Thursday, January 13, 2022

Was Prabhupāda’s understanding of Buddhism influenced by Culture?

Analysis of all the quotes of Srila Prabhupada on Buddhism finding their sources

The propounder of the theory of Cultural Conditioning of Śrila Prabhupāda supports his theory by saying that Śrīla Prabhupāda’s understanding of Buddhism was not based on study of Buddhism but what he heard from the people around in the culture he was brought up in.

To give an example of the fact that Prabhupada was influenced by his culture, …the concept that Prabhupada had of Buddhism, that didn’t came from a study of Buddhism, but from what was spoken regarding it.

— talk given by the propounder, Krishna West Convention / Brazil; Transcriśão Português – Inglês

(Tempo: 44:02 - 55:53)

Let us see what Śrīla Prabhupāda says about Buddhism and try to trace wherefrom his ideas of Buddhism are coming. We have searched for all instances of Buddhism from all the published teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda and these are the exclusive points about Buddhism that he speaks:

1.       Lord Buddha was incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa

Sources: SB 1.3.24; Jayadeva Gosvāmī’s Daśāvatāra-stotram

2.       He appeared to stop animal killing in the name of Vedic sacrifices and thus cheat the athiests

Sources:

-          Jayadeva Gosvāmī’s Daśāvatāra-stotram

-          SB 1.3.24, Vallabhācārya’s Commentary—“ For making demons posing as brāhmaṇas to give up or reject the Vedas, the Lord will appear as Buddha.”

-          SB 1.3.24, sloka itself uses word sammohāya sura-dviṣām – ‘in order to bewilder the athiests.’

3.       Buddha incarnations in different kali-yuga may have little different activities

Sources:

-          SP says that he takes this information from Jīva Gosvāmī.

-          Jīva Gosvāmī says in his commentary—“This is spoken about some other special kaliyuga as the type of demons that are mentioned here are not heard of in this kaliyuga.”

4.       SB 5.15.1—“The son of Mahārāja Bharata known as Sumati followed the path of Ṛṣabhadeva, but some unscrupulous people imagined him to be Lord Buddha himself.”

-          These ācāryas who do not follow the Vedic principles are presently known as the ārya-samājas, or the Jains. Not only do they not follow the Vedic principles, but they have no relationship with Lord Buddha. Imitating the behavior of Sumati, they claim to be the descendants of Ṛṣabhadeva. (purport)

-          In the purport Śrīla Prabhupāda analyzed from Bhāgavatam and distinguished faulty Buddhism from real Buddhism. He was not just influenced.

5.       In SB 6.8.19, devotee is praying to Lord Buddha in his prayers. Śrīla Prabhupāda—“ One should therefore surrender to Lord Buddha so that he can help one avoid misusing the injunctions of the Vedas. (Purport)”

Source:

-          Vamśīdhara—pramādāt means intelligence that destroys knowledge of śāstras as it is.  Buddha is prayed here to save one from such an intelligence.

-          Bhagavatprasādācārya says the same thing.

-          Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha—Prayer is, ‘Please protect us again and again for properly following the path of dharma’

Prabhupāda did not speculate the purpose of the prayer to Lord Buddha but derived it from ācāryas.

6.       Buddhism was widely spread in India by King Aśoka

-          Well known in history of India by all historians.

-          “Buddhism” by Monier Williams, Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 1889 (1995), p.59

-          “Asoka” by James M. Macphail, Oxford University Press, 1863, Chapter 4

7.       Buddhism was thrown out of India by Śankarācārya

-          Jaiva Dharma Ch. 2[1]

8.       Birth place of Lord Buddha mentioned as Kīkaṭa is Gayā in Magadha

-          Śrīdhara Svāmī—“Kikaṭa means at Gayā in Madhyapradesh”

-          Viśvanātha Cakravarti Ṭhākura—same as above

9.       Lord Buddha was a prince named siddhārtha.

-          The Buddha Kārikā[2], 2.17

10.   Buddha saw an old man and thus he became renounced and took to life of tapasyā

-          The Buddha Kārikā 3.27 onwards (Buddha saw old man and thoughts in his mind)

-          The Buddha Kārikā Chapter 5 (Buddha taking to renunciation)

11.   Kāśī Māyāvādīs as Sāranātha Buddhists of Kāśī

 

12.   Buddha’s Philosphy is Athiestic (nāstikyavāda)

Source: Cc 2.6.168

13.   He preached Non-violence and thus defied Vedas

Source: Jayadeva Gosvāmī’s Daśāvatāra-stotram

14.   Buddha Philosophy is called Śūnyavāda

Source:

-          Brāhmaṇa and Vaiṣṇava 3 (Vyavahāra Kāṇḍa), Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura

“There are two concepts of impersonal philosophy—denial of spiritual propensities and denial of spiritual activities, both devoid of eternal worship. When people consider the absense of the conscious function as the goal of life it results in çünyaväda, or voidism. And when they consider the idea that consciousness is devoid of activity it is called Mäyäväda, or spiritualism without variety.”

-          Caitanya Bhāgavata 1.17.42, Purport (Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura)

“The voidism of the Buddhists and the impersonalism of the païcopäsakas are buried under these lotus feet of Gadädhara.”

