The Buddhist

[mohankrishna]

Hare Krsna

 

What is the fate of the successful Buddhist? Where does he reach? Does the Buddhist philosophy describe any part of Brahman or Jagat properly?

 

Thanks

mohnkrsna

[Guruvani]

 

Hare Krsna

 

What is the fate of the successful Buddhist? Where does he reach? Does the Buddhist philosophy describe any part of Brahman or Jagat properly?

 

Thanks

mohnkrsna

The Buddhists take the body of the dead person and put it on the mountain for the vultures to eat.

Beyond that......it's anybody's guess!!!

 

(this is true, the Buddhists of Tibet take dead bodies and feed them to vultures)(I saw it on TV, so it must be true)

[mohankrishna]

 

The Buddhists take the body of the dead person and put it on the mountain for the vultures to eat.

Beyond that......it's anybody's guess!!!

 

(this is true, the Buddhists of Tibet take dead bodies and feed them to vultures)(I saw it on TV, so it must be true)

 

Hahaha! I think they are Zoroastrians.

[meez]

Hello friend!

 

Here is a pretty good informational page regarding Buddhism and death. It leans pretty heavily towards Tibetan Buddhism, so the thoughts, ideology, and philosophies may not be accepted by all Buddhists. On other subject matters, the website is helpful in explaining many aspects of Buddhist beliefs.

 

http://buddhism.kalachakranet.org/rebirth_reincarnation.html

 

Also, if you have an interest in learning about such things, try reading the Pali Canon and the Dhammapada. The Dhammapada is a pretty short read and really goes over a lot of information about Buddhist beliefs, and can be found online through a quick Google search.

 

Be well.

[theist]

 

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The Buddhists take the body of the dead person and put it on the mountain for the vultures to eat.

Beyond that......it's anybody's guess!!!

(this is true, the Buddhists of Tibet take dead bodies and feed them to vultures)(I saw it on TV, so it must be true)

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Hahaha! I think they are Zoroastrians.

 

 

Yes that is a Tibetan Buddhist practice. I think it very wise. Let some creature gain some sustenance from the corpse and preserved the land from the wasteful practice of burial or the land stripping waste of trees caused by cremation.

 

Beyond that it is a wonderful meditation on the eventual desitination of the material body. It promotes detachment.

[theist]

 

Hare Krsna

 

What is the fate of the successful Buddhist? Where does he reach? Does the Buddhist philosophy describe any part of Brahman or Jagat properly?

 

Thanks

mohnkrsna

 

There is no such thing as a successful Buddhist because here is no void. Everywhere is Brahman so how can there be somewhere that is nowhere? The void is a myth. By definition it cannot exist.

 

Of course some say there are schools of Buddhists that believe in an all-pervading consciousness. Personally I have no idea but generally they say there is no self and all is void.

 

So what happens to those that walk as far as they can on that path? My speculation is they become turned towards mayavada somewhere along the way and if they continue they may make it into the Brahman but as Sankarites and not Buddhists.

[mohankrishna]

 

Yes that is a Tibetan Buddhist practice. I think it very wise. Let some creature gain some sustenance from the corpse and preserved the land from the wasteful practice of burial or the land stripping waste of trees caused by cremation.

 

Beyond that it is a wonderful meditation on the eventual desitination of the material body. It promotes detachment.

 

Wikipedia states:-

"Traditionally, Zoroastrians disposed of their dead by leaving them atop open-topped enclosures, called Towers of Silence, or Dokhmas. Vultures and the weather would clean the flesh off the bones, which were then placed into an ossuary at the center of the Tower."

 

It does appear wise but I'm sure our Acharyas have a good reason for not following this method.

[Guruvani]

 

There is no such thing as a successful Buddhist because there is no void. Everywhere is Brahman so how can there be somewhere that is nowhere? The void is a myth. By definition it cannot exist.

 

Actually, the Buddhist sunyavadi philosophy aims at the void condition of Pradhana which occurs in the Viraja river between the material and spiritual worlds.

 

This void condition of existence can only be experienced in the suspended state of animation of the jiva in contact with this Pradhana.

