Prince Siddhārta Gautama was born into the Shākya tribe of Vedic Kṣatriya-s who ruled a kingdom with the same name which was situated in the Himalayan foothills. As a Shākyan prince, Siddhārta grew with with all the royal luxuries and without knowing sorrow and suffering. At a later stage of his life, he renounced all his royal luxuries to become an ascetic. He then attained enlightenment through meditation and from there onwards he was known as the 'Buddha' which literally means the 'awakened one' and as 'Tathāgata' which translates as 'thus gone one' or 'thus come one'. As the Buddha, Siddhārta gained many disciples and admirers through his wise teachings.
Some people claim that the Buddha completely rejected the Vedic culture in which he was brought up. They further state that his teachings were against the Vedic culture and concepts.
But in reality, he did not completely reject his Vedic culture and heritage. Many of his teachings included elements which are found in the Vedic texts. The concepts like Dharma, Karma, Mōkṣa or Nirvāṇa , reincarnation etc which were included in the teachings of the Buddha are found in the Vedic texts. Although these concepts were still developing in the early Vedic era, they further evolved and and became widespread by the time of later Vedic period. Many of the later Vedic texts like the early Upaniṣad-s certainly predate the time of the Buddha. One of the early Buddhist text named Tēvijja sutta which belongs to the Pali cannon, the earliest available Buddhist corpus, talks about Vedic Brāhmaṇa-s who were well versed in Upaniṣad-s like Cāndogya, Taittirīya etc.
In addition to these Vedic concepts, the Buddha often compared the Nirvāṇa (supreme goal or liberation in Buddhism) with the Vedic concept of attaining oneness with the Brahman or the supreme absolute according to the Vedic texts as it is evident from the early Buddhist texts of Pali cannon. For example, I cite a Buddhist text named Kandaraka sutta , where the phrase 'become Brahman' or 'Brahmabhūta' occurs. This phrase occurs in other texts as well. It must be noted that there exists various groups of demigods named Brahma-s inhabiting various heavenly realms in Buddhist mythology. Some argue that the Brahma mentioned in the cited phrase refers to the demigod Brahma-s instead of the Vedic absolute Brahman. I think this is not correct, since in another Buddhist text named Paṭhamarāga sutta of Itivuttaka, the Buddha himself is said to have become Brahman. This could only refer to the absolute Brahman since in various texts like Brahma-nimantanika sutta , the demigod Brahmas are said to be inferior beings compared to the Buddha and they even praised the Buddha. So the Brahman of Brahmabhūta refers to the absolute because the Buddha obviously would have not become a demigod Brahma who is inferior to him. It is also interesting to note that the term Brahman is synonymous with the term Dharma , the teachings or virtuous path of the Buddha which reflects the Buddha himself, as explained in Vakkali sutta . For example in
Aggañña sutta , the Buddha states that to become Dharma is to become Brahman. Also in Maha-sīhanāda sutta , the Buddha equates the Dharmacakra , the wheel of Dharma with Brahmacakra, the wheel of Brahman. Dharmacakra is the most important symbol of the Buddha's teachings. Further in Janussoni Brāhmaṇa sutta , the Buddha states that the Āryā-aṣṭāṅgamārga or the noble eight-fold path which leads to Nirvāṇa is synonymous with Dharmayāna , the vehicle or path of Dharma which is same as Brahmayāna, the vehicle or path of Brahman. So in some instances, Brahman obviously refers to the Vedic absolute which is synonymous with Dharma . Interestingly, the term Brahmabhūta also occurs in Bhagavad Gīta 18.54 which clearly refers to the union with absolute Brahman.
Some may argue that the Buddha taught doctrine of Anātman which refers to selflessness and rejection of Ātman through Śūnyata , the void or emptiness. According to the Vedic doctrine, there is Ātman or self and it is identical to the absolute Brahman. So the argument is that this Śūnyatā-Aātman doctrine of the Buddha contradicts with the Vedic doctrine of Ātman -Brahman. However, the phrase from Kandaraka sutta which is cited above has mention of Ātman or self becoming Brahman, which is similar to the Vedic doctrine of Ātman equal to Brahman. So in my opinion, Śūnyata-Anātman would only refer to the removal of self like 'I' or 'Me' and establishing the oneness with the 'real' Ātman which is identical to the absolute Brahman. This is supported by advise of the Buddha to his disciples from Maha-parinibbāna sutta to take refuge unto their selves and on Dharma which is in turn identical to Brahman as explained above. So according to the Buddha, there was definitely a concept of 'real' self or Ātman which is nothing else than the absolute Brahman, while Śūnyata -Anātman refers to rejection or emptiness of an external or separate Ātman which is different from the absolute Brahman . Also, even according to the Vedic texts, there is no separate or external self once it attains oneness with Brahman . So it is not right to claim that the Buddha rejected the Vedic concept of Ātman -Brahman completely. However, Buddha did reject the concept of 'Saguṇa' Brahman or the manifested form of absolute Brahman and had ideas similar to 'Nirguṇa' or unmanifested absolute Brahman. It is also true that the Buddha denied the authority of the Vedas and Vedic rituals. But in Sundarika sutta , the Buddha interpreted Vedic rituals as symbolic and internal. This metaphorical description of Vedic ritulas are in fact already found in the Vedic texts like Cāndogya Upaniṣad 5.4 onwards.
