Buddhism and Hinduism

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The relationship between Hinduism and Buddhism should not be seen as an analogue of the relationships between Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Unlike Abrahamic religions, Indic dharmas don't require exclusive allegiance and unquestioning acceptance. The relationship Hinduism and Buddhism is best understood as an analogue of the relationship between competing theories in modern day physics. There is fierce debate between the competing schools in physics but they don't kill each other. Nor do the physicists require an unquestioning acceptance from their students. It is possible that students will change their ideas with time.

The relationship between Hinduism and Buddhism (in fact between different schools in Indic traditions) is exactly the same: they are rival competing schools of thought. Each individual has the choice to pick either school and philosophers in each school do their best to convince people. This article makes generalizations about Hindu and Buddhist beliefs and practices. Nevertheless, it is very important to understand that neither religion is monolithic. Beliefs and practices vary within Hinduism, as they do between Buddhist denominations. There are also individual variations among believers in both religions.

Neither religion is monolithic

This article makes generalizations about Hindu and Buddhist beliefs and practices. Nevertheless, it is very important to understand that neither religion is monolithic. Beliefs and practices vary within Hinduism, as they do between Buddhist denominations. There are also individual variations among believers in both religions.

Buddhist Canonical Views on Brahminism

Views that Buddhism supports brahmanical teachings such as the Upanishads generally don't take into account the actual sayings of the Buddha as found in the Buddhist Canon, where he calls Vedic learning and it's formulators as a line of blind men:

13. 'Well then, Vasettha, those ancient Rishis of the Brahmans versed in the Three Vedas, the authors of the verses, the utterers of the verses, whose, ancient form of words so chanted, uttered, or composed, the Brahmans of to-day chant over again or repeat; intoning or reciting exactly as has been intoned or recited-to wit, Atthaka, Vamaka, Vamadeva, Vessamitta, Yamataggi, Angirasa, Bharadvaja, Vasettha, Kassapa, and Bhagu -- did even they speak thus, saying: " We know it, we have seen it, where Brahma is whence Brahma is, whither Brahma is?

15. O Vasettha, those brahmins who know the three Vedas are just like a line of blind men tied together where the first sees nothing, the middle man nothing, and the last sees nothing (Tevijja-Sutta, Dighanikaya, 13:15).

Similarly, Buddha also regards his teachings as open to everyone and not as "Rahasya" of the Upanishads or secret doctrine in comparison to brahmanism and openly calls the any secret doctrines as false:

O disciples, there are three to whom secrecy belongs and not openness. Who are they? Secrecy belongs to women, not openness; secrecy belongs to priestly wisdom, not openness; secrecy belongs to false doctrine, not openness. To these three belongs secrecy, not openness.

But there are three things that shine before all the world, and not in secret. Which are they? The disc of the moon, O disciples, shines before all the world, and not in secret; the disc of the sun shines before all the world, and not in secret; the doctrines and rules proclaimed by the perfect Buddha since before all the world, not in secret. These three things shine before all the world, and not in secret. -

In Hinduism, Rishis were mere "hearers" of "shruti" texts or Vedas, considered to be the holiest texts of Hinduism. Shruti literally means "that which was heard" in sanskrit. In Buddhism, the equivalent of Rishis are known as "Shravaks" which also means "hearer". So the equivalent of the Rishis who "heard the Vedas" would be the "Shravaks" in Buddhism.

Buddhism is Messianism in contrast to Brahmanism

In contrast to brahmanism or a small priesthood who have secret teachings (rahasya), Buddhism is considered to be messianism, or warrior kings (and queens such as Srimala) who work to liberate all beings, by scholars such as Thurman,

All Bodhisattvas wish to save the whole world, the infinite universes of numberless beings. But they do not only appear as warrior-kings for specific nations or even planets. They work for universal liberation in all capacities.

The Bodhisattva ideal is first established by Buddha in the Jataka tales. The patient and enduring warrior was looked upon as the ideal, and unlike Brahmanism, it was a universal call and based on ethics and merits of practice alone.

