Downloaded from Brill.Com10/05/2021 02:47:43PM Via Free Access the Metaphysics and Ethics According to the Bhagavadgitii and the Suttanta Pitaka

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Downloaded from Brill.Com10/05/2021 02:47:43PM Via Free Access the Metaphysics and Ethics According to the Bhagavadgitii and the Suttanta Pitaka THE METAPHYSICS AND ETHICS ACCORDING TO THEBHAGAVADGITA AND THE SUTTANTA PITAKA1 Samniang Leurmsae the control of God. With regard to the idea Abstract of ethics, some practical paths written in both texts are really the same, but the The purpose of this paper is to compare standard of moral judgement in the ideas of metaphysics and ethics written in Bhagavadgita differs from the Suttanta the Bhagavadgitii text of Hinduism, and Pitaka due to the belief in God. the Suttanta Pitaka, text of Buddhism. After examination, it is found that the Introduction Bhagavadg1ta recognizes the idea of God (brahman) and Self (iitman) which are Hinduism and Buddhism are, undoubtedly, mainly metaphysical concepts, whereas the two best known philosophical the Suttanta Pitaka rejects these ideas. traditions of India and within these ancient Both texts agree ignorance and desire are traditions, the texts of the Bhagavadgtta causes of deluded actions which are and the Suttanta Pitaka are fundamental. responsible for the continued chain of existence and that all beings are born The Bhagavadgita, considered the most again repeatedly in different spheres of influential work in Indian thoughe, life driven by their intentional actions. To conveys lessons of philosophy, religion stop rebirth and to attain the highest goal and ethics and has been a source of life (salvation), one should eliminate of inspiration to millions of Indians desire, hatred and delusion. However, the for over two thousand years. In this karma-forces of the Bhagavadg1ta seem unique text, the quintessence of the to be different from that of the Upanisads, along with the teachings Suttanta Pitaka, because they are under of Vedanta, Sailkhya and Yoga are synthesized into one harmonious whole. Thus, it is rightly regarded as representing not any one particular sect of Hinduism, but Hinduism as a whole.4 1 This paper is taken from some parts of the thesis · entitled "A Critical and Comparative Study of the Bhagavadg ita and the Suttanta Pit aka," submitted for the degree of Doctor of . 3 S. Radhakrishnan, Indian Philosophy, Vol. I Philosophy in Sanskrit at Banaras Hindu (Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1993 ), University, India, in 1997. p. 519. 2 Department of Oriental Languages, Faculty of 4 S. Radhakrishnan, The Bhagavadgita (Delhi: Archaeology, Silpakom University. Harper Collins Publishers, 1994 ), p.12. Downloaded from Brill.com10/05/2021 02:47:43PM via free access The Metaphysics and Ethics According to the Bhagavadgitii and the Suttanta Pitaka Traditionally, it would be said that the Canon which is a compilation of a great Bhagavadgi:ta is taught by the Blessed number of sermons and discourses in Narayal)a himself to Arjuna, compiled by prose and verse, expounded by the Buddha the ancient seer named Vyasa, in the himself or by his eminent disciples.9 middle of the Mahabharata. 5 In fact, the These discourses were expounded to suit conversation between Arjuna and Lord different occasions and the intellectual Krsna is supposed to have taken place just level of the audience. They cover a wide before the battle which is the main theme field of subjects, not only the fundamentals of the great epic. Among scholars, K.N. of the Dhamma, but also pragmatic Upadhyaya argues that the Bhagavadgitii guidelines to make the Dhamma . must be considered an original part of the meaningful and applicable to daily life . Mahabharata, because the larger epic refers to it often.6 But many scholars also The Suttanta Pitaka is divided into five believe that over time some additions may collections (paffcanikaya), namely, the be made to the original Bhagavadgi:ta.7 Digha Nikaya, Majjhima Nikaya, Therefore, they have concluded that it Sai]1yutta Nikaya, Ailguttara Nikaya and must have first been completed sometime Khuddaka Nikaya. It systematically between the 5th and 4th century B.C. groups the teaching of the discourses, into The current text of the Bhagavadgi:ta those concerned with precepts of morality consists of 700 verses,8 and is divided (sila), concentration (samadh1) and into eighteen chapters (adhyayas). The attainment of wisdom (paffff§). 