Buddhism

India accepted Buddhism because:

1. The scholars of that time never preached philosophy to the common people.

They hated the language of the common people and called it Bhákhá.

2. Back then, there was no Tattvadarshii or eminent philosopher.

3. The people in general were not ready to accept the pandits or scholars.

4. The Ácáryas of that age, Shrii Saiṋjaya and Shrii Gayá Kashyapa, could not convince Buddha.

All these factors led to the wide propagation and acceptance of Buddhism.

Buddhism believes in rebirth and transmigration of souls, so the question arises: Who is reborn if there is no Átman?

This became a point of controversy among the Bhikkus (monks) and later among the Maháyánii scholars.

Buddhism believes in Karmaphala or the reaction of actions.

• If karmaphala is accepted, then who performs karma or action and who gets the karmaphala?
• Therefore, the existence of Átman has got to be recognized.

Towards the end of Buddha’s life some of his disciples asked Buddha about the existence of God:

• Does God exist?
• Is it a fact that God does not exist?

Buddha remained silent on both questions.

• Some of his disciples interpreted this to mean that there is no God.
• Another section of disciples understood that God exists.
• A third section came forward with the interpretation that there is God, but God is beyond the expression of “Asti” and “násti” or “is” and “is not”; that is, God’s existence is inexplicable.

Actually God is supramental.

Yato váco nivartante aprápya manasásaha, Ánandaḿ brahmano vidvá má vibheti kutahcanah.

There are 4 sections in Buddhist philosophy:

1. Pratyakśa Váhya Vastuváda or Soutańtrika Darshana
2. Anumeya Váhya-vastuváda or Vaebháśika Darshana
3. Sarvashúnyaváda or Mádhyamika Darshana
4. Kśańika Vijiṋánaváda or Baoddha Yogácára.

Pratyakśa Váhyavastuváda accepts the universe as infinite, that is, anádii and ananta or beginningless and infinite when Caetanya or Consciousness becomes álayiibhúta or objectivated then it becomes jiṋána.

The outer world is transitory but due to rapid movement (Saiṋcara or Prati-saiṋcara: extroversion or introversion) it appears to exist constantly.

According to Hindu philosophy Saiṋcara means “to go away from Brahma” and Pratisaiṋcara means “to come near to Brahma,” that is Saiṋcara means the Vikarśanii Shakti of Brahma and Prati-saiṋcara means the Ákarśanii Shakti of Brahma.

Anumeyaváhya Vastuváda accepts the waves of Jiṋána as a permanent entity (sattá).

There is the external world but the world will never be realized. When the waves of consciousness (Jiṋána) come, the mind takes a form according to the Saḿskáras or potential reactions of past actions of the Citta or mental plate. Formations created in the mind are taken to be Satya or veracity. When Jiṋána comes in contact with Álambana or desideratum, Citta takes a form: it takes the outward álambana as the object realized.

Sarvashúnyaváda is also called Mádhyamika Darshana and was propounded by Shriinágárjuna.

He did not accept the páiṋcabhaotika world or the 5 fundamental factors.

The external world which we see is Máyá or illusion.

This philosophy is similar to Shaḿkara’s philosophy, Brahma Satyam jagatmithyá.

According to Shaḿkara, the universe has been created out of nothing and is like a dream, nothing more. Bhává i.e. something has been created out of Abhává i.e. nothing.

This school of philosophy accepts only the present and ignores the past and the future. It also says that the universe will merge into nothing.

Kśańika-vijiṋánaváda does not admit the physical world: here everything is internal.

Even álambana is internal. Whatever is seen in this physical world is pratikriyá or the outer projection of internal álambana. Átman is the collection of the “I” feelings. It is not a continuous flow but appears to be so on account of the quick succession of its creation and destruction.

During the age of Bhagaván Shaḿkarácárya there was no outstanding philosopher (tattvadraśt́a) among the Buddhists.

Among different sections of the Buddhist schools of philosophy a serious dispute was going on. At that time Shrii Manadana Mishra was the only scholar who believed in Sarva Shúnyaváda or complete nihilism and he was also a Kriyá Káńdii or follower of the path of action.

He debated with Shaḿkarácárya and was defeated.

According to Buddhist philosophy there are 4 noble truths (Satya) called Caturajja satya:

1. Duhkha or sorrow
2. Kárańa of duhkha or the cause of sorrow
3. Nivrtti of duhkha or the cessation of sorrow
4. Upáya of duhkha nivritti or the means of the cessation of sorrow.

The Vikrti or distortion of the Duhkhaváda or the school of pessimism became Atisukhaváda or ultra-hedonism.

• Atisukhaváda was prevalent in Bengal, Assam and Tibet.

According to Buddhism, duhkha is Árya Satya or the absolute truth.

• This is a wrong interpretation as it is only the Mánas or mind which experiences dukha.
• Dukha can thus be only a relative truth.
• It cannot be an absolute truth