How Buddhist Followers Were Influenced by the Revival of Hinduism Essay
Buddhist followers were influenced by the revival of Hinduism because Buddhist followers were exposed and altered by Hindu beliefs and practices. Indian belief systems spread to China and South East Asia and changed their culture. Buddhism was influences by the revival of Hinduism in several ways. Hinduism presented the idea of gods and that view changed the perspective of Buddha by changing him from mortal to god. Hinduism also started the decline in popularity of Buddhism in India.
Since Buddhism was already in decline of favor by the nobles of India, Hinduism sped up the process. Hinduism posed a way to keep social classes rigid and gave rituals to follow. Buddhism was followed by most of the population, which brought its exclusivity down. This prompted the upper class to switch to Hinduism. To try to preserve Buddhism, some followers started to take Hinduist beliefs and actions and merge them with Buddhism but it failed.
Hinduism and Buddhist belief systems changed China and South East Asia.China’s religion of Confucianism focused on filial piety and obedience. Hinduism and Buddhism refuted and chanllenged Confucian belief systems because Buddhist monks were encouraged to go to a remote place to live and worship, terminating obedience to your family. Hinduism had a belief in many gods, therefore presenting the idea of omniscient gods to the Chinese people instead of the nature and folk gods. In China, this led to the downfall of Confucianism since it was so demanding compared to Buddhism and Hinduism.Social classes in both China and South East Asia wre made stricter by Hinduism’s caste system. When Buddhism travelled to South East Asia, it often replaced the native religion.
Hinduist religious belief system made Majahpahit prosperous and wealthy by encouraging trade with other nations. Buddhism and Hinduism changed South East Asia’s architectual designs by building temples throughout the land, and the temples also created more followers for Buddhism and Hinduism as well.
