Starving Buddha versus Playful Krishna

Is there any major difference between Buddhism and Hinduism in terms of their respective philosophies and worldviews? The answer depends on which specific schools of Buddhism and Hinduism we are comparing. As a whole, however, there is a big difference between the two in terms of their respective practices of detachment. We can catch a glimpse of such differences simply by looking at the religious imageries and icons. If you do a Google search of the images of Buddha, you are likely to find him portrayed in various meditative poses. Occasionally, you will find the image of the Starving Buddha, featuring him in an emaciated state when he was practicing severe asceticism. Buddha appears to be solemn in all these images. On the other hand, if you Google images of the Hindu deity, Lord Krishna, you will get very different results. Lord Krishna is often shown playing his flute. He is the god of music and dance. He is also often shown in the company of women — either in a romantic pose with Radha (his consort/lover) or dancing with the gopis (cowgirls). These images give us a quick overview of the respective worldviews.

A little bit of historical context helps. Remember that Buddhism arose in the world as part of the Sramana Movement(dated prior to 6th century, BCE), and as a defiant response to the Brahmanism during Buddha’s time. As a result, while Hinduism tends to be…