 

Sukadeva Goswami describes this void realm in Srimad Bhagavatam.

 

 

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 12.4.20-21

 

na yatra vāco na mano na sattvaḿ

tamo rajo vā mahad-ādayo 'mī

na prāṇa-buddhīndriya-devatā vā

na sanniveśaḥ khalu loka-kalpaḥ

na svapna-jāgran na ca tat suṣuptaḿ

na khaḿ jalaḿ bhūr anilo 'gnir arkaḥ

saḿsupta-vac chūnya-vad apratarkyaḿ

tan mūla-bhūtaḿ padam āmananti

 

SYNONYMS

na — not; yatra — wherein; vācaḥ — speech; na — not; manaḥ — the mind; na — not; sattvam — the mode of goodness; tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance; rajaḥ — the mode of passion; vā — or; mahat — the mahat-tattva; ādayaḥ — and so on; amī — these elements; na — not; prāṇa — the vital air; buddhi — intelligence; indriya — the senses; devatāḥ — and the controlling demigods; vā — or; na — not; sanniveśaḥ — the particular construction; khalu — indeed; loka-kalpaḥ — of the arrangement of the planetary systems; na — not; svapna — sleep; jāgrat — waking condition; na — not; ca — and; tat — that; suṣuptam — deep sleep; na — not; kham — ether; jalam — water; bhūḥ — earth; anilaḥ — air; agniḥ — fire; arkaḥ — the sun; saḿsupta-vat — like one who is fast asleep; śūnya-vat — like a void; apratarkyam — inaccessible to logic; tat — that pradhāna; mūla-bhūtam — serving as the basis; padam — the substance; āmananti — great authorities say.

 

 

TRANSLATION

In the unmanifest stage of material nature, called pradhāna, there is no expression of words, no mind and no manifestation of the subtle elements beginning from the mahat, nor are there the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. There is no life air or intelligence, nor any senses or demigods. There is no definite arrangement of planetary systems, nor are there present the different stages of consciousness — sleep, wakefulness and deep sleep. There is no ether, water, earth, air, fire or sun. The situation is just like that of complete sleep, or of voidness. Indeed, it is indescribable. Authorities in spiritual science explain, however, that since pradhāna is the original substance, it is the actual basis of material creation.

 

[theist]

 

Wikipedia states:-

"Traditionally, Zoroastrians disposed of their dead by leaving them atop open-topped enclosures, called Towers of Silence, or Dokhmas. Vultures and the weather would clean the flesh off the bones, which were then placed into an ossuary at the center of the Tower."

 

It does appear wise but I'm sure our Acharyas have a good reason for not following this method.

 

Well on top of towers or like now in the high mountains of Tibet are where vultures are apt to get right to work. It doesn't take any statement from an acarya to know that in the plains or cities of India or New York leaving dead bodies around would only feed to rats and wild dogs, spreading disease all over the place.

 

But a change is nedded in both burial system of the west and the deforesting seen in India for cremations. I think it is Sweden or the Netherlands maybe that has a system of burial in which a tree is planted over the grave and I believe the corpse actually feeds the trees growth somehow without being attractive to animals. Maybe by the depth of the hole.

 

I think this system is best where possible and cremation second best but a good alternative to wood has to be used.

[Guruvani]

Srila Prabhupada gave the example of the Buddhists in the Topmost Yoga System (Chapter 9). Buddhists do not accept the bliss of the eternal atman or self as the goal (like the atmaramas). They aim at the unmanifest state of material nature (pradhana) as their goal.

[Guruvani]

So, when the jiva is situated in the Pradhana there is no sense of existence.

The soul is sleeping and not in the liberated state of brahman or the manifest state of sense perception in contact with material manifest elements.

 

As such, the Sunyavadi Buddhists aspire to attain this void condition of suspension in the Pradhana which is sometimes referred to as the near shore of the Viraja River.

[suchandra]

 

So, when the jiva is situated in the Pradhana there is no sense of existence.

The soul is sleeping and not in the liberated state of brahman or the manifest state of sense perception in contact with material manifest elements.

