Sankaracarya drove Buddhism out of India
Expressions researched:
"buddha" |"Buddhism" |"Buddhists" |"India" |"Śaṅkarācārya"
Notes from the compiler: VedaBase research query: "buddh* sankara* india"@40
Contents
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 4
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that the followers of the Buddhist system of religion are nāstikas. In order to establish his doctrine of nonviolence, Lord Buddha flatly refused to believe in the Vedas, and thus, later on, Śaṅkarācārya stopped this system of religion in India and forced it to go outside India.
SB 4.2.30, Translation and Purport:
Bhṛgu Muni continued: Since you blaspheme the Vedas and the brāhmaṇas, who are followers of the Vedic principles, it is understood that you have already taken shelter of the doctrine of atheism.
Bhṛgu Muni, in cursing Nandīśvara, said that not only would they be degraded as atheists because of this curse, but they had already fallen to the standard of atheism because they had blasphemed the Vedas, which are the source of human civilization. Human civilization is based on the qualitative divisions of social order, namely the intelligent class, the martial class, the productive class and the laborer class. The Vedas provide the right direction for advancing in spiritual cultivation and economic development and regulating the principle of sense gratification, so that ultimately one may be liberated from material contamination to his real state of spiritual identification (ahaṁ brahmāsmi). As long as one is in the contamination of material existence, one changes bodies from the aquatics up to the position of Brahmā, but the human form of life is the highest perfectional life in the material world. The Vedas give directions by which to elevate oneself in the next life. The Vedas are the mother for such instructions, and the brāhmaṇas, or persons who are in knowledge of the Vedas, are the father. Thus if one blasphemes the Vedas and brāhmaṇas, naturally one goes down to the status of atheism. The exact word used in Sanskrit is nāstika, which refers to one who does not believe in the Vedas but manufactures some concocted system of religion. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that the followers of the Buddhist system of religion are nāstikas. In order to establish his doctrine of nonviolence, Lord Buddha flatly refused to believe in the Vedas, and thus, later on, Śaṅkarācārya stopped this system of religion in India and forced it to go outside India. Here it is stated, brahma ca brāhmaṇān. Brahma means the Vedas. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi means "I am in full knowledge." The Vedic assertion is that one should think that he is Brahman, for actually he is Brahman. If brahma, or the Vedic spiritual science, is condemned, and the masters of the spiritual science, the brāhmaṇas, are condemned, then where does human civilization stand? Bhṛgu Muni said, "It is not due to my cursing that you shall become atheists; you are already situated in the principle of atheism. Therefore you are condemned."
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Devotion
Lord Buddha appeared in the family of a high-grade kṣatriya king, but his philosophy was not in accord with the Vedic conclusions and therefore was rejected. Under the patronage of a Hindu king, Mahārāja Aśoka, the Buddhist religion was spread all over India and the adjoining countries. However, after the appearance of the great stalwart teacher Śaṅkarācārya, this Buddhism was driven out beyond the borders of India.
In the Skanda Purāṇa it is advised that a devotee follow the past ācāryas and saintly persons, because by such following one can achieve the desired results, with no chance of lamenting or being baffled in his progress.
The scripture known as Brahma-yāmala states as follows: "If someone wants to pose himself as a great devotee without following the authorities of the revealed scriptures, then his activities will never help him to make progress in devotional service. Instead, he will simply create disturbances for the sincere students of devotional service." Those who do not strictly follow the principles of revealed scriptures are generally called sahajiyās—those who have imagined everything to be cheap, who have their own concocted ideas, and who do not follow the scriptural injunctions. Such persons are simply creating disturbances in the discharge of devotional service.
In this connection, an objection may be raised by those who are not in devotional service and who do not care for the revealed scriptures. An example of this is seen in Buddhist philosophy. Lord Buddha appeared in the family of a high-grade kṣatriya king, but his philosophy was not in accord with the Vedic conclusions and therefore was rejected. Under the patronage of a Hindu king, Mahārāja Aśoka, the Buddhist religion was spread all over India and the adjoining countries. However, after the appearance of the great stalwart teacher Śaṅkarācārya, this Buddhism was driven out beyond the borders of India.
