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ByomaKusumaBuddhadharmaSanghaHomeRatnashriDonateCentersTeachingsAboutUs

MarshlandFlowersPart1MarshlandFlowers

AcharyaMahayogiSridharRanaRinpoche

Publishedon16-22April2007Issue

HavinghumblyofferedmarshlandflowerstotheMasterofgodsandmen(sastadevamanushyanam),thegodofgods(Devadideva)theyogiofyogis,IhumblybeginthisseriesonBuddhism.NepalisthelandwheretheBuddhawasbornanditwasthefirstcountryoutsideIndiawhereBuddhismspread.AvastnumberofSakyashadbecomeBuddhistsatthetimeoftheBuddhahimself.However,leavingasidetheHimalayanethnicminority,thevastmajorityoftheNepalesepeople,includingthosewhoaresupposedtobeBuddhistsbybirth,knowverylittleaboutboththeBuddhaandBuddhism.Tothevastmajorityofnon-BuddhistNepalese,theBuddha-legendisbasedonmythscomingfromnon-Buddhistcultures.SotheBuddhabecomesanincarnationofVisnuandthat'saboutallthatisknownabouttheBuddha.InthisageanderawhenBuddhismisspreadinglikewildfireacrossthesevenseasandbecomingthetalkoftheintellectualsacrosstheworld,NepaleseintellectualsfumbleandmumbleabouttheBuddhabeingborninLumbinibeforetheirkno

wledgeaboutBuddhismdriesup,whilstthemoreorthodoxtrytocullupwhatotherfamousHinduyogishadsaidabouttheBuddhamostofwhicharepurelyfabricatedstory,historicallyunsoundandalientoanyformofBuddhismaroundtheworld.

So,puttingthehorsebeforethecart,whoorwhatistheBuddhaoraBuddhaaccordingtotheBuddhiststhemselves?Thisstorygoesthreeasankhyakalpasago.WhentherewasapowerfulyogiwithallthesiddhiandriddhiscalledBhikchhuSumedha.Itissaidthateventhoughhewasalreadyapowerfulyogiwithsiddhiriddhis,heresolvedtomaketheaspiration(pranidhan)tobecomeaBuddha,infrontoftheBuddhaDipankara,somethreeasankhyakalpasago.AndthatwasthestartingofthemakingofaBuddha.ThispointisbasedonthewordsoftheBuddhaSakyamunihimselfasrecordedintheJatakwhichisoneoftheScripturaltexts

foundintheTripitaka.TheJatakasarecollectionofthestoriesofSakyamuni'sformerlivesastoldbyhimself.

ThenBhikchhuSumedhapracticedsadhanasforthreeasankhyakalpasundermanyBuddhaslikeKashyapaetc.untilfinallyhebecameaBuddha.Whetherweregardthisstoryasmeremythorreal,itistheBuddhistversionandspeaksabundantlyabouttheBuddhistculturerelatedtowhoorwhataBuddhais.EvenifitbeconsideredasonlyamythitistheBuddhistmythasopposedtononBuddhistmythsabouttheBuddha.ButmythornotitdoestellusalotaboutwhoorwhataBuddhaistotheBuddhistsandaboutBuddhism.ThisstorysaysthataBuddhaisasentientbeingwhoistheacmeofspiritualdevelopment,ashewasalreadyapowerfulyogiwhenhebeganhisjourneytoBuddhahood.Thusheisthekingofallyogis.AlsoheisnotsomekindofaGodorincarnationofaGod,butratherahuman

beingwhostartedonthelongjourneytobecomeaBuddha.Intheprocess,theJatakastellushewasbornmanytimesasDevaslikeIndraetc,manytimesashumansetc.ThisopensuptheBuddhistconceptthatthereisnotmuchdifferencebetweentheGodsandmenandanimalsintermsofcycleofexistence,becausethecontinuityofthesamementalcontinuumcanbeadevaatonetimeandahumanatanothertime.SodevasinBuddhismarenoteternallyfixeddevasbutcandieandbebornashumansetc.dependinguponthekarmatheyhaveaccumulated.Thismeanskarmaisnotfixedthingbestoweduponmenbysomesupergodsbutrathertheactionsone'sownselfhasperpetratedandtheresultone'sownselfhastoexperienceandischangeablebyone'sownself.SoaBuddhaisnotaGodcomedownto

