ne true self, or his Atman. Not only do the Hindus worship Brahman, they also worship several other gods as well. The other gods are in the reincarnation series, or the samsara, they are not ultimate but they help to bring liberation throughout the grueling cycle. All Hindus believe in three most popular gods, which they are: Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. Shiva is the deity of the renounces, especially of the many shiava sects that imitate him. These are Kapalicas, Pashupatas, and Aghoris. Shiva is also the deity that is said to have appeared on earth in various human, animals, and vegetable forms. Vishnu, to his worshipers, is all-powerful and supreme. He is believed to be to god from whose navel a lotus sprang giving birth to Brahma, the creator. Vishnu created the universe by separating the heavens and the earth and has rescued it on a number of occasions. As Hopfe and Woodward state “Vishnu is known as a god of love, benevolence, and forgiveness (Hinduism 94).” “ In some incarnations, he has come as a man.” (94). The third popular god is Brahma, the creator of the world.Since Buddhism and Hinduism have different believes they also have different holy days. Moreover, because Hindus worship variety of gods they have a variety of festivals. The three main festivals of Hinduism are: Holi, Divali, and Dasehra. Holi is the most popular festival. This holy day is celebrated each year during February-March to welcome spring. “Holi is dedicated to god Krishna and it was once a fertility ceremony (104).” Throughout the days of Holi, many of the casts and taboo restrictions are set aside and pleasure is emphasized. The second ceremony Divali, celebrated in November, is a festival to welcome a new year. Finally the third festival, the Dasehra, celebrated up to nine days in October, in honor of Durga, a consort of Shiva. On the other hand Buddhism is divided in many ways according to phil...