10 Bhagavadglta as found at present has been translated into Indian languages, English The completion of the Suttanta Pitaka, and many other Western languages, making may have been achieved by the third it the most translated of any Asian text. Buddhist Council, during the reign of King Asoka, 11 about 247 B.C., 236 years Within the basket of Buddhist scriptures after the death of the Buddha. 12 (tipitaka), the Suttanta Pitaka is the Pali 5 Swami Tapasyananda, Srimad Bhagavadgltii; The Scripture of Mankind (Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1994 ), p. xi; See also S. 9 Myanmar Pitaka Association, Twenty-Five Radhakrishnan, The Bhagavadgltii, p. 10. Suttas from Milfap8{1(1iisa (Delhi: Sri Sutguru 6 K.N. Upadhyaya, Early Buddhism and the Publications, 1990), Introduction, p. v. Bhagavadgitii (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 10 Myanmar Pitaka Association, Twenty-Five 1983), p. 6. Suttas from Majjhimapa(l(liisa (Delhi: Sri 7 M.R. Yardi, The Bhagavadgitii As a Synthesis Sutguru Publications, 1990), Introduction, (Poona: The Bhandarkar Institute Press, 1991 ), p. iii. p. 4. 11 K.N. Upadhyaya, Early Buddhism and the 8 This number is confirmed by Sankaracarya. Bhagavadgltii, p. 54. Cf. Swami Gambhirananda, Bhagavadgitii With 12 E.J. Thomas, The Life of Buddha As Legend the Commentary of Sarikariiciirya (Calcutta: and History (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Advaita Ashrama, 1991 ), Introduction, p. xvii. Publishers, 1993), Introduction, pp. xviii-xix. 46 Downloaded from Brill.com10/05/2021 02:47:43PM via free access MANUSYA: Journal ofHumanities 3.2, 2000 15 Previously, it had been handed down Metaphysics orally (mukhapatha) and then recorded in books during the reign of King The Buddha said that discussion of Vattagamani of Ceylon about 88-76 B.C.13 metaphysical questions, which are The Suttanta Pitaka which exists to this ethically useless and intellectually day in Ceylon, Burma and Thailand, is uncertain, does not take a person near to recorded in Pali language and has been his or her goal, i.e. vimutti, the state of systematically divided and handed down freedom from all suffering. Through the from generation to generation. Together parable of the arrow, Buddha explains with commentaries, it fonns the huge why he refrains from answering these collection of literary works that the questions. He points out that the real need Bhikkhus (monks) of the Order have to of the man pierced with a poisoned arrow study and memorize in perfonning their is to get rid of the arrow and be cured, "ganthadhura," (the duty of study). 14 rather than to wait for a fruitless investigation about the nature of the To date, there have been many studies of arrow, the man shooting it and so on. Life the metaphysical and ethical aspects of the could be lost in this process. 16 Instead of texts of the Bhagavadgita and the Suttanta discussing metaphysical questions, Pitaka. A summary of these comparisons therefore, the Buddha always tried to is given in the following paragraphs. enlighten people on the more important questions of suffering, the origin of In this paper, I make reference to essential suffering, the cessation of suffering and tenninology of Sanskrit (in discussion of the path leading to the cessation of the Bhagavadgita) and Pali (in discussion suffering. of the Suttanta Pitaka) languages for example: Atman (Sanskrit) and Atta(Pali), Nirvffl;a (Sanskrit) and Nibbana (Pali). 15 Metaphysics is the inquiry which attempts to discover the ultimate reality underlying the universe. This inquiry has the fundamental aspects according as it concerns itself with the problem of Absolute (God), of soul, or of the cosmos (i.e. external reality). It appears to .be the main questions that have engaged the attention of metaphysicians of all ages and of all countries, whether they be Indian or European. In this paper, the metaphysics with regard to the concepts of God (Brahman), the 13 Ibid., p. 251 . Self (atman), the Action (karma) and Rebirth 14 U Ko Lay, Guide to Tipitaka (Delhi: Sri and the Salvation will be discussed. Sutguru Publications, 1990), p. 2. 16 Maijhima Nikaya, 1.429. 