Hinduism and Buddhism vs. Confucianism and Taoism

Hinduism is, some would say, the world's most ancient and sprawling religion. Its scriptures and teachings are voluminous and wide-ranging, addressing everything from science and history to philosophy, art and, of course, spirituality. Comparatively speaking, the Hindu teachings are uniquely inclusive rather than exclusive. One of its early Vedas openly recognizes the universality of the spiritual path: "Truth is one; sages call it by different names." As in Buddhism, Hinduism stresses the necessity of letting …

…principle by which the ancient kings embodied the laws of heaven..." The word "li" means propriety in everything: moral discipline in personal conduct, the general principle of the social order, ritual and ceremony, a system of social relationships with definite attitudes toward one another, love in the parents, filial piety in the children, respect in the younger brothers, friendliness in the elder brothers, loyalty among friends, respect for authority among subjects, and benevolence in rulers.