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helpmankindbutapersonthathasreachedtheacmeofspiritualdevelopment.Thatiswhyhecalledhimself"Sastadevamanushyanam"whichmeanstheSpiritualGuruorMasterofDevasandhumans.Beingbornasahuman,hewasahumanbuthavingbecomeaBuddhahewasnomoreamerehuman,buttheSasta/Guru/MasterofhumansandDevasintermsofspiritualdevelopment.HehimselfclearlysaidintheDronaSutraoftheAnguttaraNikayathathewasnotaDeva,notayakchhya,notaGandharvaandnotahumanaswell.TheBuddhaiscertainlynotaGodoranemanationofanyGodbyanyBuddhistaccountbutthenifheisnotahumantoowhatishe?HeisaBuddha.WhatisthemeaningofthewordBuddhaandhowisaBuddhadifferentfrombeingahuman?

Publishedon22-29April2007Issue

Hewasbornahumanofahumanmotherandfather.SuddhodhanandMayadeviwerenotgodsandgoddessesoreventheiravatar.Theywerehumans.ButinBuddhismasIhavealreadymentionedhumansarenotsomeeternallystuckbeingswhoselotistobehumansforever.Itisthoseveryhumanswhobecamegodsandgoddessesaccordingtotheactionstheyhaveperformed(karma);andgodsandgoddessesbecomehumansandanimalsaccordingtotheirkarmaperformedinthepastandpresent.Sodevasarenoteternalgodsandgoddesses,whohavenoconnectionwithhumans.Sohowwashenotahuman?Humansarethosewhoarestillengrossedinemotionaldefilements,andstilllostinignorance.Ignoranceheredoesnotmeanignoranceofworldlyknowledgewhatevertheybebutignoranceofthewaytheworldre

allyexists,ignoranceofonesowntruenature(swarup).SinceaBuddhaisneitherentangledinemotionaldefilementsnorisheignorantofthetruenatureofallthatexistsincludinghimself,hecannotbesaidtobeahuman,althoughhisphysicalendowmentscontinuetobethatofahuman.Hislevelofmindisnomorethesameasthelevelofmindofanyhumanorgodsandgoddessesforthatmatter.

InfactthemindofaBuddhaisnomorelikeanysentientbeingsintheentireuniversecalledTrisahasramahasahasralokadhatuinBuddhistculture.That'swhytheBuddhahimselftoldtheBraminDronatounderstandhimasaBuddhaashewasnotaDeva,yakchhya,gandharvaorhuman.ABuddhaistheresultofthespiritualpracticeofthreeimmeasurablekalpas(triasankhyakalpa),thusaccordingtotheLalitvistar,theMahasangikrecordoftheBuddha'slife,hewastheeldest

ofallsentientbeings(includingGodsandBramahofthehighestDevalokas)atthepointofbirthitself.ThisisthemeaningofBramah,VisnuandMaheshcomingtogreethimathisbirthasisshowninthesculptureinLumbiniandinmanypaubhapaintings.

Becauseoftheimmeasurablemeritheaccumulatedduringthethreeimmeasurablekalpasofpracticehewasbornwiththe32lakchhyanas(physicalcharacteristics)and80anubyanjanas(subcharacteristics).ThesearefoundonlyamongstthosewhowillbecomeaChakravartiKingoraBuddha.Thesetwoareconceptswhichexistedinthesub-continentevenbeforethetimeofSakyamunibecausewefindtheBrahminPuskarswatisendinghisBrahmindiscipleAmbathatocheckwhetherGautamwasreallyaBuddhaandhadthosecharacteristicsornot.AmbathawasrudetotheBuddha,heappearstobeasnobbishBrahminbutwhenthelearnedBrahminPuska