47 Downloaded from Brill.com10/05/2021 02:47:43PM via free access The Metaphysics and Ethics According to the Bhagavadgitli and the Suttanta Pitaka The Existence of God (Brahman) to come to the opposite side.21 However, the Buddha does not seem to reject the The Bhagavadgmi and the Suttanta Pitaka idea of a supreme impersonal reality are fundamentally opposed to each other known as "brahman," provided it is in the belief of the existence of God viewed without any metaphysical or (brahman). In the Bhagavadgita, Brahman theological strings which relate it to the manifests itself in the form of a personal conditioned world of phenomena. In the God, Vi$Qu-Narayal)a, and also in the Suttanta Pitaka, the Buddha only makes form of Lord Krsna17 who affirms that he use of the word "brahman" as a synonym is the origin and dissolution of the whole for " Nibblina," the supreme reality universe, 18 and speaks of himself as the and "Dhamma," the highest truth abode of Brahman. 19 Brahman is regarded (enlightenment), not as reference to a God. as the ruler and preserver of the whole world. It is viewed as the immortal Self of Self and Non-Self man, dwelling in all beings, though they know it not. Besides, Brahman is said to With regard to the Self (litman), according be possessed of two natures; a higher to the Bhagavadgita, it is said that Self (parii) and a lower (aparii), 20 answering to (litman) is the principle of human life. It is the conscious and the unconscious aspects what remains when everything that is not of the universe.
Recommended publications
  • Atman/Anatman in Buddhism
    Åtman/Anåtman in Buddhism and Its Implication for the Wisdom Tradition by Nancy Reigle Does Christianity believe in reincarnation? Of course it does not. Yet, students of the Wisdom Tradition may seek to find evidence that early Christians did accept reincarnation. Similarly in Buddhism. Does Buddhism believe in the åtman, the permanent self? Certainly the Buddhist religion does not. Yet, there is evidence that the Buddha when teaching his basic doctrine of anåtman, no-self, only denied the abiding reality of the personal or empirical åtman, but not the universal or authentic åtman. The Wisdom Tradition known as Theosophy teaches the existence of “An Omnipresent, Eternal, Boundless, and Immu- table PRINCIPLE,” 1 often compared to the Hindu åtman, the universal “self,” while Buddhism with its doctrine of anåtman, “no-self,” is normally understood to deny any such universal principle. In regard to Buddhism, however, there have been several attempts to show that the Buddha did not deny the exist- ence of the authentic åtman, the self.2 Only one of these attempts seems to have been taken seriously by scholars3; namely, the work of Kamaleswar Bhattacharya. His book on this subject, written in French, L’Åtman-Brahman dans le Bouddhisme ancien, was published in Paris in 1973; and an English translation of this work, The Åtman-Brahman in Ancient Buddhism, was published in 2015.4 It is here that he set forth his arguments for the existence of the Upanißadic åtman in early Buddhism. This is the work that we will discuss. How must we understand
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhist Psychology
    CHAPTER 1 Buddhist Psychology Andrew Olendzki THEORY AND PRACTICE ince the subject of Buddhist psychology is largely an artificial construction, Smixing as it does a product of ancient India with a Western movement hardly a century and a half old, it might be helpful to say how these terms are being used here. If we were to take the term psychology literally as referring to “the study of the psyche,” and if “psyche” is understood in its earliest sense of “soul,” then it would seem strange indeed to unite this enterprise with a tradition that is per- haps best known for its challenge to the very notion of a soul. But most dictio- naries offer a parallel definition of psychology, “the science of mind and behavior,” and this is a subject to which Buddhist thought can make a significant contribution. It is, after all, a universal subject, and I think many of the methods employed by the introspective traditions of ancient India for the investigation of mind and behavior would qualify as scientific. So my intention in using the label Buddhist Psychology is to bring some of the insights, observations, and experi- ence from the Buddhist tradition to bear on the human body, mind, emotions, and behavior patterns as we tend to view them today. In doing so we are going to find a fair amount of convergence with modern psychology, but also some intriguing diversity. The Buddhist tradition itself, of course, is vast and has many layers to it. Al- though there are some doctrines that can be considered universal to all Buddhist schools,1 there are such significant shifts in the use of language and in back- ground assumptions that it is usually helpful to speak from one particular per- spective at a time.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mission Accomplished