 

As such, the Sunyavadi Buddhists aspire to attain this void condition of suspension in the Pradhana which is sometimes referred to as the near shore of the Viraja River.

Lord Buddha's (9th incarnation of Sri Vishnu) trick was to implement the worship of Him besides His teaching of voidism to a less intelligent audience.

Thus people who would meditate upon Lord Buddha would make further advancement and finally come to realize that Lord Buddha is an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although these folks wouldnt really be able to articulate.

[mohankrishna]

 

Well on top of towers or like now in the high mountains of Tibet are where vultures are apt to get right to work. It doesn't take any statement from an acarya to know that in the plains or cities of India or New York leaving dead bodies around would only feed to rats and wild dogs, spreading disease all over the place.

 

But a change is nedded in both burial system of the west and the deforesting seen in India for cremations. I think it is Sweden or the Netherlands maybe that has a system of burial in which a tree is planted over the grave and I believe the corpse actually feeds the trees growth somehow without being attractive to animals. Maybe by the depth of the hole.

 

I think this system is best where possible and cremation second best but a good alternative to wood has to be used.

 

The reason for cremation is to ensure the atman does not hang around. I believe this is one of the reasons. Actually in the Vedic system trees are meant to be planted on various ocasions - not just when someone's dead.

True - disease is a good reason.

hahah you can choose you body to be tree fertilizer - I'll stick with ash!

[mohankrishna]

Thanks Guruvani! Those are excellent quotations - that's what I was looking for

 

Thing is; I came accross this singing of the Buddhist 'Heart Sutra' on youtube and the meaning is given at the same aswell.

So I was wondering if it described the truth about any aspect of the Lord.

[Guruvani]

 

Thanks Guruvani! Those are excellent quotations - that's what I was looking for

 

Thing is; I came accross this singing of the Buddhist 'Heart Sutra' on youtube and the meaning is given at the same aswell.

 

So I was wondering if it described the truth about any aspect of the Lord.

 

You will see that it very much describes the void or Pradhan and has very similar verse to the sloka I quoted about from Srimad Bhagavatam.

 

 

 

 

prajnaparamita hridaya sutra

 

(perfect wisdom heart sutra)

 

aryavalokitesvaro bodhisattvo

(Avalokateshvara bodhisattva)

gambhiram prajnaparamita caryam caramano vyavalokayati

(deep perfect wisdom action perform luminously)

sma panca skandhas tams ca sva bhava sunyam

(saw five bundles them own nature empty)

pasyati sma iha sariputra

(? saw oh Sariputra)

rupam sunyata va rupam rupan na prithak

(form emptiness evidently form form not different)

sunyata sunyataya na prithag rupam

(emptiness emptiness not different form)

yad rupam sa sunyata ya sunyata sa rupam

(this form that emptiness this emptiness that form)

evam eva vedana samjna samskara vijnanam

(like this feeling thought choice consiousness)

iha sariputra sarva dharma sunyata

(oh Sariputra all dharmas emptiness)

laksana anutpanna anruddha avmala anuna aparpurna

(mark not born not pure not increase not decrease ?)

ta sariputra sunyatayam

(therefore Sariputra in the middle of emptiness)

na rupam na vedana na samjna na samskara na vijnana

(no form no feeling no thought no choice no consciousness)

na caksuh srotam na ghrana jihva kaya manah

(no eye ear no nose tongue body mind)

na rupa sabda gandha rasa spistavya dharmah

(no form sound smell taste touch dharmas)

na caksur dhatur ya van na mano vijnanam dhatur

(no eye-area up to no mind-consciousness area)

na vidya na vidya na vidya ksayo va vidya ksayo

(no clarity no clarity no clarity exhaustion no clarity exhaustion)

ya van jaramaranam na jaramarana ksayo

(up to old age no old age exhaustion)

na duhkha samudaya nirdoha margajna

(no suffering end of suffering path)

na jnanam na prapti na bhismaya tasmai na prapti

(no knowledge no ownership no witnessing no thing to own)

