When the Aryan and Indian cultures blended, what religion Vedic \( \begin{array}{ll}\text { Buddhism } & \text { c. Hinduism } \\ \text { d. Christianity }\end{array} \)

The blending of Aryan and Indian cultures primarily gave rise to Hinduism, which is rooted in the ancient Vedic texts. These texts, composed in Sanskrit, laid the foundation for many Hindu beliefs and practices, including concepts of dharma (duty/righteousness), karma (action and its consequences), and moksha (liberation). This evolution transformed spiritual practices in the Indian subcontinent around 1500 BCE and beyond. Buddhism emerged later as a reform movement in response to some of the hierarchical structures of early Hinduism around the 5th century BCE, founded by Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha. While it shares some philosophical roots with Hinduism, it emphasizes the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path as the means to achieve enlightenment, setting it apart as a distinct religious tradition.