What the main differences between the cosmological features shared by Hinduism and Buddhism and the Western religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam? What is the cycle of samsara / the wheel of life? What is the law of karma and how can we use it assert control over our current life and our destiny in the next one?

What are the benefits of being reincarnated as a human (in terms of karmic action and merit-accumulation)? What is the ultimate religious goal for Hindu and Buddhist practitioners?

What is the best way for humans, in their current lifetime, to achieve this goal, and how is related to the Vedic notion of the self (Ātman)? Finally, can you hypothesize what would be the societal drawbacks of a religion devoted to pursuing such a goal?