tvad bodhisattva prajnaparamita asritya

(therefore bodhisattva perfect wisdom dwells)

viha ratya citta varano vidya ksayo na vidya ksayo

(in dwell thought no obstacle clarity exhaustion not clairty exhaustion)

ya van jaramaranam na jaramarana ksayo

(up to old age no old age exhaustion)

na duhkha samudaya nirodha margajna

(no suffering end of suffering path)

na jnanam na prapti na bhismaya tasmai na prapti

(no knowledge no property no witnessing no thing to own)

tvad bodhisattvanam prajnaparamita asritya

(therefore bodhisattva perfect wisdom dwells)

viha ratya citta varano citta varano

(in dwell thought no obstacle thought no obstacle)

na siddhitvad atrasto vipa ryasa ti kranto

(no existence fear fright inverse reverse ? separate)

ni stha nirvana tya dha vyava sthitah

(perfectly stands nirvana three worlds thing experiences)

sarva buddhah prajnaparamitam asritya

(all buddhas perfect wisdom dwell)

(a?)nuttaram samyaksambodhim abdhisambuddhah

(unexcelled ultimate perfect insight together ? buddhas)

ta smai jnata vyam

(therefore should know ?)

prajnaparamitamahamantram mahavidyamantram

(perfect wisdom great charm great clear charm)

anuttaramantram asamasama mantram

(unexcelled charm unequalled equal charm)

sarva duhkha prasa manam sa tyam ami thyatvat

(all suffering stop terminate genuine real not vain)

prajnaparamitayam ukto mantrah tadyatha

(perfect wisdom declaired charm saying)

GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA

(gone gone totally gone totally completely gone enlightened so be it)

 

[theist]

 

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So, when the jiva is situated in the Pradhana there is no sense of existence.

The soul is sleeping and not in the liberated state of brahman or the manifest state of sense perception in contact with material manifest elements.

As such, the Sunyavadi Buddhists aspire to attain this void condition of suspension in the Pradhana which is sometimes referred to as the near shore of the Viraja River.

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Lord Buddha's (9th incarnation of Sri Vishnu) trick was to implement the worship of Him besides His teaching of voidism to a less intelligent audience.

Thus people who would meditate upon Lord Buddha would make further advancement and finally come to realize that Lord Buddha is an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although these folks wouldnt really be able to articulate.

 

 

They are merged in pradhan? That makes a lot of sense. Pradhana is a state of perfect equilibrium between the three modes of nature and most certainly not a void but a person merged there would experience it as a void.

 

This indeed is the answer to Mohankrsna's question which was concerning the fate of the successful Buddhist. Never crossed my mind which shows the limitation of philosophical speculation.

 

The scenario I described is certainly a path some souls may take with the devotion to Buddha providing the necessary mix of Bhakti as suchandra brought out to make entering the Brahman possible. Grace is necessary there also although not acknowledge by the impersonalist.

 

By worshiping Lord Buddha some would no doubt enter the Bhakti path as a result of the Lord's trick as Buddha.

 

But the pradhana answer Guruvani mentioned is the specific one for this question, one I had wondered about numerous times also.

 

Good thread.

[theist]

 

hahah you can choose you body to be tree fertilizer - I'll stick with ash!

 

 

Ah they can use mine for dog food for all I care. As long as they make sure I am truly gone first, that's all I ask.

[Guruvani]

 

They are merged in pradhan? That makes a lot of sense. Pradhana is a state of perfect equilibrium between the three modes of nature and most certainly not a void but a person merged there would experience it as a void.

 

This indeed is the answer to Mohankrsna's question which was concerning the fate of the successful Buddhist. Never crossed my mind which shows the limitation of philosophical speculation.

 

The scenario I described is certainly a path some souls may take with the devotion to Buddha providing the necessary mix of Bhakti as suchandra brought out to make entering the Brahman possible. Grace is necessary there also although not acknowledge by the impersonalist.

 

By worshiping Lord Buddha some would no doubt enter the Bhakti path as a result of the Lord's trick as Buddha.

