ABSTRACT

This thesis entitled “A Comparative Study of the Concept of Fire in Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism”, it is of three objectives, e.g., 1) to study of the concept of water in Hinduism, 2) to study the concept of water in Theravada Buddhism, and     3) to comparatively study of the concept of water in Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism. This study is the documentary research in the religious texts. It covered the evolution of internal and external fire, the advantage and the disadvantage of fire, and the application of fire to daily life.

From the study, it is found that:- The perspective of both Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism, the occurrence of fire is created by creator, and this world has arising, existing, and falling. And it becomes a rebirth again. In Hinduism mentioned that Brahma is the creator of fire and control all solar systems which concern with fire since arising until falling. Theravada Buddhism stated that the solar system has raised and failed because of the virtue of person in this world including human beings and deities. It itself is destruction naturally until it is failed and raised again.

The similarity of perspective of both Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism is fire gives an advantage to body of human beings and animals. It is digestibility and warm to body in internal and external. In the difference point, Hinduism stated that fire is the communication of relationship between human beings and gods such as using fire for burning of material to make sacrifice to the gods and fire’s smoke will bring the burning thing to offer to gods for inspiring what he wished. Then, Theravada Buddhism sees the advantage of fire as destroyer which shown the thing rise and fall naturally.

The perspective in Hinduism, the disadvantage of fire is caused by the natural disasters. It is the cause of inspiring of gods, when gods are unsatisfied of oblation. In Theravada Buddhism has pointed that there are two disadvantages of fire, e.g., the disadvantage from inner body which is not balance of fire-element, it is not enough for burning down of energy and it causes of diseases. The disadvantage raised by error of fire in natural system such as the heat of sun, wildfire’s smoke causes of pollution and destroy the human’s health. 

The application of fire to daily life, Hinduism emphasizes on the bonfire ceremony and the sacrifice ceremony which has fire as oblation to the gods. It included using fire to bring dead body to next world what he wishing according to Hinduism. Even though there has any fire ceremony in Buddhism, it is not the aim of using fire. It emphasized to use fire for propagation such as using fire for attainment that is subject of meditation.

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