The Buddha (c. 563-c. 483 b. c.) taught that only by following the "Eightfold Path" could one reach the state of Nirvana and thus be freed from the endless cycles of reincarnation. The eight aspects of this path are:
1. Facing the realities of life, including the facts of suffering and death.
2. Holding right and good intentions.
3. Having right speech, which means avoiding gossip and lies.
4. Being honest and not breaking earthly laws.
5. Living a righteous life.
6. Opposing evil.
7. Maintaining a sober mind, free of false beliefs.
8. Engaging in "right concentration" through regular meditation.
Though Buddhism clearly shared many ideas with Hinduism— and in fact many Hindus believe that Buddha was the god Vishnu in human form—the differences between the two faiths are at least as important. Most notable, of course, is the Buddhist belief that one can escape the Hindus' endless cycle of reincarnation. Another important difference is the Buddhists' rejection of the Hindu gods and the rituals associated with them. (In fact, the concept of a "god" as such is not an important aspect of Buddhism.)
From a social standpoint, however, by far the most significant change presented by the Buddhists was their refusal to accept the caste system. Among the Buddha's earliest followers were a barber, who of course was a member of a lower caste, and a king, who like Siddartha himself was a Ksha-triya. Buddhists did not care about the social distinctions that were an important part of Hinduism. For that reason, their religion spread quickly among the lower castes.
World History
