How did Buddhism grow out of Hinduism?

Question

What are the origins? What is the same about the two religions? Just wondering out of curiosity. List sources please.

Answer 1

Few scholars would disagree that at the time of the Buddha, a very heterogeneous and actively developing religious culture flourished in India. This generally accepted historical reality proves that Buddhism was neither real a protest against, or an offshoot of Hinduism (this view is even expressed for example in the Encyclopaedia Brittanica). Buddhism simply proved to be one of the more successful new schools of thought within a large variety of philosophies.
As debate is a very old traditional means of testing (spiritual) teachers in Indian culture, of course one can trace many philosophical works (especially in the Mahayana tradition), that could be interpreted as protesting against, or arguing with other traditions. Western philosophers may have misinterpreted these works as "protest", as such a thing is unthinkable within Western religious systems. The Buddha himself actually refused to argue on spiritual matters, he explained that he only presented what he had realised as the truth. On the other hand, Buddhism arose from an existing culture, and inevitably many elements of other contemporary traditions are found in Buddhism. In the same sense one could argue that Christianity would be an offshoot of (or protest to) Judaism and Islam is an offshoot of (or protest to) Christianity... However, the Buddhist teachings do have one clear political/social aspect in traditional Hindu India, and that is that in Buddhism people are all considered equal, which means that the Hindu caste-system is completely rejected.

It appears that Buddhism draws most of its inspiration from the religious culture of the Indus Valley civilisation; like the elements of renunciation, meditation, rebirth, karma, and liberation. Also, many symbols of the Indus Valley civilisation have religious significance and are also sacred to Buddhism. They include the pipal tree (later known as the bodhi tree, or ficus religiosa), and animals such as the elephant and deer. On the other hand, aspects similar to the Aryan tradition can be clearly traced, especially in the rituals of tantric Buddhism. This in contrast to Hinduism, where many of the Aryan principles dominate, but also contains various elements of the Indus Valley Culture.

In some types of Hinduism, the Buddha is depicted as an Avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu. Buddhists consider this to be without any base at all. But how to react to these kind of misrepresentations? As John Fleming stated in a recent discussion group: ".It would seem to me that any 'Buddhist' who would skirmish over Hindus claiming Buddha as a Hindu God has sadly completely missed the point of Buddha's message to humanity. In fact, how much more respect can Hindus show for Buddha (and still remain Hindus) then to give him the identity of their Vishnu?"

Answer 2

Actually, Buddhism did not grow out of Hinduism. The Hindu faith which is largely based on the Upanishads with all of its various rituals was actually organised after Buddhism. The first organised faith in India is the Jain religion, then Buddhism, then Hinduism. They all come from India but they are all distinct faiths. Since they are all from India they all share a common basic understanding of the world, but with some important differences. I don't know anything about the Jain faith so I won't comment on it. As I understand it, Hinduism believes in an eternal soul, Buddhism does not. The belief in a creator god is central to Hinduism, it is not in Buddhism.
Hinduism has absorbed some of the teachings of the Buddha and the Buddhist teachings do make reference to some of the same spiritual entities and divinities as the Hindus do. Hindus tend to believe that Buddha Shakyamuni is one of the incarnations (avatars) of one of their gods.
Buddhists believe that Buddha Shakyamuni is the most recent of a large number of Buddhas that have lived in the past and in some cases even at the present time in other universes. There are also more Buddhas to come. There are also some differences about what different Buddhist traditions believe.
Go to a local university and talk to people in a Religion department to get some sources. I don't have any that I can cite for you where I am at the moment.

Answer 3

I don't have any sources. This is just what I have picked up over the years.

Buddhism came into being around 536 B.C. It has little in common with Hinduism (which came into being somewhere around 3000 B.C. or earlier). Hinduism is polytheistic (many gods); in Buddhism, there are no gods. Hinduism is based on a caste system that is dependent upon reincarnation, whereas in Buddhism there is no doctrine of spiritual superiority according to birthright.

As far as I know, the family of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) was not Hindu, although they may have had Hindu advisors.

Answer 4

I really don't know, all i know is that budha sat under a budhi tree for 20 years, then sprang up buddhism at the age of 30, just like jesus, but I think his belief came from a group of people who lived in the forest eating locust and honey, like John the baptist who came after, also Budha or what ever his name was, was a prince, coming from a royal family, just as jesus decended from David a king, and was born similarly to jesus, but instead of and angel coming to put him in his mother, it was there god himself, the elephant deity.

Answer 5

lol i think of i understand what you advise yet thats an extremely cheeky way of twisting information! Buddhism comes from vedic that's referred to now as hinduism! yet we could positioned it this manner Lord krishna grew to become into born in 3102 BC! Lord buddha grew to become into born the two 623 B.C or 563 BC! The observe BC capacity earlier CHRIST! so lord krishna the guy that first went into component approximately meditaion grew to become into born 3102 years earlier christ grew to become into even invented Lord buddha grew to become into purely born 563 years earlier Christ grew to become into born! Krishna is vedic way of lifestyles that's referred to now as hinduism! Hinduism a hundred% did not strengthen out into buddhism, its any incorrect way around lol enormous TIME!!