    TheThe MissionMission AccomplishedAccomplished Ven. Pategama Gnanarama Ph.D. HAN DD ET U 'S B B O RY eOK LIBRA E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.buddhanet.net Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc. The Mission Accomplished A historical analysis of the Mahaparinibbana Sutta of the Digha Nikaya of the Pali Canon. by Ven. Pategama Gnanarama Ph. D. The Mission Accomplished is undoubtedly an eye opening contribution to Bud- dhist analytical Pali studies. In this analytical and critical work Ven. Dr. Pate- gama Gnanarama enlightens us in many areas of subjects hitherto unexplored by scholars. His views on the beginnings of the Bhikkhuni Order are interesting and refreshing. They might even be provocative to traditional readers, yet be challenging to the feminists to adopt a most positive attitude to the problem. Prof. Chandima Wijebandara University of Sri Jayawardhanapura Sri Lanka. A masterly treatment of a cluster of Buddhist themes in print Senarat Wijayasundara Buddhist and Pali College Singapore Published by Ti-Sarana Buddhist Association 90, Duku Road. Singapore 429254 Tel: 345 6741 First published in Singapore, 1997 Published by Ti-Sarana Buddhist Association ISBN: 981–00–9087–0 © Pategama Gnanarama 1997 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems or technologies now known or later developed, without per- mission in writing from the publisher. Cover: Mahaparinibbana; an ancient stone carving from Gandhara — Loriyan Tangai. Photograph reproduced by Mr K. C. Wong. Contents Introductory . 8 Chapter 1: The Mahaparinibbana Sutta & its Different Versions .
    [Show full text]
  • Universidade De São Paulo Faculdade De Educação
    UNIVERSIDADE DE SÃO PAULO FACULDADE DE EDUCAÇÃO Renata Cueto de Souza Os conceitos de mindfulness e suas relações com a educação São Paulo 2020 Renata Cueto de Souza Os conceitos de mindfulness e suas relações com a educação Dissertação apresentada à Faculdade de Educação da Universidade de São Paulo como requisito para obtenção do título de Mestre em Educação. Área de Concentração: Cultura, Filosofia e História da Educação Orientador: Prof. Dr. Marcos Sidnei Pagotto-Euzebio São Paulo 2020 Autorizo a reprodução e divulgação total ou parcial deste trabalho, por qualquer meio convencional ou eletrônico, para fins de estudo e pesquisa, desde que citada a fonte. Nome: SOUZA, Renata Cueto de Título: Os conceitos de mindfulness e suas relações com a educação Dissertação apresentada à Faculdade de Educação da Universidade de São Paulo como requisito para obtenção do título de Mestre em Educação. Aprovada em: Banca Examinadora Prof. Dr. ____________________________________________________________________ Instituição: __________________________________________________________________ Julgamento: _________________________________________________________________ Prof. Dr. ____________________________________________________________________ Instituição: __________________________________________________________________ Julgamento: _________________________________________________________________ Prof. Dr. ____________________________________________________________________ Instituição: __________________________________________________________________
    [Show full text]
  • Meditation – Neuroscienti C Approaches and Philosophical Implications
    Studies in Neuroscience, Consciousness and Spirituality Stefan Schmidt Harald Walach Editors Meditation – Neuroscienti c Approaches and Philosophical Implications Meditation – Neuroscientifi c Approaches and Philosophical Implications Studies in Neuroscience, Consciousness and Spirituality Volume 2 Series Editors Harald Walach, European University Viadrina, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany Stefan Schmidt, University Medical Center, Freiburg and European University Viadrina, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany Editorial Board Jonathan Schooler, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA Mario Beauregard, University of Montreal, Canada Robert Forman, The Forge Institute, USA B. Alan Wallace, Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies, CA, USA For further volumes: http://www.springer.com/series/10195 Stefan Schmidt • Harald Walach Editors Meditation – Neuroscientifi c Approaches and Philosophical Implications Editors Stefan Schmidt Harald Walach Department of Psychosomatic Medicine Institute for Transcultural Health Science and Psychotherapy European Universtiy Viadrina, Frankfurt University Medical Center Freiburg Frankfurt , Germany Freiburg, Germany ISSN 2211-8918 ISSN 2211-8926 (electronic) ISBN 978-3-319-01633-7 ISBN 978-3-319-01634-4 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-01634-4 Springer Cham Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London Library of Congress Control Number: 2013954596 © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is
