Buddhism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 13

Buddhism - Essay Example Atman can be seen as a particle of the universal soul (Brahman), which lives in each person. In turn, Buddhism denies such understanding of the soul and its varieties. Unlike Hinduism, Buddhism does not regard the human soul as an unchanging essence, because for Buddhism the soul is a flow of human experiences, feelings and sensations. Such an understanding seriously affects the idea of ​​rebirth that is represented in Hinduism and Buddhism: in Hinduism, reincarnation implies that the constant soul changes its body, while Buddhism focuses on the fact that it is about the rebirth of the soul, the resumption of its existence. Despite the contradiction between the different versions of Hinduism, they all share certain fundamental ideas (Whitman 608). According to the general Hindu notions, beyond the volatile physical world there is a single universal, unchanging, and eternal spirit called Brahman. The soul (Atman) of each being in the universe, including the gods, is a part of that spirit. In fact, â€Å"Hinduism believe in the existence of Atman, that is the individual soul and Brahman, the Supreme Creator† (Nandan and Jangubhai 30). The soul is regarded as an eternal and immutable essence, which has the opportunity to live after human death. When the flesh dies, the soul does not die, for it passes into another body, in which it has a new life. The fate of the soul in each new life depends on its behavior in previous incarnations. The law of karma says that no sin is left without punishment and no virtue - without reward; if a person has not received the deserved punishment or reward in this lif e, he/she will get them in one of the following. Human behavior determines the higher or lower status of the later incarnation (Nandan and Jangubhai 27). Though Buddhism and Hinduism share the concept of rebirth, the Buddhist concept differs in details from the Hindu one. The doctrine of rebirth presented in Hinduism involves a permanent soul, the essence of