The Buddhists or other religionists who do not care for revealed scriptures sometimes say that there are many devotees of Lord Buddha who show devotional service to Lord Buddha, and who therefore should be considered devotees. In answer to this argument, Rūpa Gosvāmī says that the followers of Buddha cannot be accepted as devotees. Although Lord Buddha is accepted as an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, the followers of such incarnations are not very advanced in their knowledge of the Vedas. To study the Vedas means to come to the conclusion of the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead. Therefore any religious principle which denies the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead is not accepted and is called atheism. Atheism means defying the authority of the Vedas and decrying the great ācāryas who teach Vedic scriptures for the benefit of the people in general.
Lord Buddha is accepted as an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but in the same Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated that Lord Buddha appeared in order to bewilder the atheistic class of men. Therefore his philosophy is meant for bewildering the atheists and should not be accepted. If someone asks, "Why should Kṛṣṇa propagate atheistic principles?" the answer is that it was the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to end the violence which was then being committed in the name of the Vedas. The so-called religionists were falsely using the Vedas to justify such violent acts as meat-eating, and Lord Buddha came to lead the fallen people away from such a false interpretation of the Vedas. Also, for the atheists Lord Buddha preached atheism so that they would follow him and thus be tricked into devotional service to Lord Buddha, or Kṛṣṇa.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Buddha religion is also Indian religion. Lord Buddha, He was Indian. He, just like Lord Caitanya began His propaganda from Bengal, Lord Buddha made His propaganda from Bihar. He was Indian. But the defect was that He did not acknowledge the authority of the Vedas. Therefore His philosophy was considered atheism. And this Śaṅkarācārya drove away all the Buddhists from the land of India. Therefore they took shelter in China, Japan, Burma. Outside India.
Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :
The other day while I was walking, I saw one advertisement of tourist agent. India, (indistinct) can view wonderful land. The wonderful land. Anyway, so I asked Karttikeya(?), "So India is considered very wonderful?" He said "Yes." Anyway, India is still considered the land of spiritual cultivation. Even one Chinese author, he has written that if you want to study religion, then you have to go India. He is impartial. He is not Indian nor an American or any country. He is Chinese. Chinese are considered to be Communist country, but he has very impartially said that if you have to learn what is religion then you have to go to India. Anyway India, actually it is the land of religion, dharma-kṣetra, although it has gone down at the present moment. But anyway, there are two sections in the..., amongst the Indian, bona fide religionists. That means bona fide religionists means those who are following the Vedic principles. They are called bona fide. Anyway, that is, that wa the system in the bygone ages, even one thousand years ago. And now that, just like Buddha, Buddha religion. Buddha religion is also Indian religion. Lord Buddha, He was Indian. He, just like Lord Caitanya began His propaganda from Bengal, Lord Buddha made His propaganda from Bihar. He was Indian. But the defect was that He did not acknowledge the authority of the Vedas. Therefore His philosophy was considered atheism. And this Śaṅkarācārya drove away all the Buddhists from the land of India. Therefore they took shelter in China, Japan, Burma. Outside India. So anyway, strict religionists they are followers of Vedas, and they are divided into two groups: one group led by Śaṅkarācārya and the other group is led by the Vaiṣṇavas, or generally Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya or Lord Caitanya. They are all the same, Vaiṣṇava. Now all these two groups, following the Vedic principles, they accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So far India's authoritative persons are concerned, there is no two opinions, that Kṛṣṇa is not God. Both of them accept Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Personality. So far we are concerned, Vaiṣṇavas, we accept. There is no doubt about it.
Once Lord Buddha's preaching was accepted, whole of India accepted. Under the king, under the Emperor Aśoka, the whole of India became Buddhist. But later on, Śaṅkarācārya appeared and he made against them, Vedantists. So India, Buddhist religion from India was practically banished.
Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:
Just like Lord Buddha. When did he appear? He appeared... He appeared in India. The condition of his appearance, perhaps you know. I shall still explain. When India was too much busy in animal slaughter. Of course, the Hindus, they, there are Vedic principles, animal slaughtering. They are... Just like in Muhammadans also, they have got some principle for animal slaughtering. You know, those who have read Koran, the Muhammadan religion allows animal slaughtering once in a year. It is called koravāni. And they can slaughter animals in the mosque. Similarly, in the Vedic religion also, the animals are allowed to be slaughtered in some sacrifice. But no religion, either Muhammadan or Hindu... I do not (know) in detail of your Christian religion, but they do not allow animal slaughter in the slaughter house. There are some particular rules and regulations. Anyway, that is a religious details.
