At their core, the world religions that originated in South Asia known as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism share a common idea about the fundamental problems of humanity and the transformation necessary to end these problems. The ultimate goal of each of these religions is to be liberated from the cycle of rebirth, which is caused by the attachment to the karmic self, ruled by desire and spiritual ignorance. However, the key to understanding the religions shaped from this perspective lies in learning the significant ideas that distinguish them from one another. Buddhism, for example, suggests that there is no permanence, even in the cycle of rebirth, which is the opposite of other South Asian religions that claim the existence of an eternal self and reincarnation. .
Buddhism emerged in India in the sixth century BCE when a privileged man named Siddartha Gautama sought out to discover an escape from suffering and the path to spiritual enlightenment. Initially Siddartha studied the religious teachings of Hinduism and Jainism, but after several years he determined that neither religion could foster the spiritual fulfillment he was looking for. Relentless in his search, Siddartha sat down under a fig tree and decided he would remain there until he reached his goal. During this time, Mara, the Lord of Death, tempted Siddartha to return to his life of wealth and privilege. As Siddartha refused, he realized that desire was what had been hindering him, and in that instant he was "awakened" and the religion known as Buddhism was born. .
Although Buddhism encompasses a similar foundation to that of Hinduism, a major difference is the concept of Ataman, meaning "no eternal self." In other words, there is no permanent identity, only a continuity of consciousness (Kumar). This claim is different from that of Hinduism, in which there is the existence of an unchanging eternal self, also known as the soul, or Atman.