    [Show full text]
  • Out of the Shadows: Socially Engaged Buddhist Women
    University of San Diego Digital USD Theology and Religious Studies: Faculty Scholarship Department of Theology and Religious Studies 2019 Out of the Shadows: Socially Engaged Buddhist Women Karma Lekshe Tsomo PhD University of San Diego, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digital.sandiego.edu/thrs-faculty Part of the Buddhist Studies Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Digital USD Citation Tsomo, Karma Lekshe PhD, "Out of the Shadows: Socially Engaged Buddhist Women" (2019). Theology and Religious Studies: Faculty Scholarship. 25. https://digital.sandiego.edu/thrs-faculty/25 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Digital USD. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theology and Religious Studies: Faculty Scholarship by an authorized administrator of Digital USD. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Section Titles Placed Here | I Out of the Shadows Socially Engaged Buddhist Women Edited by Karma Lekshe Tsomo SAKYADHITA | HONOLULU First Edition: Sri Satguru Publications 2006 Second Edition: Sakyadhita 2019 Copyright © 2019 Karma Lekshe Tsomo All rights reserved No part of this book may not be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, or by any information storage or retreival system, without the prior written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations. Cover design Copyright © 2006 Allen Wynar Sakyadhita Conference Poster
    [Show full text]
  • Atman/Anatman in Buddhism and Its Implication for the Wisdom Tradition for the Wisdom Tradition
    Åtman/Anåtman in Buddhism and Its Implication for the Wisdom Tradition by Nancy Reigle Does Christianity believe in reincarnation? Of course it does not. Yet, students of the Wisdom Tradition may seek to find evidence that early Christians did accept reincarnation. Similarly in Buddhism. Does Buddhism believe in the åtman, the permanent self? Certainly the Buddhist religion does not. Yet, there is evidence that the Buddha when teaching his basic doctrine of anåtman, no-self, only denied the abiding reality of the personal or empirical åtman, but not the universal or authentic åtman. The Wisdom Tradition known as Theosophy teaches the existence of “An Omnipresent, Eternal, Boundless, and Immu- table PRINCIPLE,” 1 often compared to the Hindu åtman, the universal “self,” while Buddhism with its doctrine of anåtman, “no-self,” is normally understood to deny any such universal principle. In regard to Buddhism, however, there have been several attempts to show that the Buddha did not deny the exist- ence of the authentic åtman, the self.2 Only one of these attempts seems to have been taken seriously by scholars3; namely, the work of Kamaleswar Bhattacharya. His book on this subject, written in French, L’Åtman-Brahman dans le Bouddhisme ancien, was published in Paris in 1973; and an English translation of this work, The Åtman-Brahman in Ancient Buddhism, was published in 2015.4 It is here that he set forth his arguments for the existence of the Upanißadic åtman in early Buddhism. This is the work that we will discuss. How must we understand
    [Show full text]
  • Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism
    HINDUISM, BUDDHISM, SIKHISM HINDUISM, BUDDHISM, SIKHISM What is Hinduism? One of the oldest religions of humanity The religion of the Indian people Gave birth to Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism Tolerance and diversity: "Truth is one, paths are many" Many deities but a single, impersonal Ultimate Reality A philosophy and a way of life – focused both on this world and beyond What do Hindus believe? One impersonal Ultimate Reality – Brahman Manifest as many personal deities True essence of life – Atman, the soul, is Brahman trapped in matter (“That art thou”) Reincarnation – atman is continually born into this world lifetime after lifetime (Samsara) Karma – spiritual impurity due to actions keeps us bound to this world (good and bad) Ultimate goal of life – to release Atman and reunite with the divine, becoming as one with Brahman (Moksha) And we too are manifest forms of God! “We are not human beings having spiritual experiences; We are spiritual beings having a human experience!” “That art Thou” Hinduism is about recognizing the all pervasiveness of the divine Reincarnation, Karma and Service 1. The soul is present in all species of life 2. All life is sacred and worthy of the highest respect 3. Everything that lives and grows is interconnected 4. Where there is life or soul there is atman. 