But when India was too much addicted for animal slaughtering under the plea of Vedic sacrifice, the Lord Buddha appeared. Why? They misused the Vedic injunctions. They misused the injunctions of the Vedas. So he, he proclaimed, "No, this animal slaughter should be stopped." He did, he did not agree even with the Vedic injunction. Therefore Lord Buddha's preaching was not accepted. It was... Once it was accepted, whole of India accepted. Under the king, under the Emperor Aśoka, the whole of India became Buddhist. But later on, Śaṅkarācārya appeared and he made against them, Vedantists. So India, Buddhist religion from India was practically banished. So these are historical facts.
By the propagation of Lord Buddha, whole India became Buddhist. And Śaṅkarācārya wanted to establish Vedas again. So they were temporary necessities, for certain reason. Because people were addicted so much in violence, in killing the animals, therefore Buddha philosophy was needed. Again, this Buddha philosophy was driven out. The Śaṅkara, impersonal philosophy was established.
Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Bombay, March 31, 1974:
People may question that "Lord Buddha is accepted as an incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa." Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. "Then why he preached atheistic philosophy?" He preached, "There is no God." Śūnyavāda. But there was necessity at that time. Why? That is explained by Jayadeva Gosvāmī:
nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātaṁ
sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam
keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare
At that time, people were killing animals like anything in the name of yajña. In the Vedas there are prescriptions that in the yajña a paśu can be, an animal can be slaughtered. In some yajña, not all. Tāmasika-yajña.
Anyway, Vedic injunction is there. So when Lord Buddha started this nonviolence, ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ, the Vedic scholars approached him that "How you can prescribe this ahiṁsā? There is already sanction in the Vedas, paśavo vadhāya sṛṣṭāḥ... How you can stop it?" So Lord Buddha said, "I don't care for your Vedas." Therefore he is considered as atheist. Anyone who doesn't care for Vedas, they are technically called as atheist. Veda nā māniyā bauddha haila nāstika. Nāstika means atheist.
Anyway... Then Śaṅkarācārya came. Śaṅkarācārya wanted... Because by the propagation of Lord Buddha, whole India became Buddhist. And Śaṅkarācārya wanted to establish Vedas again. So they were temporary necessities, for certain reason. Because people were addicted so much in violence, in killing the animals, therefore Buddha philosophy was needed. Again, this Buddha philosophy was driven out. The Śaṅkara, impersonal philosophy was established. But again, the ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya and other Vaiṣṇava ācāryas.. . At last, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They established that brahma satyam means brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11).
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lord Buddha said, "I don't care for your Vedas." Veda nā māniyā bauddha haila nāstika. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya came, and he drove away the Buddhists from the land of India. That's a long history.
Lecture on SB 1.5.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 18, 1969:
Similarly, there is prayer for Lord Buddha also. The, that prayer is: nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātam, "Although in the Vedic literature there is recommendation for animal sacrifice, you are forbidding, 'No, this should not be done.' " Therefore Buddhism is not Vedic religion, because he was against this Vedic sacrifice. Sadaya-hṛdaya darśi... His main business was to stop this animal killing, but people wanted to give evidence from the Vedas. Therefore he said, "I don't care for your Vedas." Veda nā māniyā bauddha haila nāstika. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya came, and he drove away the Buddhists from the land of India. That's a long history.
After Buddha, His Holiness Śaṅkarācārya appeared to drive away Buddhism, and he established again Vedic religion. But that Vedic religion, being impersonal, that is also not Vedic religion. That is also another thing, that God is person.
Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Surat, December 22, 1970:
Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. He is accepted in the Vedic literature as incarnation of God, but he says that "There is no God. You worship me. You follow me," because his principle was to stop animal-killing. Sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam. God became very much compassionate. When people were too much addicted in killing animals unnecessarily, He appeared as Lord Buddha. Sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam. Paśu-ghātam. The paśu-ghātam means they were being implicated in innumerable sinful activities by this process. Therefore God wanted to... Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). In the name of religion, they were killing so many animals. Therefore to stop this nonsense, he appeared. And he declined to accept the Vedic principles because there was no other way to stop. If he would have accepted Vedic principles, then these animal-killers would have shown him evidences that in the Vedas there is mention of animal-killing in the sacrifice. But he wanted to stop completely animal-killing; so therefore he adopted a new type of religion. But those who were followers of Vedic religion, they did not accept because that is not religion because it is against the Vedas. These are the principles.
