As a result of Buddha's reformation of existing religions, Buddhism is regarded a Hindu tradition in India. Buddha became a Hindu monk and then taught everyone how to become a monk.
by Prof. Rajiv Chopra
It is not imperative, though sometime, to evaluate well-known phenomenon like dharma. True, sensible people don’t question a phenomenon already proven in all aspects. The existence of dharma is confirmed, but its nature is unknown. Most people recognize Dharma. But there is disagreement on what the term dharma entails. Some believe that worshipping a certain cremation tree is dharma, while others believe performing sacrifice ceremonies is dharma. Dharma is required to achieve human aspirations. Dharma is not a worldly concept. Dharma lacks colour, texture, etc.; hence it cannot be perceived. As each prama’s pramajyehatva (eldest among the pramas) functions as a promoter, perception cannot be the object of inference. Verbal testimony cannot be contested as proof because a super-sensuous thing cannot make sense to others or be aware of others if stated in words.
Enacting morality is the essence of Dharma. Buddhism, like other religions, substantiates this idea. The Buddha considered pious life (dharmya jvan) to be moral life formed of moral virtues. These moral virtues can lead to nirvâna. According to the ‘Anguttar-nikya, one who commits immoral acts is not entitled to emancipation or nirvana. Being a pure-hearted person is considered the first level of spiritual progress in Buddhism. Purity of character here means both exterior and mental purity. All exterior actions stem from the mind’s will. We will first
then act. So, morality is important in Buddhism for purifying our will. As in Hinduism, attaining moral virtues such as karuna, ahimsa, and niti is stressed in Buddhism. As a result, Buddhism has neglected the exterior ceremonial activities of dharma, i.e., rituals, because they constrain man to simply execute rituals, ignoring the moral aspect of religion, which is the essence of dharma. In fact, dharma’s ultimate goal is to purify the character through moral values. Dharma is neither a theoretical debate nor a devotion to deities. Liberation isn’t reliant on it. Right understanding is the only way to freedom. Meditation and character cleansing bring appropriate wisdom. Every man creates his own fortune. Liberation must come from inside, not from a divine power. An important role in human liberty is an endeavour. It is part of Buddhism’s uniqueness.
Is Buddhism actually part of Hinduism? The answer to this question is subjective. As a result of Buddha’s reformation of existing religions, Buddhism is regarded a Hindu tradition in India. Buddha became a Hindu monk and then taught everyone how to become a monk. He never threw out the Gods. He put the Buddha (the enlightened) first, as it should be. Hinduism and Buddhism are nearly the same. Even His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, says Hinduism is our mother. Buddhism arose from Hinduism. Earlier, people would make animal sacrifices, which Buddha denounced. He stated you shouldn’t do it. Any religion has such interpolation. Though not originally part of the faith, they became part of it subsequently. Then they assume this is religion. They abandon philosophy but retain practices. These become points of disagreement and sect form. There’s Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism. But Buddha didn’t make them. 32 Buddhist sects sprung up subsequently. Which did Buddha create? He didn’t make them. He only reformed what was previously done. In this country, saffron was worn by monks. He told his monks to shave their heads. So, Buddha followed Hinduism, like seeking alms, asking for nourishment, and getting rid of the ego.
People from all religions and faiths attended Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath, popularly known as Shree Kshetra, or the most sacred location. The ‘Avatar Avada’ idea of incarnations aims to combine cultural and scientific values. Avatar Avada is a psychological way of understanding creation. The ten incarnations recorded in Hindu scriptures can be analyzed philosophically and scientifically. Avatar Avada depicts Darwin’s hypothesis of the evolution of life on Earth and the eventual development of human society. Buddha is the ninth incarnation out of 10. The Buddha is the Enlightened One. The learned guy is known as Buddha in society. None of the Vedas or Samhitas mentions Buddha as Vishnu’s avatar. In later Vedic literature, Buddha is mentioned as Pratibodha, Baudhayana in Baudhayana Srauta Sutra, and Baudhiputra in Brhadaranyaka Upanisad. But none of this is related to Gautam Buddha’s ninth incarnation. The Mantrapatha mentions a saint named Bodha. However, a closer look reveals that it has no relevance to Buddha’s incarnation. Some historians tried to prove Buddha’s presence from the time of the Vedas, citing the word Buddha in various religious texts. However, it is not mentioned in Harivamsa or Bhagavat Gita. In Padma Purana, Lord Vishnu appears as a Buddha, instructing the illusion to slay demons. According to Agni Purana, Lord Vishnu, as Sudhodhana’s son, expelled the demons. According to the Garuda Purana, Lord Vishnu will take birth as the Buddha, the son of Jina. The Bhagavat Purana depicts Buddha as the future incarnation of Rishabha, the first Jaina Tirthankar. Vishnu would take on the form of Buddha as Ajana’s son in Magadha. Its mission, according to Bhagavat Purana, was to expel demons.
Then one universal religion can be prescribed for global peace and harmony based on moral values like endurance, forgiveness, friendliness and compassion, and performing one’s own duties. Morality and humanity are the two pillars of true human recognition from which society benefits. Therefore, religion’s main responsibility is to serve, leaving creatures that are God’s expansion. That is the true meaning of the phenomena of dharma, which is the main message of all religions and the current need for world peace.
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