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Buddha the solar being

As Lord Krishna and Lord Rama were incanations of Lord Vishnu, the Aditya ("Solar Deity") so too is Shri Buddha an incarnation of Shri Vishnu (too Hindus) as he too was born into the Sakya, Suryavamsh ("Solar heritage") caste. Outside of India He is worshipped by many as the Mahavairochana ("Great Sun Buddha.") Legend has it that He witnesses the "wheel of life" in the sun when He awoke from sleep. This wheel in Hinduism is the "Dharam Chakra" or "Wheel of Law" and has been used since the Vedic Indus Valley civilization and is today on the flag of India. Buddhists have also used the Swastika, also known as "Wheel of Law" or "Wheel of Life" and yet another Hindu symbol. It is usually association with Lord Ganesh and another Aditya, Lord Surya. In most depictions of the Buddha, He is depicted as having the sun behind His head. The Buddha achieved enlightenment when meditating under a fig tree, the tree that represents Lord Vishnu.

Buddha's Nirvana

He called His path the "Eight-Fold Path," which is the same path Lord Krishna advised warrior Arjuna to follow to calm himself and fight for righteousness; the Astanga Yoga. Popular practices in the Astanga Yoga include Mudras, hand-gestures. Lord Buddha and Buddhist saints are almost always seen in these. Lord Buddha called the Astanga Yoga, "Arya Marga" ("Arya Path").

Then it is odd that a Hindu scripture claims Lord Buddha's mission was to "mislead" the "demons." Humans were indeed Asuric in the age the Buddha entered into, believed in Atheism, sacrificed animals only for the sake of sacrificing and did not follow principles. Lord Buddha took the Sanyass and wore the saffron robe of the Brahmanas. Early Buddhism had used the same saffron triangular flag which is hanged on Hindu temples. The Sanskrit term "Nirvana" was nothing a the time of Buddha, as Hindu scriptures concentrated on this principle. Parinirvana, in Hinduism is known as Mahasamadhi. Although in modern-day terms, Buddhism is different from Hinduism, in which the Nirvana is Brahma-Nirvana. Buddhists today argue whether the Buddha has eternally remained a Buddha, come down as humans only to show humans that this eternal bliss is achievable by anyone. This form of Buddha in Buddhism is known as Dharmakaya Buddha. It was Buddha who is remembered for saying, "You are a Buddha, I am the Buddha."

Arya

Apart from all this He referred His practice as the Arya Dharma (a variant of modern-day term Hinduism) and called Himself an Arya (in today's terms, "Hindu") , an Acharya ("Arya spiritual master") and organized the Sangha, which He originally called "Arya Sangha." He like Lord Krishna too fought against caste hegemony and said anyone who wanted to could become a Brahmana as He has done. (This principle in Hinduism is known as Sva-Dharma.) He argued that the Arya Dharma should not have the Vedas centered as the authority on religion and Hinduism should not advocate animal sacrifice. Shortly after, religious leaders abondoned the authority of the Vedas at the center of Hinduism and even stopped animal sacrifices.

Buddha an Atheist?

Buddha in some Hindu scriptures is even called a "Nastik", meaning that He does not follow the Vedic path. However, it was the most well-known Buddhist schlor Rahula Vipola, who wrote that the Buddha was trying to shed the true purpose of the Vedas. He is often mistaken with Mahavira, a Jina of Jainism. After all, it it believed by many that Shri Mahavira was atheistic and did not believe in the spirit soul and rather, advocated the "Ajiva." However, Jains of Northern India are against the belief that Lord Mahavira was an Atheist. So then this means that if Jain diciplies can be divided over the topic of whether their leader was an Atheist or not then this argument too can be included within modern-day Buddhism. It is argued that if the Buddha believed in the Advaita Vedanta philosophy, how could He be an Atheist? The Buddha's goal was to escape the illusions of this world.

It is comical to many Hindu researchers that even after seeming a perfect Hindu, besides being named "Gotama" ("Best of the cows") that He is viewed as a Atheist ordinary human being.

==Brahman in Earliest Buddhism== It has been asserted by current secular Buddhism, that Buddhism knows only of the gods (Brahma) and nothing of the Godhead/Absolute/Agathon Brahman. In actuality there can be doubt that in the grammatically ambiguous expression Brahmabhu’to (attano) which describes the condition of those who are wholly liberated, that it is Brahman (the Absolute) and not Brahma (deva, or mere god) that is in the text and must be read; for it is by Brahman that one who is “wholly awake” has ”become.”

The highest appellation in Buddhist Nikayan sutra is “Brahambhutena attano” “The Soul is having become Brahman”; absolutely equivalent to ‘Tat tvam asi’ (That/Brahman, thou art). For the Buddha himself is = Brahmabhu’to (Become That, Brahman).