Śaṅkarācārya... Śaṅkarācārya, after Buddha, His Holiness Śaṅkarācārya appeared to drive away Buddhism, and he established again Vedic religion. But that Vedic religion, being impersonal, that is also not Vedic religion. That is also another thing, that God is person. Nityo nityānām. Nityānām, the so many living entities—every one is person. How God can be imperson? If God is the supreme father... If you are a person, then how your father can be imperson? So that is imperfect knowledge. When we speak of God as imperson, that is imperfect knowledge.
The devotees know that Śaṅkarācārya was at heart a Vaiṣṇava, but he had to preach like avaiṣṇava because he had to drive away Buddhism from India. That was the mission. So therefore he made something, compromise, with the Buddhist philosophies. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said He wanted to accept Vedas against Buddhism, who did not accept the Vedas, but He preached this atheism under the shadow of Vedas.
Lecture on SB 6.2.16 -- Vrndavana, September 19, 1975:
Buddha philosophy, they do not accept the authority of Vedas, although Lord Buddha is accepted as incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. But for the time being, he did not accept the authority of Veda. Nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātam. Lord Buddha was preaching ahiṁsā, so according to Vedic rituals there is prescription sometimes—not always—killing of animals. So when Lord Buddha was preaching ahiṁsā, "No more animal killing," the so-called Vedantists and Vedic followers, they said, "Why you are preaching in that way? We have got in the Vedas many animal sacrifice is prescribed there, paśu-bali." So Lord Buddha, what he will reply to these foolish persons what was his mission? He said, "I don't care for your Vedas." Therefore nindasi. Nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātam: "Although it is Vedic injunction, my Lord, you have decried." Means there is no way. Why? Sadaya-hṛdaya-darśita-paśu-ghātam: "You are so kind, you wanted to stop this poor animal killing: 'Never mind. For the time being stop Vedic authority.' "
So these things can be understood by the devotees. Although he decried Vedic authority, still, he is worshiped. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa. This is the understanding of the devotees. They know everything perfectly well, what is what. They know Śaṅkarācārya, what he is. Śaṅkarācārya is the incarnation of Lord Śaṅkara, Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva. Vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ. He is the topmost Vaiṣṇava. So the devotees know that Śaṅkarācārya was at heart a Vaiṣṇava, but he had to preach like avaiṣṇava because he had to drive away Buddhism from India. That was the mission. So therefore he made something, compromise, with the Buddhist philosophies. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said He wanted to accept Vedas against Buddhism, who did not accept the Vedas, but He preached this atheism under the shadow of Vedas. He said therefore that veda nā māniyā buddha haila nāstika, vedāśraye vāda nāstika ke adhika. So these are the discussion. One has to learn very cautiously how, what is the purpose of, why Lord Buddha came, why Lord Śiva and Śaṅkarācārya came, why other ācāryas came, why Caitanya Mahāprabhu came. It requires thorough study under able guidance. Then one can understand.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
After Śaṅkarācārya's drive against Buddhism,... Śaṅkarācārya wanted to establish the difference of Buddhism and Hinduism is that Buddhism, Lord Buddha did not accept Vedic authority.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.353-354 -- New York, December 26, 1966:
So accept or no accept, His work, His activities, His characterize, characteristics will be known because God will be known. Just like Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha is accepted as incarnation in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And during the time of Emperor Aśoka, he was patronized, Lord Buddha was patronized, not Buddha, or Buddhism was patronized by Aśoka. So practically the whole of Far East, including India, all over, the Buddhism was broadcast and everyone become Buddhist. Whole of India, practically, became Buddhist during his time. But later on, after Śaṅkarācārya's drive against Buddhism, Buddha-ism... Śaṅkarācārya wanted to establish the difference of Buddhism and Hinduism is that Buddhism, Lord Buddha did not accept Vedic authority. He did not accept Vedic authority. But according to Hindu culture, if somebody does not accept the Vedic authority, then he's not a authority.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Śaṅkarācārya established that "This Buddha philosophy is non-Vedic. It cannot be accepted." That was Śaṅkarācārya's propaganda. So by the propaganda of Śaṅkarācārya the Buddhism were driven away.