rswatiheardthatGautamindeedhadthosecharacteristics,heaskedAmbatha"Howdidyoubehavewithhim?"WhenAmbathatoldhimhowhebehaved,itissaidPuskarswatigavehimaswatonthefaceandwenthimselftoapologizeforhisdisciple'srudebehaviour.Butitmustbemadecleatthatthese32lakchhyanasandanubyanjanasarenotthesameattributedtoKrishna.Theseareamoreancientversionofthe32lakchhyanas.Someofthemajorpartofwhichareagoldencoloredskin,aswirlofwhitehairbetweentheeyebrows,andamoundontopoftheskullwhichgivestheimpressionthathehastiedhishairinatuftonthecrown.ThattuftlikemoundontopofallBuddhastatuesisactuallynotatuftofhairtiedupinabunabovethecrownasmostnonBuddhistNepalesethinkbutrather

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apeculiarbumpoftheskullfoundonlyintheBuddhaoraChakravartiKings,calledtheusnisa.ThesearecharacteristicsnotfoundinanynonBuddhistdevasoryogis,althoughsomeofthemarecommon.AccordingtotheAmbathasutta,DighaNikaya,thesecharacteristicswerewellknowntotheBrahminsofthetimeoftheBuddhaandmentionedintheirtextstoo.But,thisknowledgeseemstohavebecomelostintheBrahmanicalsystemsinlatercenturiesaftertheBuddha,becausewefindinlaterHindutexts,thattheBuddhaismadeintoanavatarofVisnuandKrishnawhoseverynamemeansblackisalsosaidtohavethe32lakchhyanas.EventheBrahminsoftheBuddha'stimeknewthataBuddhaisasrareastheUdumbaraflower.AflowersaidtobloomonlywhenaBuddhaattainsfullenlightenmentandthatwasveryrare.ABuddhaarisesonlywhentheteachingsofaBuddhabeforehimhasbeentotallylost.AstherecanbenotwolionsinthesameforestsotherecanbenotwoBuddhasatthesametimeortwodifferentteachingsoftwodifferentBuddhasatthesametime.SoanewBuddhaarisesonlyafterthesasana(dispensation)oftheonebeforehimhastotallyvanished.RightnowthedispensationofSakyaMuniBuddhastillexistsandisgoingstrongandsonootherBuddhacanarise.MaitreyaBuddhawillariseonlyafterthedispensationofSakyaMunihastotallyvanished.

Takingthismetaphor(whichshouldnotbestretchedtoofarlikeallothermetaphors)wecansaythattheBuddhaandonlytheBuddhacouldpossiblevalidatewhetherornotanotherpersonhehastaughthasexperiencedthesameBodhiornot.Iamsuretherecanbenotwothoughtsaboutthismuch.ThisisexactlywhattheBuddhadidwhenhedeclaredhundredsofhisdisciplesasarhatsorsrotapannas

orsagridagamiorbodhisattvaswhohadattainedDarsanmargaorhigheruptheladder.

ThesenewwordsbringusclosertowhattheBuddhistscallenlightenmentbutweshalldealwiththemalittlelaterafterhavingdealtwiththe"Unbrokenenlightenedlineage"issuefirst.SotheBuddhahistoricallyvalidateddifferentlevelsofenlightenmentamongsthisdisciples;andthisisrecordedinTheravad,Sarvastivad,andMahayanliterature.NowthatmeansthesefirstgenerationdiscipleswereenlightenedtovariousdegreesaccordingtotheBuddhahimself.So,morethananybodyelsethesediscipleswouldbetheauthenticauthoritiesonwhatwastheBuddha'sBodhi.Nowthesedisciplesauthenticatedthedegreesofenlightenmentoftheirdiscipleswhowerethesecondgeneration.AsthesefirstgenerationshadexperiencedthemselvestheBodhioftheBuddhatovariousdegrees,theywou