The Buddha created a new race of men, a race of moral heroes, a race of salvation-workers, a race of Buddhas. (Manmatha Nath Sastri)

Buddhist and Hindu Classification

In Buddhism, non-Buddhist Dharmas are classified as heretical known as "Pasanda",

"They are called pasanda because they lay out a snare (Be: pasam denti; Ce: pasam oddenti); the meaning is that they throw out the snare of views among the minds of beings. But the Buddha's dispensation frees one from the snare, so it is not called pasanda; the pasanda are found only outside the dispensation."

In Brahmanical Hinduism, different philosophies within Indic traditions are classified by Brahmin priests either as Astika or Nastika, that is, philosophies which either affirmed the Vedas as divinely revealed scriptures or else regarded them as fallible human inventions. According to this tradition, Buddhism is one of Nastika schools by priests.

Hindu views

Many scholars are of the opinion that Buddhism should be regarded as "reformed Hinduism"., and many Hindus believe that Buddhism is one of the sects of Sanatana Dharma. According to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Buddha did not look upon himself as an innovator, but only a restorer of the way of the Upanishads..

Most Hindus, even if they do not agree with the Buddhists, deeply revere the Buddha for his utter renunciation and for the remarkable person that he was. In fact, the Bhagavata Purana, one of the most important texts of the Hindus, considers the Buddha an incarnation of Vishnu. There can be no higher testament to the Buddha's holiness than this. However, some Puranas, recorded by priests as well, also claim that Vishnu used his incarnation as the Buddha to deceive the unorthodox for his own reasons.

Buddha Purnima, a festival celebrating the birth of Gautama Buddha, is one of the most popular Hindu festivals.

In Japan, the Shingon Fire Ritual is probably derived from Hindu traditions. Hindu political parties like the BJP have also Buddhist members. The Dalai Lama has also visited Hindu events, like for example the VHP's second World Hindu Conference in Allahabad in 1979.

Hindu philosopher Swami Vivekananda wrote in glowing terms about Buddha, and visited Bodh Gaya several times.

Ananda Coomaraswamy said: " is a religion both of Eternity and Time, while Gautama looks upon Eternity alone. it is not really fair to Gautama or to the Brahmans to contrast their Dharma; for they do not seek to cover the same ground. We must compare the Buddhist ethical ideal with the (identical) standard of Brahmanhood expected of the Brahman born; we must contrast the Buddhist monastic system with the Brahmanical orders; the doctrine of Anatta with the doctrine of Atman, and here we shall find identity. (…) Buddhism stands for a restricted ideal, which contrasts with Brahmanism as a pars contrasts with the whole".

References

Esoteric Buddhism by F. Max Muller
The Buddhist Messiahs: The Magnificent Deeds of the Bodhisattvas Robert A. F. Thurman The Christ and Bodhisattva Conference at Middlebury College with His Holiness the Dalai Lama (unannotated draft) September 1984
BUDDHISM IN THE EYES OF INTELLECTUALS Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda
Discourses of the Ancient Nuns(Bhikkhuni-samyutta)Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi
e.g., John Woodroffe (Arthur Avalon): Shakti and Shakta. Koenraad Elst: Who is a Hindu (2001). Christian Lindtner: “From Brahmanism to Buddhism”, Asian Philosophy, 1999
Radhakrishnan: Indian Philosophy, vol.2, p.469.
R.K. Payne: The Tantric Ritual of Japan. Feeding the Gods: the Shingon Fire Ritual., and Koenraad Elst: Who is a Hindu. 2001
“Zanskar youth to join BJP”, Organiser, 12-2-1995.
McKean, Lise: Divine Enterprise. Gurus and the Hindu Nationalist Movement. Chicago University Press, 1996. Elst, Koenraad: Who is a Hindu (2001)
Sister Nivedita: The Master as I Saw Him. Koenraad Elst 2001: Who is a Hindu
COOMARASWAMY, Ananda Kentish: Buddha and the Gospel of Buddhism. Citadel Press, Secaucus NJ, 1988 (1916).

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