 

But the pradhana answer Guruvani mentioned is the specific one for this question, one I had wondered about numerous times also.

 

Good thread.

 

This state of suspended animation is the condition that all the conditioned jivas enter at the total dissolution of the universe.

They go to sleep in the Pradhan.

Someone mentioned on a different thread that at the time of the total dissolution of the cosmos the conditioned jivas merge into brahman, but that is not the case.(mukti, but they don't attain mukti at that time)

They enter into suspension in the Pradhan until they are again let loose at the next cosmic creation.

[theist]

 

This state of suspended animation is the condition that all the conditioned jivas enter at the total dissolution of the universe.

They go to sleep in the Pradhan.

Someone mentioned on a different thread that at the time of the total dissolution of the cosmos the conditioned jivas merge into brahman, but that is not the case.(mukti, but they don't attain mukti at that time)

They enter into suspension in the Pradhan until they are again let loose at the next cosmic creation.

 

I just unblocked your posts Guruvani. Never read the 12 canto much but I see it was there. Now here is another piece of the puzzle. Pour it on bro. This is the Guruvani I can take siksa from.

[Guruvani]

 

I just unblocked your posts Guruvani. Never read the 12 canto much but I see it was there. Now here is another piece of the puzzle. Pour it on bro. This is the Guruvani I can take siksa from.

 

We disagree on some things for sure, but I do appreciate your devotional side and see some very deep and serious spritual tendencies in you.

You have shown some very profound insights on many occasions and I haven't overlooked that.

[theist]

A good day. We are friends again.

 

Hare Krsna

[Guruvani]

Srila Prabhupada gives his opinion about the destination of the Buddhist.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 8.257 purport.

 

 

The last destination of the Buddhist philosophers is to become just like a stone, which is immovable and has neither material nor spiritual activity.

 

Better situated are those who desire sense gratification and promotion to the heavenly planets. Such people want to enjoy themselves like denizens of heaven in the gardens of paradise. They at least retain their individuality in order to enjoy life.

 

So, according to Srila Prabhupada, it is better to be a sense enjoyer rather than a Buddhist.

[Murali_Mohan_das]

 

So, according to Srila Prabhupada, it is better to be a sense enjoyer rather than a Buddhist.

 

I'm not so sure. The term used in your quote is "Buddhist philosophers".

 

Not all Buddhists are philosophers, right? What about the simple-hearted rank-and-file Buddhists?

 

All the same, some might be better off as a stone for a while--at least it's very difficult to offend the Vaishnavas while in stone-consciousness, no?

[Guruvani]

 

I'm not so sure. The term used in your quote is "Buddhist philosophers".

 

Not all Buddhists are philosophers, right? What about the simple-hearted rank-and-file Buddhists?

 

All the same, some might be better off as a stone for a while--at least it's very difficult to offend the Vaishnavas while in stone-consciousness, no?

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 9.49

 

 

However, it is seen here that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu defeated the Buddhist philosophy by argument. Those who are preachers in ISKCON will certainly meet many people who believe in intellectual arguments. Most of these people do not believe in the authority of the Vedas. Nevertheless, they accept intellectual speculation and argument. Therefore the preachers of Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be prepared to defeat others by argument, just as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did. In this verse it is clearly said, tarkei khaṇḍila prabhu. Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu put forward such a strong argument that the Buddhists could not counter Him to establish their cult.

It appears that defeating the Buddhists by argument was what Srila Prabhupada wanted his followers to do.

 

 

 

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 9.49

 

tarka-pradhāna bauddha-śāstra 'nava mate'

tarkei khaṇḍila prabhu, nā pāre sthāpite

 

SYNONYMS

tarka-pradhāna — argumentative; bauddha-śāstra — scriptures of the Buddhist cult; nava mate — in nine basic principles; tarkei — by argument; khaṇḍila — refuted; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; nā — not; pāre — can; sthāpite — establish.

 

 

TRANSLATION

The scriptures of the Buddhist cult are chiefly based on argument and logic, and they contain nine chief principles. Because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu defeated the Buddhists in their argument, they could not establish their cult.

 

 

PURPORT

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.

