To have faith in a higher power is nothing more than an illusion. The Buddhist "atheist" view seems to have a lot to do with the fact that life is not a reality. Through meditation, a person strives to reach the Nirvana. The Nirvana is the "blowing out" of the flame of desire by ending the vicious cycle of reincarnation. (D) By ending all desire for the illusions of this world, one is able to reach enlightenment and finally rest from his suffering. The Hindu view of Brahman has much to do with life. In the Upanishads, (Chandogya Upanishad 6.13.1-3) a wise father, Uddalaka, is telling his son Svetaketu about the Atman and states, " That thou art." This statement means that the Brahman is the same as one's true self, or his Atman. (pg. 108, A) The Brahman is the backbone of the entire Hindu religion and everyone person in the world. By realizing that everyone is a part of the unified Brahman and coming to grips with the idea that the Atman is the only enduring part of this world, one can finally be free from the continuous reincarnations. Because of this extreme difference in belief, Hindus and Buddhists live very different lives and have different rituals. The Hindus are divided into different castes, or social groups, and it is said that one's karma from the previous life determined which caste they would be in this life. If one leads a good life, then they can hope to be in a higher caste the next time around, and vice versa for those who had bad karma. Not only do the Hindus worship Brahman, they worship several other gods as well. By worshipping other gods, they can get a fuller understanding of Brahman on a more personal level. Of course, these gods are in the reincarnation series, or the samsara, so they are not ultimate, but they help to bring liberation throughout the grueling cycle. They allow one to understand Bhakti, the importance of loving and devoting one's soul to Brahman and turning all needs and desires over to It rather than to one's self.
