Buddhism and Hinduism 

Buddhism and Hinduism 

Buddhism and Hinduism are similar in various ways and also share a common origin. Both are five of the most popular religions in the world and have been practiced for ages. There are, however, some differences between the two, for instance, in their approaches to the ‘soul’ or the self.  The following is an in-depth analysis of metaphysical and practical differences between the anatman and atman. The study will particularly assess how the concepts relate to the unique approach of every religion. The study will further how these approaches relate to the sacred gods and path to salvation, which will enable us to understand the differences between the two.

Anatman is one of the primary teachings of Buddhism. The doctrine is based on the assumption that there is no ‘self’ in the form of a permanent, autonomous, and integral behavior that exists within an individual. The doctrine assumes that the existence of the self is a transient occurrence. The anatman is the doctrine, which differentiates Buddhism from other beliefs, for instance, Hinduism, which is the basis of this study. It is imperative to understand the teachings of anatman since they are critical in enabling us to understand Buddha teachings. Over the years, the teachings of anatman have been misinterpreted and overlooked.

Anatman is often misinterpreted to mean that nothing exists, contrary to the teachings of the Buddha. The correct assertion is that it exists, but many have been delusional to think that it does not exist.

The doctrine has three characteristics of existence. The first characteristic is known as Anatta, the second one is known as dukkha, while the third one is known as anicca. Anatta is the inexistence of the self. Dukkha encapsulates suffering while annicca is used to denote suffering. Dukkha, for instance, mentions that there is suffering in the physical world when we fail to find what we are looking for, most of which affect our minds.

Additionally, it is based on the assumption that when we are looking for something, in vain, it leads to suffering since we already have developed an attachment to that particular thing. Therefore, the basis of the doctrine is based on the proposition that there is no permanent self since the self is an amalgamation of various aspects that change with time.  It is, therefore, imperative to understand the elements mentioned above as it acts as a gateway to the self or the soul in Buddhism.

Buddhism notes that the sense of an individual to become a unique self emanates from five attributes, which are referred to as skandhas. The five characteristics include consciousness, sensations, volition, perception, and form, which involve both the senses and the body. Anatman enables us to experience the world through the five attributes, and in so doing, there is suffering. The suffering is mainly brought about by the attachment to things.

There are three branches of Buddhism through which anatman is experienced. One of these is in the tradition of Theravada. In this tradition, the understanding of the concept or doctrine is mainly possible for monks and not likely to other ordinary people, since the psychology involved can only be available.

The application of the doctrine is mainly done on different spheres of life, and thereby negating the self of every individual, through the identification of non-self and self.  The other branch is anatman in the Buddhism of Mahayana, where the uniqueness leads to possessiveness, selfishness, and pride. Through the denial of the self, individuals seize from becoming obsessive and thereby becoming empty.

The doctrine implies that for the state of ignorance to be eliminated, the state of self must be lost. The third and final branch of Buddhism is Tathagatagarhba Sutras, where the Buddha is Buddha is taken as the only true self. Opponents of these doctrines, however, mentioned that they were geared towards encouraging individuals from other religions to ignore self-knowledge and self-love as a way of taking up the teachings of the Buddha.

Hinduism, on the other hand, has a doctrine, which is known as atman, which mentions that there is an existence of the self.   While the Atman doctrine intimated that there is no soul or self, there still exists rebirth and the afterlife, which are driven by Karma. The belief espoused on the essence of acting rightly and doing the right thing as a way of fostering restoration.

The atman is defined as an eternal self, soul, breath, and spirit. Atman is further defined as the true self. specifically, it is one, which migrates after death and thereby becoming part of all things in the universe. The underlying force is primarily referred to as the Brahman. Hindus mention that understanding the atman is in itself, Brahman.

The doctrine of atman is critical in all the six disciplines of Hinduism and espouses some of the significant differences between Buddhism and Hinduism. As stipulated earlier, Buddhism does not incorporate the soul concept. The concept of atman was first proposed in the Rigveda, which is the basis for all Hindu doctrines.

Atman resembles the western philosophical thoughts on the soul, but there are differences in the concepts. Some of the differences include the fact that Hindu schools have different definitions for this concept. Dual Hindus have the perception that atman is not identical with Brahman even though they are both joined together. Hindus, who are not dual, on the other hand, believe that Atman and Braham are equal and identical.

Contrary to the western perception of the soul, which mentions that it is linked to human beings and everything within the individual, atman proposes different aspects. Additionally, the soul of the west mentions that the soul of an individual is born after a human being is born and does not include elements of reincarnation. Atman on the other hand believes that the soul is included in all forms and does not therefore exist in only human beings. Also, the doctrine of atman mentions that the soul is eternal and does not, therefore, have a specific birth. Additionally, the concept of atman believes in reincarnation and believes that the soul is part of God.