Room Conversation with Maharishi Impersonalists -- April 7, 1972, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: According to Vedas, animal can be killed in sacrifice. That also to give a new life. But people misinterpreted and they began to kill animals like anything with the evidence of..., "In the Vedas animal killing is sanctioned." So Lord Buddha appeared, just being compassionate to the poor animals. Sadaya-hṛdaya-darśita-paśu-ghātam. Sadaya. He became very compassionate, that "All these poor animals are being killed unnecessarily." So he promulgamated a new type of religion-ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ. "Don't commit violence. If I pinch your body, you feel pain. You should not pinch others." That is his religion. So, but, he... Because others, they will argue, "Oh, in the Vedas..." As I told you, that Vedas is the evidence, so "Here is... Animal killing is ordered. How you are stopping it?" Therefore he said, "I don't care for your Vedas." And because he did not care for the Vedas, therefore in India, later on, nobody accepted Buddha philosophy. Therefore Buddha philosophy has gone outside India-China, Burma, Japan—because here in India they are very strong in the standing of Vedas. Śaṅkarācārya established that "This Buddha philosophy is non-Vedic. It cannot be accepted." That was Śaṅkarācārya's propaganda. So by the propaganda of Śaṅkarācārya the Buddhism were driven away. There are so many things that one has to study.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Śaṅkara forced the Buddhists out of India by argument, by teaching.
Morning Walk -- May 18, 1975, Perth:
Amogha: When Buddha came, did most people follow Him?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Amogha: And they stopped their (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: Yes. In their religion animal-killing is strictly forbidden.
Amogha: Did Śaṅkara, did he physically force the Buddhists out of India, by force?
Prabhupāda: No.
Amogha: Or just teaching.
Prabhupāda: By argument, by teaching.
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
Unfortunately Sankara who belonged to the Mayavada school made a misinterpretation of the Vedanta for his own purpose to convert the Buddhists in India.
Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 2 October, 1951:
The Western philosophers mostly of the Sankhya school have less aquaintance with the Vedanta Darsana and philosophers like Kant, Mill, Aristotle or Schopenhauer etc all belong to either of the above five Darsanas except Vedanta because limited human thinking power cannot go beyond that stage. But Vedanta Darsana is far beyond the limited mental speculation of the human brain conditioned by material nature. Unfortunately Sankara who belonged to the Mayavada school made a misinterpretation of the Vedanta for his own purpose to convert the Buddhists in India.
1968 Correspondence
For the time being, Lord Buddha's philosophy was accepted by emperor Asoka, and due to royal influence, it spread all over India. But later on, when Sankaracarya preached the Vedic principle, the voidism of Lord Buddha was driven out of India.
Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 10 July, 1968:
So our mission is to reach the supreme planet, in the spiritual sky, namely the Abode of Krishna. As such, we cannot compromise that all sorts of meditation gives the same result. This sort of view is practiced and preached by the impersonalist missionaries like the Rama-Krishna mission, that one may follow any path, but he reaches the same destination. There is no Vedic evidence, neither any proof of the acharya principles. You know that Lord Buddha was Hindu, born in India, in a royal family, but because He advocated voidism, His philosophy was not accepted by the leaders of Vedic principles. For the time being, Lord Buddha's philosophy was accepted by emperor Asoka, and due to royal influence, it spread all over India. But later on, when Sankaracarya preached the Vedic principle, the voidism of Lord Buddha was driven out of India. Similarly, when Ramanujacarya found Sankaracarya a second edition of Buddhist philosophy, he also expunged Sankaracarya as compromising the Buddha, and he established Personal worship of Lord Visnu. Later on, other acaryas, including Sri Caitanya, developed the transcendental reciprocation of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and Lord Caitanya preached that loving service in the highest conjugal love with Krishna is also possible. So we are preaching the highest principles of loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such, there is no scope for compromising with any of the kinds of philosophies of the impersonalist school.
1970 Correspondence
Actually Sankaracarya is a covered personalist. He became impersonalist just to drive away Buddhism. All of India was Buddhist voidism. So, although a personalist, he had to keep pace with voidism by expounding impersonalism.
Letter to Damodara -- Bombay, India 12 November, 1970:
I am glad to see that you are working in the universities. They are a good field for spreading our Krishna Consciousness activities. Try and get all our books accepted in the college libraries and classroom courses. That will be our real success. Dr. Cenkner is correct in saying that Sankaracarya's belief is personal. Actually he is a covered personalist. He became impersonalist just to drive away Buddhism. All of India was Buddhist voidism. So, although a personalist, he had to keep pace with voidism by expounding impersonalism. There is very little difference between impersonalism and voidism, but because he had to bring Buddhists back to the Vedic cultural form, he adopted impersonalism. From the Padma Purāṇa, it is learned that Sankaracarya is Lord Siva, and who can be a greater devotee than Lord Siva? Lord Siva is considered to be the foremost Vaisnava.