ldknowbetterthananybodyelsewhichoftheirdiscipleshadreached/attained/experiencedvariousdegreesoftheBuddha'sBodhi.Idonotthinktherecanbetwomindsaboutit.Onlyascientistcantestwhetheranewstudenthastheknowledgehehimselfhasanddefinitelynotanonscientist.LikewiseonlyMastersofBuddha'sunbrokenlineagecangaugewhetherthepractitionersofthenextgenerationhaveattainedtheBuddha'sBodhitosomedegreeornotandnotothernonBuddhists.Forthisvalidationtoremainauthenticandpure,thelineageshouldbeunbrokengenerationtogenerationfromthetimeoftheBuddhathroughthefirstgeneration,secondgeneration,thirdgenerationetcetc.tillthepresenttime.Evenifinonegeneration,therewasnoonewhowasvalidatedasenlightened,thelineageisbrokenasfarasenlightenmentisconcerned;evenifitcontinues.Thatthenisanunbrokenlineagebutnotanenlightenedunbrokenlineage.Thereareotherkindsoflineageslikethepanditlineageofscholars,whohavetrans

mittedunbroken,theknowledgeoftheBuddha'steachingfromgenerationtogenerationuptodate.Butthatisnotanunbrokenenlightenedlineagebutandunbrokenpanditlineage.ThepanditlineagecannotvalidateauthenticallytheexperienceofsomeoneasvalidBuddhistenlightenmentornot.Itcanonlyinferbasedonscriptures.IntheBuddhismoftoday,asawholeboththelineagesexistunbrokenandalive.ItistheMastersoftheselineageswhoaretheauthenticdisseminatorsoftheBuddha'steachingsandnotothersnomatterhowbrilliantorprofoundtheirexplanationsoftheBuddha'steachingsare.

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Publishedon7-13May2007Issue

ActuallysincesuchlineageMastersofbothtypesoflineageexistinabundanceinboththeMahayanaandSravakayanatradition,manyofthembeingholdersofbothlineages,there'snoneedforotherswhodonotbelongtosuchauthenticlineagestoexplainoreventeachBuddhismbasedonone'sownpersonalideas.TheBuddha'steachingisstillaliveanddynamic.Itisnotathingofthepasthistorywhichcanbeexplainedaccordingtoone'spreferencesandconditionings.Sothisisthemeaningofunbrokenenlightenedlineageandunbrokenpanditlineage.WithinBuddhism,thereisalsoanunbrokenBhikchhulineagefromthetimeoftheBuddhatilltoday.SomeMastersholdallthethreeunbrokenlineages.TheyareenlightenedMastersauthenticatedbytheirMasterswhothemselveswereauthenticatedbytheirMastersthusgoingbackwardstotheBuddhahimself,butatthesametimearealsopandits,taughtbypanditsofanunbrokenlineagewhowerethemselvestaughtbysuchpanditsgoingbacktoSakyaMunihimselfandtheywerealsoBhikchhus,madebyBhikchhusbyoldergenerations,whothemselvesweremadebyBhikchhusbyoldergenerationsgoingbackrightuptoSakyaMunihimself.Thesearenotunrecordedfacts;butwellrecorded.InMahayana,whichconsistsoftwoMajorstreams:-1.Paramitayana2.Vajrayana,thenamesoftheunbrokenlineageMastersfromMastersofpresentdaybacktoNalanda,Bikramashilaetcetcarewellrecordedandavailableeventoday.AndeverybodyknowsthatthesegreatMahaviharswerelikehugeuniversitieswhoselineagegoesbacktotheBuddha.PeoplefromasfarawayasChina,Korea,CentralAsia,Greece,EgyptcametostudyintheselearninghouseswhichwerevirtuallyMahaviharas(Greatmonasticcomplexes)

.AndthoseMahayanalineagesofthoseMahaviharswereunbrokenandcontinuetoremainaliveandvibrantuptillthisday.ThemeaningofthesutrasandsastrasofBuddhismshouldbeaccordingtotheMastersofsuchlineagesandnototherwise.TherehavebeenmanyinterpretersoftheBuddha'steachingsintheIndiansubcontinentwhoneverstudiedunderanyoftheauthenticlineagemasters.NeedlesstosaypeoplearefreetointerpretastheydeemfittheteachingsoftheBuddhabutsuchinterpretationsshouldnotbemistakenasauthenticBuddhism.