No one can attain the Absolute Truth by argument. One may be very expert in logic, and another person may be even more expert in the art of argument. Because there is so much word jugglery in logic, one can never come to the real conclusion about the Absolute Truth by argument. The followers of the Vedic principles understand this. However, it is seen here that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu defeated the Buddhist philosophy by argument. Those who are preachers in ISKCON will certainly meet many people who believe in intellectual arguments. Most of these people do not believe in the authority of the Vedas. Nevertheless, they accept intellectual speculation and argument. Therefore the preachers of Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be prepared to defeat others by argument, just as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did. In this verse it is clearly said, tarkei khaṇḍila prabhu. Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu put forward such a strong argument that the Buddhists could not counter Him to establish their cult.

Their first principle is that the creation has always existed. But if this were the case, there could be no theory of annihilation. The Buddhists maintain that annihilation, or dissolution, is the highest truth. If the creation eternally exists, there is no question of dissolution or annihilation. This argument is not very strong because by practical experience we see that material things have a beginning, a middle and an end. The ultimate aim of the Buddhist philosophy is to dissolve the body. This is proposed because the body has a beginning. Similarly, the entire cosmic manifestation is also a gigantic body, but if we accept the fact that it will always exist, there can be no question of annihilation. Therefore the attempt to annihilate everything in order to attain zero is an absurdity. By our own practical experience we have to accept the beginning of creation, and when we accept the beginning, we must accept a creator. Such a creator must possess an all-pervasive body, as pointed out in the Bhagavad-gītā (13.14):

sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaḿ tat sarvato-'kṣi-śiro-mukham

sarvataḥ śruti-mal loke sarvam āvṛtya tiṣṭhati

"Everywhere are His hands and legs, His eyes, heads and faces, and He has ears everywhere. In this way the Supersoul exists, pervading everything."

The Supreme Person must be present everywhere. His body existed before the creation; otherwise He could not be the creator. If the Supreme Person is a created being, there can be no question of a creator. The conclusion is that the cosmic manifestation is certainly created at a certain time, and the creator existed before the creation; therefore the creator is not a created being. The creator is Parabrahman, or the Supreme Spirit. Matter is not only subordinate to spirit but is actually created on the basis of spirit. When the spirit soul enters the womb of a mother, the body is created by material ingredients supplied by the mother. Everything is created in the material world, and consequently there must be a creator who is the Supreme Spirit and who is distinct from matter. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā that the material energy is inferior and that the spiritual energy is the living entity. Both inferior and superior energies belong to a supreme person.

The Buddhists argue that the world is false, but this is not valid. The world is temporary, but it is not false. As long as we have the body, we must suffer the pleasures and pains of the body, even though we are not the body. We may not take these pleasures and pains very seriously, but they are factual nonetheless. We cannot actually say that they are false. If the bodily pains and pleasures were false, the creation would be false also, and consequently no one would take very much interest in it. The conclusion is that the material creation is not false or imaginary, but it is temporary.

The Buddhists maintain that the principle "I am" is the ultimate truth, but this excludes the individuality of "I" and "you." If there is no "I" and "you," or individuality, there is no possibility of argument. The Buddhist philosophy depends on argument, but there can be no argument if one simply depends on "I am." There must be a "you," or another person also. The philosophy of duality — the existence of the individual soul and the Supersoul — must be there. This is confirmed in the Second Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā (2.12), wherein the Lord says:

na tv evāhaḿ jātu nāsaḿ na tvaḿ neme janādhipāḥ

na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarve vayam ataḥ param

"Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be."

We existed in the past in different bodies, and after the annihilation of this body we shall exist in another body. The principle of the soul is eternal, and it exists in this body or in another body. Even in this lifetime we experience existence in a child's body, a youth's body, a man's body and an old body. After the annihilation of the body, we acquire another body. The Buddhist cult also accepts the philosophy of transmigration, but the Buddhists do not properly explain the next birth. There are 8,400,000 species of life, and our next birth may be in any one of them; therefore this human body is not guaranteed.

