Christian Evidences CHRISTIANITY AND BUDDHISM Buddhism was spawned in a Hindu environment, and therefore has some similarities to Hinduism. Just as is the case for Hinduism, there are countless forms and expressions of Buddhism. Many of the same criticisms that are used against Hinduism have been used against Buddhism. "Buddha" is a word which means "awakened one." Buddhism began with a man who was given this title after he was asked whether he was a god, or an angel, or a saint, and he replied that he was none of these things, but that he was "awake." Buddha (or Siddhartha Gautama of the Sakyas) w