WhiledealingwithvariousinterpretationormoreaptlymisinterpretationofBuddhismmadebynon-buddhistyogisandthelikeitseemsapttopointoutsomeof

themorecommononesbeforecontinuingwiththelineageissue.OneoftheoftrepeatedconceptisthattheBuddhaactuallytaught,thesamethingastheVedantaoftheVedicsystembuthisdisciplesdidnotunderstandhim.Nowalotofnon-buddhistsbelievewitheasesuchblatantfallacies.Firstofall,aswehaveseen,theBuddhahimselfvalidatedthescholasticandexperientialunderstandingofallhisimmediatedisciplesandtheirlineagesstillexistunbroken.SotosaythattheBuddha'sdiscipleswhowalkedthebreadthofNorthIndiawithhimandstudiedwithhimforfortyyearsormoreandwerevalidatedbytheBuddhahimself,thattheyfullyunderstoodwhathetaught,didnotunderstandhimwhilenon-buddhistswamisandyogisreallyunderstoodhimandthattooaftertwothousandfivehundredyearsafterwardsisindeedabitfarfetchedtosaytheleast.Norationalpersoncouldpossiblyagreewithsuchflagrantdistortionofreality.

AcorollarytotheabovemisconceptionisthattheBuddhaactuallytaughtwhatwasintheVedasbuthisdiscipleseitherdidnotunderstandhisteachingordistortedthem.Anaspectoftheabovementionedmisconceptionhasalreadybeenshownastotallyabsurd.Butthereisanotheraspectwhichneedstobedealtwith.AstheBuddha'simmediatediscipleshadexperiencedintheirownmentalcontinuumwhattheBuddhameant,therecouldnotpossiblyhavebeenanydistortion.Andasthelivingenlightenedlineagescontinuetodate,whichmeansthateachgenerationexperiencedintheirmentalcontinuum,theexactmeaningoftheBuddha'steachings,toclaimthattheBuddhistsdistortedtheBuddha'steachingsandthat'swhyithasbecomesodifferentfromtheVedicteachings,istheheightofnaive

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ty.

AndthisbringsustoanothersimilarmisconceptionaboutBuddhism.MostHinduscholars,orotherwise,wouldliketobelievethattheBuddhismisabranchofHinduism.ThismisunderstandingisrampantamongsteducatedHindusandisacorrelateofthestoryfabricatedinthe16thcenturyandlaterintheShivaPuranaanditslikes,thattheBuddhawasanincarnationofVisnu.FirstofallHinduismasitisknowntodaydidnotexistatthetimeoftheBuddha,sotherecanbenoquestionaboutBuddhismbeingabranchofHinduism.Infact,accordingtohistoricalrecordsandanthropologicalstudies,whatwecallHinduismis75%derivedfromBuddhismandistheoffspringoftheimpactofBuddhismontheBrahmanicsystem.WhatexistedintheBuddha'stimewasaformofBrahmanism,thatwasquitedifferentfromwhatisknownasHinduismtoday.FromancienttimesthereweretwostreamsofspiritualquestintheIndiansub-continent.OnewasSramanismandtheotherwasVedicBrahmanism.ThesetwostreamsdidinteractwitheachotherasisseenclearlyintheUpanishadsoftheBrahmanicsystemsandthesutrasoftheBuddhistsandJainswhowerebothmembersofthesramanicsystem.ItshouldbekeptinmindthatboththeBuddhaandMahavircalledthemselvesMahasramans,whichisaclearindicationthattheydidnotsubscribetotheBrahmanicsystems.InoneofthemostfamousmantrasofBuddhism'yedharmahetuprabahahetustathagatohyevadattesanchayonirodhoevambadimahasramana,Aswajit,thefamousBrahmindiscipleoftheBuddhacalledtheBuddhaMahasramana.SramanismwasprobablyolderthantheVedicBrahmanism,that,accordingtomanyhistorianscameintoIndiawhentheIndo-AryanstransmigratedintotheIndiansub-continent,fromC

entralAsia.Buttherearemanywhodonotagreetothisview.However,SramanismisdefinitelyanindigenousspiritualtraditionoftheIndiansubcontinent,andthereisnotwothoughtsaboutthis.