-          Jaiva Dharma Ch.2

“At the time of his appearance, India urgently required a guëa-avatära, an incarnation who presides over the material nature, because the spread of the voidistic philosophy of Buddhism had caused India to practically give up the cultivation and study of the Vedas, as well as the practice of varëäçrama-dharma, the Vedic social system. Nihilistic Buddhism, known as çünyaväda, directly denies the existence of a personal God and although hinting at the principle of the jévätmä, the eternal spirit soul, Buddhism remains in essence anitya-dharma.”

-          Śrī Caitanya Candrodaya 6.252, Kavi Karṇapura

tathä tasya rüpasyäpéti. kevala-nirviçeñatve çünyavädävasaraù prasajyeta.

“In spite of all evidence to the contrary, the voidists and impersonalitsts will still insist that the Supreme Brahman has no qualities.”

-          SB 9.9.49, Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha says—

kecid-avaidikāḥ śūnya-nāmnā kalpitaṁ jalpanti na tattattvamityāha aśūnyamiti |

“Some people, who reject the Vedas, imgine the Absolute Truth to be void and speak of Him like that. It is not correct is said in this verse starting from word aśūnyam.”

-          Monier Williams Dictionary says—

शून्य/अ—वाद

m. the (Buddhist) doctrine of the non-existence (of any Spirit either Supreme or human) , Buddhism , atheism Madhus.

 

15.   According to Buddha, Consciousness or existence is the cause of distress

Source:

-          Brāhmaṇa and Vaiṣṇava 3 (Vyavahāra Kāṇḍa), Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura

“There are two concepts of impersonal philosophy—denial of spiritual propensities and denial of spiritual activities, both devoid of eternal worship. When people consider the absense of the conscious function as the goal of life it results in çünyaväda, or voidism. And when they consider the idea that consciousness is devoid of activity it is called Mäyäväda, or spiritualism without variety.”

16.   Buddhism and Māyāvāda are both same atheistic philosophies

Source:

-          Padma Purāṇa uttara khaṇḍa 25.7 as quoted in Cc 2.6.182

-          Without properly studying Buddhism and Māyāvāda how did Prabhupada compared these two? If his source is comtemporary people then how he came to same conclusion as śāstra? Surely no contemporary source of Māyāvāda declared it as false scripture.

17.   Budhhist theory of non-violence is based on Atmavat sarvabhutesu

 

18.   Buddhism believes that at death everything is finished (SB 8.9.12, purport)

Source:

-          Viśvanātha—According to Buddhitsts, at death everything is finished. That is also the opinion of Hiraṇyakaśipu.

-          Śloka and translation of SB 8.9.12 doesn’t have any hint of Buddha, still Prabhupāda mentions it not out of his speculative connection but from Viśvanātha’s commentary

19.   Buddhism believes that life symptoms are a result of combination of matter

Source:

-          In his Commentary to Bg 2.26, Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa compares buddhism to vaibhāṣika mata. Vaibhāṣikas believe that life is different from gross body but that it goes on changing and is a result of material combination[3].

20.   9-points of Buddhist Philosophy (Cc 2.9.49 purport)

Source: Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura as mentioned by Prabhupāda himself in the purport[4].

21.   Although Lord Buddha said there is no God, He is worshipped just like God in thousands of temples all over the world

Source: Pratyakṣa is sufficient. There are thousands of temples all over world many of which are very ancient, showing that temple worship of Lord Buddha is quite ancient.

http://www.touropia.com/famous-buddhist-temples/

Note the dates of establishment of these temples, oldest is Mahabodhi temple built by Asoka in his times (about 300 BC).

22.   Destination of Buddhists is between Brahma-jyoti and Material World (Maheśa-dhāma)

 

23.   Śrīla Prabhupāda discusses with leading propagator of Zen Buddhism in Europe (Paris) and defeats his ideas not in line with the original Buddhism. (Room Conversation with Mr.Deshimaru, June 13, 1974)

-          See about Taisen Deshimaru at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taisen̮Deshimaru; http://www.buddhanet.net/masters/deshimaru.htm

-          Interesting, it’s not that Prabhupada takes idea of Buddhism from him but he sticks to his ideas of Buddhism derived from sastras

24.    



[1] In those days, the brāhmaṇas had all but forsaken the Vedic religion and converted to Buddhism.

“At this historic moment, the extraordinarily powerful Lord Śiva appeared as Śrī Śaṅkarācārya and reinstated the pristine glory of the Vedas by transforming nihilistic Voidism into monistic Brahmanism. This was a spectacular achievement, for which India will always remain indebted to Śrī Śaṅkarācārya.

[2] The Buddha Kārikā is a sanskrit text on Life of Lord Buddha written in 2nd Century A. D. by Aśvaghoṣa.

Present Edition used is Edited by Edward B. Cowell, Cosmo Publications, New Delhi, 1894

[3] dehād bhinno vijñāna-svarūpo’py ātmā pratikṣaṇa-vināśīti vaibhāṣikādayo bauddhā vadanti |

[4] Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura states that according to the Buddhist cult there are two ways of understanding philosophy. One is called Hīnāyāna, and the other is called Mahāyāna. Along the Buddhist path there are nine principles: (1) The creation is eternal; therefore there is no need to accept a creator. (2) This cosmic manifestation is false. (3) “I am” is the truth. (4) There is repetition of birth and death. (5) Lord Buddha is the only source of understanding the truth. (6) The principle of nirvāṇa, or annihilation, is the ultimate goal. (7) The philosophy of Buddha is the only philosophical path. (8) The Vedas are compiled by human beings. (9) Pious activities, showing mercy to others and so on are advised.

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