It could be, but it seems to me that Buddhism and Hinduism provided an extremely useful tool for the ruling elite of India to maintain control over millions of ill fed and starving peasants. Keep in mind that India had/has an extremely rigid caste system where the vast majority of people are looked upon as no better than animals, and some even worse aka the untouchables. What better way to maintain this mental gulag then to brainwash the people into believing that all suffering is illusion. Moreover it is taught to not worry about this life because next time around you may be born into a higher caste. That is as long as you don't cause any trouble this time around and ruin your karma. Seems like a complete mind f@ck to me.
I can see that perspective, but it is important to discern between the outer trappings of these religions (this is even the language that they use) and the core teachings that those outer trappings attempt to transmit. If you have experienced how powerful some of the methods in these traditions can be - more so that one's diet, for example - then discerning between their potential and fraudulent implementations becomes essential.
Buddhism doesn't say things will necessarily get better when you are dead - and I doubt Hinduism does either (one might consider Yoga sutras as a source for this claim).