Author: Vinod Kumar
Shukla
Publication: The Observer
of Business and Politics
Date: October 2, 2000
It is beyond the scope
of history to deal with the doctrine, principle and practice which distinguishes
Buddhism as a religion and a philosophy. It may, however, be generally
noted that Buddhism is very largely the outcome of the preexisting Bramhnical
thought.
It was known as new order
for the emphasis it laid on life as distinct from rites and rituals.
It is anticipated by some of the Upanishads which put knowledge of Atma
as the sole and ultimate reality above Vedas and rituals.
Especially Sage Yajnavalkya
insisted not merely on the ultimate oneness of man but also on the achivement
of the oneness as self realisation of man as a progressive process, figured
as a way through rebirth or transmigration.
Religion is a way of
life, which is reflected in the nature, temperament and behaviour of the
people of particular geographical areas. Since time immemorial we
were having faith in some kind of supernatural things.
The concept of organised
religion is a historical thing but faith, beliefs, rituals are prehistoric
concepts. If we talk about religion, we will find many faiths of
which most religions originated in India like Hinduism. Buddhism,
Jainism, Sikkhism which gets worldwide recognition.
Hinduism was not propounded
by any body. It was known as Sanatana - eternal, which has no beginning
and no end. This was later named as Hinduism. The philosophy
of Hinduism is basically influenced or dominated by rites and rituals.
Almost all religions
along with Hinduism have their basic philosophy propounded by Upanishads.
According to a philosophy
scholar, Bloomfield, recent research has proved that the root of the Hindu
philosophy, including atheist Buddhism can be traced back to the Upanishads.
Though Buddhist scholars
have sometimes refuted that Buddhism is a continuation of Upanisadik thoughts.
nevertheless contemporary researchers have shown roots of Buddhism in Upanishads.
Kumaril Bhatt has proved
that tenents of Buddhist philosophy like Vijnanvad, Momentiness, Nirpekshavad,
Karmavad, difference in Samvriti and Parmarth, ignorance has been accepted
as cause for jara-maran (pain and decay).
Moksha (liberation) through
Samyagayan has also been derived from these.
Oldenburg, Prof M G Ranade
and other philosophers of the time also came out with the same conclusion.
The concept of Anatmavad
is well derived from a hymn of Kathopnishad which goes like this: Yeyam
Prete Vichitiksa manusye Astityake Nayamsteeti Chaike
In the same Upanishad
this hymn, Swobhave matyarkayam yadantak ettsarvendriyanan jaryanti tejah,
explains the Buddhist concept of momentiness and Sarvam Dukham. The
concept of Vijnanvad and Karmavad are derived from Aitreyaupanishad.
The concept of Punarmajanma
(rebirth) which is extensively discussed in Upanishads is one of the major
concept of the Buddhist philosophy also.
In fact, the concept
of Bodhisatva which a person attains after certain process, has been explained
in Buddhist literature as- by the beliefs that fourth and fifth incarnation
of Buddha is yet to come.
The theory of Pratittasamutpad
which gives theory of Dwadas Nidan is very much identical to the Upanishadik
Brahma Chakra concept.
The Buddhist movement
was started as a reformist movement. There were several evils in
the Sanatana religion of the time. Sanskrit was the mode of communication
of priest and that was not understood by the general people whose condition
was at the worst.
So Buddhism and Jainism
came out as a reaction to the Bramhanical religion. Its teaching
or mode of communication was Apabhramsa which gave accesses to the general
people.
It also vehemently refuted
rites and rituals and orthodoxy of the Brahmanical religion, and gave respite
to the people.
During the very life
time of Buddha its popularity was overwhelming but still there were many
unanswered philosophical and epistimological questions.
Buddha himself had left
many question unanswered and kept mum on many questions asked.
At this moment of time
it has taken something from its precursor. There were further development
in Buddhism which led to a split as Hinyani and Mahayanis.
Buddhists tried to accept
reality in different forms. Hinyanis were realists and Mahayanies
were idealists. The idealist Mahayanis are totally influenced with
the Upanishads. Even they tried to interpret some unanswered questions
following Upanishads.
Pure idealism is maintained
in Upanishads at transcendental level. They say that the existence
of Bramhan is the only reality and the existence of the world is a superimposition
of Bramhan. World is indescribable at empirical level, as it is maya
which is neither true nor false.
Hinayani Buddhists say
this world is real as it looks because they do not believe in the existence
of Bramhan. They do not have any concept of Bramhan from where they
can derive world and thus accept mundane facts.
Mahayani group with Yogachari
were absolute idealists and Sunyawadins were almost on the paths of Upanishadic
teachings as they worshipped Buddha as god and later on the concept of
self (atman) cropped up in their philosophy where they also described the
world as indescribable Swabhave Sunya.
A Buddhist scholar Dharmendra
Kumar says "Since Upanishads are precursor of the Buddhism, the reflection
of thought is inevitable. But there are many more things in Buddhism
which makes it fundamentally different from others. The most important
concept is of Bodhisatva. The concept of Maya also gives it a different
pedestal. Upanishads tells us that we got to know things superimposed
by Bramhana otherwise everything is maya not real while Buddhist say whatever
we perceive are real but momentary."
A philosophy academician
of Chandigarh University Vinod Srivastava says "The main stress of Buddhism
is on Nirvana or liberation that is no way different to the Upanashadik
concept of Moksha. It is definitely unfair to say that they are exactly
same but it is of course close to Upanishads especially later developments."
Not only this, many other
Indian philosophical orders are close to Upanishads such as Mimansha, Vedandas,
Jain and even Charvakas.
