The main difference between Buddhism and Hinduism is the same as the main difference between Christianity and Judaism: whereas Hinduism is a tribal religion, Buddhism is equally accessible to people from any background.
Before Hindu's jump down my throat at the use of the word 'tribal', let me explain what I mean.
A Hindu is defined primarily by their birth, which explains why they're so quick to include Buddha by the way. You're a Brahmin, a Kshatriya or a member of a scheduled caste by your birth. These days there are all kinds of political consequences to this fact.
A Buddhist is anybody who has taken refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. That is: you become a Buddhist by choice, comparable to how it works in Christianity and Islam. Like Islam and Christianity, Buddhism is a world religion: it is accessible for everybody and hopes to help every human being (actually every sentient being) towards its version of salvation.
Secondarily a Hindu is defined by what spiritual practices they are involved in: devotion to Krishna, Shiva, Kali etc. The rituals they use to do that have a lot in common with the rituals Buddhists perform for Buddha, but the difference is large:
There is NO claim that Buddha is the primal source of all being. Buddha was a man who attained enlightenment, that's all. Sure, in Mahayana Buddhism 'Buddha Nature' is all pervading, but it's still a long cry from a creator God like Brahman, Shiva or Vishnu.
The reasons for devotion are also different: a Buddhist seeks refuge of the Buddha in hopes of help on their path to their own release from the cycle of rebirth. Hindu's are devoted to their God out of Love and devotion. That doesn't mean that a Buddhist isn't devoted to Buddha, nor that Hindu's can't actively work on attaining Moksha: it's a difference in degree.
For me, as a Western (Tibetan) Buddhist who has looked into Hinduism and Yoga in considerable detail the main issue isn't any of the above difference. I went for Buddhist meditation as opposed to yoga for one reason: ethics and compassion. While in the yoga tradition ethics seem to be an afterthought, in Buddhist practice and thinking about karma it is front line and center. In Mahayana Buddhism the primary motivation on the path is compassion: the wish to save ALL sentient beings from their suffering. I'm sure that sounds like Christianity, but that's another article...
Of course there is one other stickler point: the caste system. There is a reason Ambedkar stimulated whole groups of people to convert to Buddhism: to escape the Caste system. I don't know if it worked, since jati's are a built in aspect of Indian society (as well as of Nepal and Pakistan). Just giving your group a different label doesn't make the system go away. However, the caste system IS supported by Hinduism in a way that it isn't in Buddhism.
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I'd have to disagree that Hindu's are only people born in India. AND that it isn't about love.
I didn't follow the Buddhist path myself because many branches do not recognize a supreme being. Buddhism as an offshoot of Hinduism exactly as Christianity was of Judaism.
Quite a lot of anti-Hinduism vibrations here. Generally Westerners cannot stop throwing muck at Hinduism. Do hope Buddhism and the Buddha helps lessen that.
the true origin of hinduism may never be found and buddha was a hindu.he never declared giving up his religion.and there is no mention of caste in hindu scriptures.
THAT WAS THE BIGGEST wrong IMPRESSION MADE BY HINDU LEADERS IN THE TIME OF BUDHA N AFTER BUDHA by pointing budhism is a part of hinduism, budha was reincarnation of god vishnu.Today's we see stil thre is cast system in india n manymore social evils are stil being existed in the country, look at the economic disparity at present, too many poor peaple who are even starving in day to day life but thre are also so many rich peaple who kept growing richer n richer on the other hand poor are growing poorer n poorer, full of corruption among leaders,billions of money are being wasted in the name of god,performance of rites,rituals,religious ceremonies whreas millions are stil homeless so fren think how can india rise to the world they dint go through the dhamma(the teaching of budha) where the reall truth was discovered by budha however some wise persons understood budha teaching namely Emperor ashoka,B.R ambedkar etc.Yes it is true that budha was born in a hindu family but the hindism could not really satisfy him, he met many hindu monks but none of them could satisfy him n then he himself started seeking the real truth n den he discovered such an wonderful techniq of attaining nibbana the highest goal , he himself liberated from all form of suffering by his own effort n finally he said there does not exist god, we ourself are the god n godesses no one can liberate us but we ourself onli by giving own effort but in hinduism thre exist more then thousand god n godesses.....there were countless budhas before gautama budha who also discovered the same truth n thre will be countless budhas in future who wil discover the same trut like gautama budha like him by giving their own effort as he said but budha never mentioned about his reincarnation of any god but he talked about past budhas n future budhas see how difference is budhism from hinduism.....i dont tease any religion stil if anything wrong written by me plz correct it.
The issue isn't whether Hinduism is a religion today, but whether there is anything UNIFIED that could be called Hinduism that goes back 3000 years or so. The concept of Hinduism is really a Western invention, even if modern Indians have adopted it (and politicized it). I did study Indology at university, I'm not just saying this stuff.
You're right though that the idea of puja goes back a long way. It goes back long enough that it's present in Buddhism too, in fact. I suspect it's part of all Indian religions. The issue I try to present here is really: do Hindu's have a right to claim that all religions originating on the Indian subcontinent are really Hinduism... and my answer is: no, they don't have that right.
I have no quarrel with Hindu's who agree with that point, especially if they concede that the whole caste system is a problem (however hard to solve).
I agree with you Buddhism is not part of Hinduism. Prince Siddharth was a hindu king, who denounced his kingdom (and hinduism) to essentially start buddhism. However your statement that Hinduism is only a modern invention is the biggest load of ignorant crap i have ever seen in my life!! By the logic the whole concept of organised religions is a modern construct. Hinduism is a way of life. The mantras and poojas we recite date right back to the vedas. Which contrary to british written HIstory, originated from India. Whatever the customs were have remained till now (some good, some bad)...They might not have known it was a religion at the time, however looking back at it through 2012 perspective, it was very much a religion.
You are obviously a passionate buddhist. But i think its ignorant and stupid of you to attempt extol the (wonderful) virtues of buddhism by spreading your obviousl ignorance and bringing down hinduism,.
I think your analogy of Christianity to Judaism is apt here. Very informative article. I lived in China for over 8 years, and I never saw the Buddhism that I read about in books. It was a mix of animism and Buddhist deities. But then again, when you look at "Christian" people, you rarely see what is described in books as the orthodox practice.