For (1) the comparatively limited knowledge of a Brahma is repeatedly emphasized, and (2) Brahmas are accordingly the Buddhas pupils, not he theirs , (3) The Buddha had already been in previous births a Brahma (god) and a Mahabrahma hence it is meaningless and absurd in the equation to say Brahmabhu’to=Buddho , to assume that Brahman= Brahma (god) and that (4) the Buddha is explicitly “much more than a Mahabrahma" .

"The Tathagata means 'the body of Brahman', 'become Brahman'." (this passage also proves that Brahma (god/s) is utterly diffferent than the word Brahman). “ I teach the way to the union with Brahman, I know the way to the supreme union with Brahman, and the path and means leading to Brahman, whereby the world of Brahman may be gained.” ”all the peoples say that Gotama is the supreme teacher of the way leading to the Union with Brahman!” “To have become Brahman Brahmabhuto.” “To become Brahman is to become highest Svabhava (Self-nature).” “Become-Brahman is the meaning of Tathagata.” “Without taints, it meant ‘Become-Brahman’.” “The Aryan Eightfold Path is the designation for Brahmayana (path to Brahman).” “The Soul is having become Brahman.” "Found the ancient path leading to Brahman."

Deva worship in Buddhism

Buddhism worships many deities of Hinduism, even deitie that Hindus themselves no longer worship, including Lord Indra. Lord Indra is worshipped by the Chinese, Korean and Japanese as Lord Taishakuten while Lord Ganesha is worshipped as Lord Shoten. In "Ganesh, studies of an Asian God", edited by Robert L. BROWN, State University of New York Press, 1992, page 241-242, he wrote that in the Tibetan Ka'gyur traditionm, it is said that the Buddha had taught the Ganapati Hridaya Mantra (or Aryaganapatimantra) to disciple Ananda.

"Furthermore, you should recollect the devas: 'There are the devas of the Four Great Kings, the devas of the Thirty-three, the devas of the Hours, the Contented Devas, the devas who delight in creation, the devas who have power over the creations of others, the devas of Brahma's retinue, the devas beyond them. Whatever conviction they were endowed with that — when falling away from this life — they re-arose there, the same sort of conviction is present in me as well. Whatever virtue they were endowed with that — when falling away from this life — they re-arose there, the same sort of virtue is present in me as well. Whatever learning they were endowed with that — when falling away from this life — they re-arose there, the same sort of learning is present in me as well. Whatever generosity they were endowed with that — when falling away from this life — they re-arose there, the same sort of generosity is present in me as well. Whatever discernment they were endowed with that — when falling away from this life — they re-arose there, the same sort of discernment is present in me as well.' At any time when a disciple of the noble ones is recollecting the conviction, virtue, learning, generosity, and discernment found both in himself and the devas, his mind is not overcome with passion, not overcome with aversion, not overcome with delusion. His mind heads straight, based on the devas. And when the mind is headed straight, the disciple of the noble ones gains a sense of the goal, gains a sense of the Dhamma, gains joy connected with the Dhamma. In one who is joyful, rapture arises. In one who is rapturous, the body grows calm. One whose body is calmed experiences ease. In one at ease, the mind becomes concentrated." "Of one who does this, Mahanama, it is said: 'Among those who are out of tune, the disciple of the noble ones dwells in tune; among those who are malicious, he dwells without malice; having attained the stream of Dhamma, he develops the recollection of the devas." "Feeders of joy we shall be like the radiant Gods"

Quotes

Koenraad Elst "The Buddha never said: 'Down with the Brahmins! Break Brahmin tyranny!' On the contrary, he taught about how to be a true Brahmin, as against having the outer attributes but not the inner qualities of the Brahmin. Many of his disciples were Brahmins. The myth of Buddhist social revolution against Brahmin tyranny can be disproven on many counts with the Buddha’s own words."

Dalai Lama "I am very happy to be here and I am looking forward to bringining the Buddhists and Hindus together because I consider them as twins.... This place is really impressiveand the whole place is really spiritual." (with the VHP at the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad) "When I say that Buddhism is part of Hinduism, certain people criticize me. But if I were to say that Hinduism and Buddhism are totally different, it would not be in conformity with truth."

Mahatma Gandhi Its every essential characteristic was translated into action in India much more perhaps than in countries that “nominally profess Buddhism.” (b) The Buddha had taught Hinduism “not to take but to give life. True sacrifice was not of others but of self.” He made the Vedas a living word but “the priests clung to the letter and missed the spirit.” (c) The reformation that the Buddha attempted has not yet had a fair trial. The Buddha taught us to “trust in the final triumph of truth and love.” He “lived what he taught.” “Each one of us should see how much of the Buddha’s message of mercy and piety we have translated into our lives.” (d) The Buddha was not an atheist. Buddhism teaches humility and the masses approach God in all humility.

See also

• The Religion of India: The Sociology of Hinduism and Buddhism
• Brahman

External Links

• - Gandhi and Lord Buddha
• - Are Buddhists Hindus?
• - Gautama discussion