5. At death the soul enters another body. Buddhism Buddhism challenged Brahmanical Hinduism Founded by Siddhartha Gautama-6th century BC Began to look for answers beyond the Vedas Called for a new ethical conception of human affairs 330 million followers Teachings of Buddhism Four Noble Truths Life is suffering; Suffering is due to attachment; Attachment can be overcome; There is a path for accomplishing this.
    [Show full text]
  • Four NOBLE TRUTHS
    THE FouR NOBLE TRUTHS THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS Fundamentals of the Buddhist Teachings His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama translated by Geshe Th upten finpa edited by Dominique Side Thorsons An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 77-85 Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London W6 8JB Published by Thorsons 1997 21 20 19 18 17 16 ©His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama 1997 His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 0 7225 3550 3 Printed and bound in Great Britain by Martins the Printers Limited, Berwick upon Tweed All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any fonn or by any means. electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior pennission of the publishers. CONTENTS Preface by Kesang Y Takla vii In troduction I Introducing the Four Noble Truths 34 2 The Truth of Suffering 42 3 The Truth of the Origin of Suffering 72 4 The Truth of Cessation 95 5 The Truth of the Path 115 Appendix: Compassion, the Basis for Human Happiness 130 Glossary 15 1 Recommended Reading !58 Notes 160 PREFACE In July 1996, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave a series of lectures on Buddhist thought and practice at the Barbican Centre in London. These talks were facilitated by the Network of Buddhist Organisations in U.K. - a national association of Buddhist Centres. The central theme of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's lectures at the Barbican Centre, which form the core of this book, is the Buddhist teaching on the principle of the Four Noble Truths, which is the foundation of all Buddha's teachings.
    [Show full text]
  • Shankara: a Hindu Revivalist Or a Crypto-Buddhist?
    Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University Religious Studies Theses Department of Religious Studies 12-4-2006 Shankara: A Hindu Revivalist or a Crypto-Buddhist? Kencho Tenzin Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/rs_theses Part of the Religion Commons Recommended Citation Tenzin, Kencho, "Shankara: A Hindu Revivalist or a Crypto-Buddhist?." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2006. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/rs_theses/4 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Religious Studies at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Religious Studies Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. SHANKARA: A HINDU REVIVALIST OR A CRYPTO BUDDHIST? by KENCHO TENZIN Under The Direction of Kathryn McClymond ABSTRACT Shankara, the great Indian thinker, was known as the accurate expounder of the Upanishads. He is seen as a towering figure in the history of Indian philosophy and is credited with restoring the teachings of the Vedas to their pristine form. However, there are others who do not see such contributions from Shankara. They criticize his philosophy by calling it “crypto-Buddhism.” It is his unique philosophy of Advaita Vedanta that puts him at odds with other Hindu orthodox schools. Ironically, he is also criticized by Buddhists as a “born enemy of Buddhism” due to his relentless attacks on their tradition. This thesis, therefore, probes the question of how Shankara should best be regarded, “a Hindu Revivalist or a Crypto-Buddhist?” To address this question, this thesis reviews the historical setting for Shakara’s work, the state of Indian philosophy as a dynamic conversation involving Hindu and Buddhist thinkers, and finally Shankara’s intellectual genealogy.
