Hindu gods and Buddha (On Mr. Malaiya's comments)

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Ravindra Viswanath wrote:

 

> Agreed, but Buddha in place of Hindu gods? Buddha as an avatar?

>That sounds far-fetched given the animosity between the buddhist

>monks and their brahmana counterparts. In some tales, atleast, the

>sculptors are said to have been hesitant to carve the Buddha where

>they were used to carving Vishnu, Shiva or Ganesha.

 

Let me quote some sources that are from the period before the word

Hindu became common in India.

 

1. Brihatsamhiata of Varahamihira: pratimAlakshaNAdhyAyaH

 

While describing attributes of various images, he mentions these gods

in order:

 

vishhNu

haladhara

brahmA and.h kumAra

indra

maheshvara

buddha

bhAskara

yama, varuNa, kubera

 

Buddha is described as:

 

padmA.nkitakaracharaNaH prasannamUrtiH sunIchakeshashcha .

padmAsanaupavishhTaH pitA iva jagato bhavati (bhavet.h) buddhaH ..

 

A translation of the above verses was included by Al Beruni in his

India, which was translated by Sachau as:

 

"To the idol Jina, i.e. Buddha, give a face and limbs as beautiful as

possible, make the lines in the palms of his hands and feet like a

lotus, and represent him seated on a lotus; give him grey hair, and

represent him with a placid expression, as if he were the father of

creation."

 

2. Amarakosha gives names of many gods. Here they are in order:

 

Deities

Some clans of deities

Some demigods

Antigods or titans

Jina or Buddha

Gautama Buddha

Brahma

Vishnu

Vasudeva: Krishna's Father

Balarama

Kamadeva:

Son of kamadeva

Laxmi

Krishna's equipment, Krishna's bow, mark, horses, Krishna's

charioteer, minister, younger brother, Garuda: Krishna's vehicle

Shiva, Shiva's braided hair, bow, attendants, divine mothers

Shiva's wife Parvati

Shiva's son Ganapati

Shiva's son Kartikeya

Shiva's vehicle: Nandi Bull

Indra

Indra's wife Shachi, Indra's horse, charioteer, son, garden, palace,

son, Indra's vehicle: elephant, thunderbolt

Divine river: Milky way, Golden mountain Meru

Five divine trees

Sanatkumara, divine doctors: ashvins, nymphs

Divine musicians, Fire, Marine fire

Flame, Spark, Burn

Meteor, Ash, Forest fire

Yama: god of death

Giant, demon

Varuna: god of the sea

Vayu: (god of the) wind

 

Note that the author of Amarakosha was himself a Buddhist.

 

3. Let me quote from Nilamata Purana from Kashmir:

 

701. With him who well-concentrated offers one thousand Ira (flowers)

to Kesava, the lord of the gods is pleased and he goes to heaven.

702. Rudra, Brahma, the Moon, the Sun, Subha Karisini and Durga

should be worshipped with Ira (flowers). All the gods are pleased

(with the offerings of Ira flowers)

 

709-710a O Brahman, the god Visnu, the lord of the world, shall be

(born as) the preceptor of the world, Buddha by name, at the time

when the Pusya is joined with the moon, in the month of Vaisaksha, in

twenty eighth Kali Age.

 

710b-12. Listen from as to how his worship should be performed in the

bright-half, from that period onwards, in uture. The image of Buddha

should be bathed (with water renderd holy) with all medicinal herbs,

all jewels and all scents, in accordance with the sayings of the

Sakyas. The dwellings of the Sakyas (i.e. Viharas) should be

whitewashed with care.

 

713. Here and there, the Caityas - the abodes of the god - should be

provided with paintings. The festival, swarming with the actors and

the dancers, should be celebrated.

 

714. The Sakyas should be honoured with Civara (the dress of a

Buddhist mendicant ), food and books. All this should be done till

the advent of Magha.

 

 

Yashwant

 

Sources:

http://www.koausa.org/Purana/Verses701-802.html

sanskrit.bhaarat.com/The_Document_Project/