in existence. It is a statement that, in its very nature, human existence is essentially painful from the moment of birth to the moment of death. Even death brings no relief, for the Buddha accepted the Hindu idea of life as cyclical, with death leading to fu

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