Yucheng Ding

Yucheng Ding

Oct. 31, 2026

Buddhism, Hinduism, Views of the Self, Practice and liberation, Conceptual exchange, Civilizational interaction

Buddhism and the traditions now grouped under Hinduism developed within a similar South Asian intellectual environment and have addressed similar problems, such as how actions produce consequences, why beings remain subject to rebirth, and whether disciplined practice can eliminate suffering. Their common questions, however, do not yield the same answers. This article combines philosophical comparison with an analysis of civilizational interaction. It argues that fundamental doctrinal differences shaped how shared concepts were interpreted, and that long-term contact did not eliminate these differences. Karma, meditation, pramāṇa, and other common concepts were reinterpreted after entering different systems; debate prompted both sides to sharpen their positions, while rituals and practices were selectively absorbed and adjusted through interaction. The relationship is therefore better understood as a process of selective borrowing, reinterpretation, and response than as one-way influence or simple integration.

© 2026, the Authors. Published by ISCCAC

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license