Few facts on Buddhism. Buddhism is a religion different from Hinduism. Buddha is a Hindu by birth, and got enlightened when he meditated to find solution to human suffering. Buddhism doesn’t believe in Vedas, and donot accept existence of God. Buddha asked his disciples to not pray to a God, including himself. Instead he suggested they could pray to the Tree under which he got enlightened. Now take this, Hindus consider Buddha as Ninth important incarnation of Lord Vishnu. For a Hindu, that is full of contradictions. Least to expect is to follow Budha’s teachings and his philosophy to attain Moksha (Spiritual Liberation). Let us understand briefly more about Buddha, another great teacher from India, and to understand the Buddhism philosophy on the occassion of Buddha Pournima we just celebrated.
Sidhartha Gouthama is born in Lumbini town (now in Nepal), in a royal family, 2500 years ago. As a prince, enjoyed comfortable life. Married to Yashodhara, and had a son, Rahula. From young age Sidhartha had question on the Life and sufferings it brings to all human being, poor or rich. Hinduism ritualistics are followed more commonly in those days, and he was perticularly disturbed with the animal sacrifices at Vedic Ritual of yagna. To seek answers to these questions, he renounced home and went in seach of answers. At Bodh Gaya (in India) he mediated on the same to find a solution and attained enlightenment. One time he was asked by someone what (not who) is he – a human, a god or a prince? He denied all, but called himself Buddha (which means who attained Knowledge) .
Buddha’s teachings can be summerized as 4 Nobe Truths: 1.Human suffering (Pain), 2.Cause of Pain is Desire, 3. One can overcome suffering or pain 4.Eightfold path to free from Pain and attain Nirvana.
Buddha’s these teachings had direct impact on Hinduism. Many people, kings and kindoms have adapted Buddhism teachings and way of life. His teachings not only captured India but it was followed with rigour in most of west Asian countries, upto Japan, and in middle East to Afghanistan and beyond. Buddhism has established universities like Nallanda where Buddha’s teachings were tought to International students, along with other Indian schools of philosophy. Arab invaders destroyed these universities which had vast libraries of knowledge, like 7 floor library which was put on fire, losing innumerable and invaluable collection of material on Hindu/Budhism philosophies, and many texts on different subjects. Ofcourse, by the time of invasion- Budhism was already losing popularity, and Hinduism coming back to main stream in India.
Is Budha a Vishnu Avatara?
“Avatara” literally means “God” coming down from above (tara means one in Sky, avatara means a Tara which has come down). So Avatara means God manifests on Earth to resolve a problem or desroy Evil on earth who may be troubling other human beings or living beings. As per Hindu scripts, Lord Vishnu has taken many forms of life on earth at different stages, called avataras. Das-avataras are the 10 most famous avataras, and are important ones in Hindu tradition. Some scriptures also list 22 or 24 avataras of Lord Vishnu. Lord Buddha is considered as ninth Avatara of these Avataras.
Buddha’s philosophy doesn’t contradict much of Hindu philosophy though very different. Buddhism teaching is more focused on how to liberate one from suffering life by attaining Nirvana. Like Hindus, Buddhist also believes in rebith. But Buddhism doesn’t consider Vedas sacred, which are sacred for Hinduism. It also doesn’t believe in existence of Omni Present, Omni Potent God or devine power. Budha asked his disciples and followers not to pray any God or hilmself after his death. Instead asked them to pray to Bodhi Vruksha (tree) where he got enlightened. Buddhists always had question as they believed in rebitrth, who was Buddha in the prior Janma. There are stories that Buddha was Srikrishna’s teacher in past birth, which Hindu’s donot believe.
Instead Hindus actually believed Buddha as ninth avatara of Lord Vishnu.
Buddhist Philosophy?
Buddha teaching was to escape from rebirth, from the pain, and attain Nirvana. Nirvana is same as moksha (liberation) in Hinduism, and that’s where similarity ends too. Per Hinduism, Atma attains Moksham where Jeevatma merges with Paramatma. But Buddhism doesnt believe in God, thus neither Paramatma nor Jeevatma are acceptable. Buddha was asked once do you believe in Atma? He neither agreed nor denied but was silent. This complicated silence lead to different interpretations in Budhism, with disciples leading to 4 prominent schools (Madhyamika, Vijnanavada, Sautrantika, and Vaibhasika).
Nagarjuna is a Budhist monk from South India who authored book Mulamadhyamikakarika – which is talking about madhyamika school of teaching, the “In-between-path” school of philosophy. Nagarjuna is considered as the greatest thinker of Asia, and his work is considered as closest interpretation of Buddha’s teachings. Madhyamika is also called The Two Truth doctrine, where the world is neither real neither unreal, but indeterminal. This is also called in Sanksrit as SunyaVaada, argument with empty outcome. Indeed it is this school which is considered authentic Budhist school – School of Mahayaana – followed by Tibetan, Japan Budhist schools.
Hindu’s take on Avatara
Per Vishnu purana, asuras were following vedas but continue to harm living beings, and Vishnu has come as Budha to make them not follow Vedas, leading them to adharma and defeat with devas and.going to Patala.
There is also a discussion if Gauthama Budha is the Budha referred in Puranas, as he is born as Sidhartha in Lumbini while Puranas referred Budha born in Gaya. Thus Sugata Buddha is considered as the Budha vedas referred.
Some consider Balarama as one of the Dasaavatara and exclude Budha.
There is a view that even in Srimadbhagavata written by Vedavyasa 5000+ years ago referring Buddha as avatara to be coming in future. Remember, after Budha next Vishnu avatara is Kalki which is in future. He would be coming at the end of Kaliyuga. We are still in first phase of Kaliyuga, 3 more to come before Kaliyuga ends. If the maths is correct – it’s believed to last yet another 426,875 years as of 2024.
ISKON has a beautiful narrative on Budha avataara. God has come to rescue these individuals who donot want to believe in God and donot believe in Vedas by giving them a path to liberation. Almighty is always considered generous to every living being and he loves to help them succeed in their lives. Thus God himself came as Budha to preach and affirm no God but provided Dharma to this followers to lead lives towards Nirvana.
Hinduism always had contradicting narratives and taken them into its stride thus having tolerance in society. The famous Darsanas of Hinduism including Charuvaka, Nyaya, Vaiseshika donot consider Vedas as basis for their philosophy. Thus Budha is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu for uplifting certain human beings. As Maadhyamika budhism teaches us, it’s real but also not real.
Another perspective is, in the days of Budha attaining Nirvana, he didn’t come with a new religion, not there was a concept of religion at that time. It was a way of living, new Dharma principles to follow. In Hindu texts these are called Darsanas. As Kanchi Sankaraacharya suggested, we donot know our past why Budha was considered as Vishnu avatar, but we go ahead in our spiritual journey by taking the noble thoughts from the Budhism – but give less importance in current era for Budha as Vishnu avatara.
Swamy Podila 