According to the Buddhists' fifth principle, Lord Buddha is the only source for the attainment of knowledge. We cannot accept this, for Lord Buddha rejected the principles of Vedic knowledge. One must accept a principle of standard knowledge because one cannot attain the Absolute Truth simply by intellectual speculation. If everyone is an authority, or if everyone accepts his own intelligence as the ultimate criterion — as is presently fashionable — the scriptures will be interpreted in many different ways, and everyone will claim that his own philosophy is supreme. This has become a very great problem, and everyone is interpreting scripture in his own way and setting up his own basis of authority. Yata mata tata patha. Now everybody and anybody is trying to establish his own theory as the ultimate truth. The Buddhists theorize that annihilation, or nirvāṇa, is the ultimate goal. Annihilation applies to the body, but the spirit soul transmigrates from one body to another. If this were not the case, how can so many multifarious bodies come into existence? If the next birth is a fact, the next bodily form is also a fact. As soon as we accept a material body, we must accept the fact that that body will be annihilated and that we will have to accept another body. If all material bodies are doomed to annihilation, we must obtain a nonmaterial body, or a spiritual body, if we wish the next birth to be anything but false. How the spiritual body is attained is explained by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.9):

janma karma ca me divyam evaḿ yo vetti tattvataḥ

tyaktvā dehaḿ punar janma naiti mām eti so 'rjuna

"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna."

This is the highest perfection — to give up one's material body and not accept another but to return home, back to Godhead. It is not that perfection means one's existence becomes void or zero. Existence continues, but if we positively want to annihilate the material body, we have to accept a spiritual body; otherwise there can be no eternality for the soul.

We cannot accept the theory that the Buddhist philosophy is the only way, for there are so many defects in that philosophy. A perfect philosophy is one that has no defects, and that is Vedānta philosophy. No one can point out any defects in Vedānta philosophy, and therefore we can conclude that Vedānta is the supreme philosophical way of understanding the truth. According to the Buddhist cult, the Vedas are compiled by ordinary human beings. If this were the case, they would not be authoritative. From the Vedic literatures we understand that shortly after the creation Lord Brahmā was instructed in the Vedas. It is not that the Vedas were created by Brahmā, although Brahmā is the original person in the universe. If Brahmā did not create the Vedas but he is acknowledged as the first created being, wherefrom did Vedic knowledge come to Brahmā? Obviously the Vedas did not come from an ordinary person born in this material world. According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye: after the creation, the Supreme Person imparted Vedic knowledge within the heart of Brahmā. There was no person in the beginning of the creation other than Brahmā, yet he did not compile the Vedas; therefore the conclusion is that the Vedas were not compiled by any created being. Vedic knowledge was given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who created this material world. This is also accepted by Śańkarācārya, although he is not a Vaiṣṇava.

It is stated that mercy is one of the qualities of a Buddhist, but mercy is a relative thing. We show our mercy to a subordinate or to one who is suffering more than ourselves. However, if there is a superior person present, the superior person cannot be the object of our mercy. Rather, we are objects for the mercy of the superior person. Therefore showing compassion and mercy is a relative activity. It is not the Absolute Truth. Apart from this, we also must know what actual mercy is. To give a sick man something forbidden for him to eat is not mercy. Rather, it is cruelty. Unless we know what mercy really is, we may create an undesirable situation. If we wish to show real mercy, we will preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness in order to revive the lost consciousness of human beings, the living entity's original consciousness. Since the Buddhist philosophy does not admit the existence of the spirit soul, the so-called mercy of the Buddhists is defective.

 

 

This about sums up my comments on Buddhism.

[suchandra]

 

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 9.49

 

 

It appears that defeating the Buddhists by argument was what Srila Prabhupada wanted his followers to do.

 

 

 

 

This about sums up my comments on Buddhism.

 

Since Buddhists believe, "there is repetition of birth and death", they're more advanced than Christians and our whole Western intellectual elite back and forth who say, there is no repetition of birth and death. Did Lord Caitanya preach to Christians, no, but He preached to the Buddhists.

In sum, Buddhists can't be so bad.