There are six branches of Hinduism, all of which embody aspects of the Atman doctrine. These branches include the Samkhya, Nyaya, Vaisesika, Vedanta, Mimamsa, and Yoga. Also, all six branches sensitize the importance of understanding atman. In this regard, it is the pursuit of all knowledge that is provided by the atman.

There are, however, some differences in the way the three branches interpret this concept or doctrine as will be unraveled in this study. There is, however, a consensus on some of the traits or characteristics of atman, such as divinity and purity. Also, all six branches agree with the fact that atman differentiates between ego and personality. Also, it provides a distinction between the true nature and the essence of an individual. Additional, the six branches also mention that the atman is not affected by any events or occurrences.

The Vedanta branch or school of thought, for instance, has the assumption that there are utmost similarities between the Atman and the Brahman, which implies that it is identical. The Vedanta branch is divided into three subgroups, all of which have different assumptions. The Advaita branch of Hinduism is based on the assumption that all things that exist in the world are all part of an ordinary being.

The above-mentioned school of thought, therefore, assumes that the suffering of human beings is primarily caused by the ignorance or inability of human beings to understand some of the factors that surround them. Also, it assumes that human beings can liberate themselves from all their suffering if they get a good understanding of all the things that are affecting them.

Another subgroup, known as Dvaita Vedanta, incorporates a dualistic approach. The subgroups assume that there are two categories of atman’s, one for human beings and another one for the other creatures. The sub-group assumes that the liberation occurs after death and more so when the individual atman is not around but it is still tied to the Brahman. The third and final sub-group is the Akshar-Purushottam school of thought, which refers to the atman as a Jiva, which is a term that is used to mention that people have divergent personalities and characteristics all of which determine the atman. Therefore, the atman is unique based on an individual and exist throughout an individual.

The second branch of Hinduism is the Nyaya School, which mentioned that consciousness is part of the atman. This branch or school of thought uses various rational arguments to assume that the atman is a unique soul or self, and the difference is got out of the different characteristics. The characteristics can only be detected through deep thinking and understanding of the concept of the atman.

The other school of thought is the Vaiseshika School, which assumes that many parts make up the atman. It is based on four critical substances, which include the space, mind, atman and time. Atman is therefore referred to as an amalgamation of various elements, both spiritual and eternal. Consequently, it is critical to conduct an in-depth analysis of the atman in order to understand the soul.

The other school of thought is the Mimamsa. It assumes that the atman is similar to the ego or the self of an individual. Therefore, it assumes that the actions of individuals will affect an individual’s soul. The school of thought particularly places high regard for ethics and good deeds.

The other school of thought is the Samkhya Hinduism school of thought, which assumes that the causes for sufferings on human beings are mainly afflicted by the ego and the importance of the atman on the individual. The school of thought believes that the number of atmans is infinite and varies from every individual or being.

Finally, the yoga school of thought shares some similarities with the Samkhya branch of Hinduism. It also assumes that the atman varies from individual to individual and with different beings. It negates the probability of a universal Atman. In enabling people to understand atman, it incorporates various techniques that are geared towards achieving self-knowledge.

In conclusion, there are differences between the atman and anatman. While anatman assumes that there is no self, atman believes in the existence of the self. Both concepts enable us to understand critical religious aspects, as evidenced in this study.

Works Cited

Black, Brian, and Laurie L. Patton. Dialogue in Early South Asian Religions: Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Traditions. New York, NY: Routledge, 2016. Print.

Davis, Gordon F., and Pragati Sahni. “Variations on Anātman: Buddhist Themes in Deep Ecology and in Future-Directed Environmental Ethics.” Ethics without Self, Dharma without Atman Sophia Studies in Cross-Cultural Philosophy of Traditions and Cultures, 2018, pp. 253–273., doi:10.1007/978-3-319-67407-0_13.

Davis, Gordon F., and Pragati Sahni. “Variations on Anātman: Buddhist Themes in Deep Ecology and in Future-Directed Environmental Ethics.” Ethics without Self, Dharma without Atman Sophia Studies in Cross-Cultural Philosophy of Traditions and Cultures, 2018, pp. 253–273., doi:10.1007/978-3-319-67407-0_13.

Won, Haeyoung. “A World-View of the Mixed Sense of Atman and Anatman.” The Journal of East-West Comparative Literature, vol. 46, 2018, pp. 239–262., doi:10.29324/jewcl.2018.12.46.239.