So from all these evidences we can conclude that the Buddha did not reject the core tenets of Vedic texts. But he did reform certain Vedic cultural traits such as Vedic rituals, supreme authority of the Vedas etc. So it is not correct to state that the Buddha's teachings were completely against Vedic culture as claimed by some people. Although gradually, new sects and divisions came up within Buddhism,with new concepts and elements which were distinct from Vedic culture. But they still adhered to the core tenets of early teachings of Buddha as found in the Pali cannon, which are strictly related to the Vedic elements.
Some people claim that the Buddha completely rejected the Vedic culture in which he was brought up. They further state that his teachings were against the Vedic culture and concepts.
But in reality, he did not completely reject his Vedic culture and heritage. Many of his teachings included elements which are found in the Vedic texts. The concepts like Dharma, Karma, Mōkṣa or Nirvāṇa , reincarnation etc which were included in the teachings of the Buddha are found in the Vedic texts. Although these concepts were still developing in the early Vedic era, they further evolved and and became widespread by the time of later Vedic period. Many of the later Vedic texts like the early Upaniṣad-s certainly predate the time of the Buddha. One of the early Buddhist text named Tēvijja sutta which belongs to the Pali cannon, the earliest available Buddhist corpus, talks about Vedic Brāhmaṇa-s who were well versed in Upaniṣad-s like Cāndogya, Taittirīya etc.
In addition to these Vedic concepts, the Buddha often compared the Nirvāṇa (supreme goal or liberation in Buddhism) with the Vedic concept of attaining oneness with the Brahman or the supreme absolute according to the Vedic texts as it is evident from the early Buddhist texts of Pali cannon. For example, I cite a Buddhist text named Kandaraka sutta , where the phrase 'become Brahman' or 'Brahmabhūta' occurs. This phrase occurs in other texts as well. It must be noted that there exists various groups of demigods named Brahma-s inhabiting various heavenly realms in Buddhist mythology. Some argue that the Brahma mentioned in the cited phrase refers to the demigod Brahma-s instead of the Vedic absolute Brahman. I think this is not correct, since in another Buddhist text named Paṭhamarāga sutta of Itivuttaka, the Buddha himself is said to have become Brahman. This could only refer to the absolute Brahman since in various texts like Brahma-nimantanika sutta , the demigod Brahmas are said to be inferior beings compared to the Buddha and they even praised the Buddha. So the Brahman of Brahmabhūta refers to the absolute because the Buddha obviously would have not become a demigod Brahma who is inferior to him. It is also interesting to note that the term Brahman is synonymous with the term Dharma , the teachings or virtuous path of the Buddha which reflects the Buddha himself, as explained in Vakkali sutta . For example in
Aggañña sutta , the Buddha states that to become Dharma is to become Brahman. Also in Maha-sīhanāda sutta , the Buddha equates the Dharmacakra , the wheel of Dharma with Brahmacakra, the wheel of Brahman. Dharmacakra is the most important symbol of the Buddha's teachings. Further in Janussoni Brāhmaṇa sutta , the Buddha states that the Āryā-aṣṭāṅgamārga or the noble eight-fold path which leads to Nirvāṇa is synonymous with Dharmayāna , the vehicle or path of Dharma which is same as Brahmayāna, the vehicle or path of Brahman. So in some instances, Brahman obviously refers to the Vedic absolute which is synonymous with Dharma . Interestingly, the term Brahmabhūta also occurs in Bhagavad Gīta 18.54 which clearly refers to the union with absolute Brahman.
Some may argue that the Buddha taught doctrine of Anātman which refers to selflessness and rejection of Ātman through Śūnyata , the void or emptiness. According to the Vedic doctrine, there is Ātman or self and it is identical to the absolute Brahman. So the argument is that this Śūnyatā-Aātman doctrine of the Buddha contradicts with the Vedic doctrine of Ātman -Brahman. However, the phrase from Kandaraka sutta which is cited above has mention of Ātman or self becoming Brahman, which is similar to the Vedic doctrine of Ātman equal to Brahman. So in my opinion, Śūnyata-Anātman would only refer to the removal of self like 'I' or 'Me' and establishing the oneness with the 'real' Ātman which is identical to the absolute Brahman. This is supported by advise of the Buddha to his disciples from Maha-parinibbāna sutta to take refuge unto their selves and on Dharma which is in turn identical to Brahman as explained above. So according to the Buddha, there was definitely a concept of 'real' self or Ātman which is nothing else than the absolute Brahman, while Śūnyata -Anātman refers to rejection or emptiness of an external or separate Ātman which is different from the absolute Brahman . Also, even according to the Vedic texts, there is no separate or external self once it attains oneness with Brahman . So it is not right to claim that the Buddha rejected the Vedic concept of Ātman -Brahman completely. However, Buddha did reject the concept of 'Saguṇa' Brahman or the manifested form of absolute Brahman and had ideas similar to 'Nirguṇa' or unmanifested absolute Brahman. It is also true that the Buddha denied the authority of the Vedas and Vedic rituals. But in Sundarika sutta , the Buddha interpreted Vedic rituals as symbolic and internal. This metaphorical description of Vedic ritulas are in fact already found in the Vedic texts like Cāndogya Upaniṣad 5.4 onwards.
So from all these evidences we can conclude that the Buddha did not reject the core tenets of Vedic texts. But he did reform certain Vedic cultural traits such as Vedic rituals, supreme authority of the Vedas etc. So it is not correct to state that the Buddha's teachings were completely against Vedic culture as claimed by some people. Although gradually, new sects and divisions came up within Buddhism,with new concepts and elements which were distinct from Vedic culture. But they still adhered to the core tenets of early teachings of Buddha as found in the Pali cannon, which are strictly related to the Vedic elements.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.