    [Show full text]
  • Sample Questions
    The Young Buddhist Quiz - Sample Questions Guidelines: Each team is to submit a minimum of 40 quiz questions together with answers Questions must have only one possible answer Format of question can be in Multiple Choice; True False; Fill in the Blank or Open Ended type as per the following examples Multiple Choice: Q1. Which of the following best describes what kamma is? (A) Fate (C) Action without any intention (B) Destiny (D) Action through body, speech, and thoughts with intention Answer: D Q2. Two months after His enlightenment, the Buddha delivered His first discourse to His five disciples. What is the name given to this discourse? (A) Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (C) Karaniya-Metta Sutta (B) Anattalakkhana Sutta (D) Mangala Sutta Answer: A True or False (✔) or (✘) Q1. Buddhism is a way of life to reduce suffering, and ultimately to end all suffering. ( ✔ ) Q2. Buddhism teaches us to rely on a god or gods for liberation and freedom from ( ✘ ) suffering. Q3. Siddhattha Gotama was born a prince in Afghanistan some 2,600 years ago. ( ✘ ) Q4. The Four Noble Truths were first preached by the Buddha. ( ✔ ) Q5. The Noble Eightfold Path is also known as the Middle Path. ( ✔ ) Fill-in-the-Blank: Q1. The Buddha, Dhamma and _____________ are collectively known as the Three Jewels (Tiratana in Pali). Answer: Sangha Q2. The eight factors of the Noble Eightfold Path can be grouped into three essential disciplines: (1) Morality (Sila), (2) Mental concentration (Samaddhi), and (3) ____________________________. Answer: Wisdom (Pañña) Page 1 NIM/YBQ/SQ 230313 The Young Buddhist Quiz - Sample Questions Short Answer: Q1.
    [Show full text]
  • Shankara's Advaita Vedanta
    Shankara’s Advaita Vedanta David Paul Boaz The Purusha, the inner Self, dwells always at the Heart. That One is the Bright, the luminous immortal Self. Katha Upanishad Shankara’s teaching on the Upanishads, Vedanta (Brahma) Sutra and Bhagavad Gita is the very nondual essence of Vedanta, and a sublime contribution to the world’s spiritual literature, and to our nondual Great Wisdom Tradition teaching. Shankara (788-820) was the supreme adept-realizer of the Hindu Upanishadic tradition. In his thirty two years this great master and scholar re-established the authority of the Vedas against the prevailing Buddhist ideology of the time. For Shankara’s Advaita Vedanta the supreme truth of the three Hindu canons (the Upanishads, Vedanta Sutra and Bhagvad Gita) is the nondual nature of Brahman, Absolute Spirit that is Reality Itself. For the Advaita Vedanta of Shankara, Brahman is the nondual primordial awareness that is Absolute or Ultimate Consciousness Being Itself, “One, without a second,” without limit, empty of all predicates, attributes and qualities, beyond concept and belief, or any subject-object dualism whatsoever. As we have seen, Shankara refers to this prior unity as Nirguna Brahman, the Absolute. Satchitananda however, is usually understood as Saguna Brahman, Brahman with relative qualities, the Great Love that is being (sat), consciousness (chit) and bliss (ananda). Ishvara (usually as the Trimurti) the primordial creator-God or creative principle of Brahman is also Saguna Brahman, the spacetime limited creator God, the cause of the conditional state of ananda/bliss and the object of the spiritual devotion of the devotee. Nirguna Brahman is pure nondual Being Itself; Saguna Brahman is pure Being in the various states and stages of becoming in spacetime reality.
    [Show full text]