WeseethetransactionsbetweentheSramansandBrahminsintheBrihadaranyakUpanishad3.6.1wherewefindGargi(whoisoftenvauntedasthedaughterofNepal)challengingtheBrahminYagyavalkya.WeknowthatGargiwasaSramanbythefactthatshestuckatwigoftherose-apple(Jambutree)asasignofchallenge.AndalsothestyleofquestioningofGargiisashadedifferentfromthequestionsputforthbythemanyotherBrahminsinthatsametext.TheBrihadaranyakisthoughttobeatleast2-3hundredyearsolderthantheBuddhaifnotolder.SoSramanismwasanequallyold(ifnotolder)streamofspiritualsystemasBrahmanismandtheBuddhahasclearlycalledhimselfMahasraman.Thiswouldclearlyim

plythatBuddhismisdefinitelynotanoff-shootofBrahmanism,whattospeakofHinduismwhichisaproductofBrahmanism'sinteractionwithBuddhismandthussomethingthatdevelopedintheIndiansub-continentaftertheBuddha.Wecouldgivescholasticquotestovalidatethisbutit'snotnecessaryinanarticlelikethis.VedicBrahmanismmetamorphoseddrasticallyduetothecatalyticinfluenceofBuddhismandothersandbecamethemultifarioussystemunderthegenericnameofHinduism.


Butofcourse,wecannotsaythatBuddhismwasnotinfluencedbyVedicBrahmanismandlaterHinduismatall.Thatwouldbetoonave.However,inthegiveandtak

ewhichisinevitableinanyculturewithinaspaceoftime(andBuddhismcovered75%ofIndiaand75%Asiaforsixteenorsohundredyears),itwasHinduismwhichtookmostlyfromBuddhismandnottheotherwayaround.

AnotherinterrelatedmythisthatitwasSankaracharyawhodefeatedtheBuddhistsalloverIndiaandthatishowBuddhismvanishedfromIndiaorastheformerPresidentofIndiaDr.RadhakrishnanSarvapulliputit,HinduismembracedBuddhismandintheprocesskilledit.AgainthesearemythsrunningwildamongstHindusoftheIndiansub-continent;buttheydonothaveanyhistoricalvalidity.ThisnotionisgivenfurthercredencetoNepalese,includingBuddhistNewarsbythe

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NewarilegendthatSankaracharyacametoNepalanddefeatedalltheBuddhists,convertedthekingsandbeheadedtheBhikchhus.FirstofalltheAdiSankaracharyawasaroundthe7thcenturyandgreatMahaviharslikeNalandaandBikramashilawerestillrunningstrongtillthe12th/13thcenturywhentheMuslimsoverranIndiaanddestroyedthem.SecondlytherewerestillMahasiddhaslikeNaropa,TilopaandmanyotherstilltheMusliminvasion.So,BuddhismwasstillrunningstrongfivecenturyafterAdiSankaracharya.Andfurthermore,thestoriesofSankaracharyaaswrittenbyAnandaGiriandMadhavaetc.donotcontainanyelementwhichmentionsthathedebatedwiththeBuddhistsalloverIndiaanddefeatedthem.InfactthosestoriesshowSankaracharyadebatingmostlywithothernon-advaitaHindusandrarelywiththeBuddhist.So,themisconceptionthatSankaracharyawentupanddownIndiadefeatingalltheBuddhistsandthisishowBuddhismvanishedfromIndiaseemstobebaselessandfabricatedbyuneducatedNon-Buddhists.Thirdly,theSankaracharyathatcametoNepalseemstobeofthe11th-12thcenturyorlaterandnottheAdiSankaracharya.HeseemstohaveenteredNepalwhenBuddhismwasbeginningtodeclineinNepalasaresultofitshavingdeclinedinIndiaduetotheIslamicinvasionwhichliterallydestroyedBuddhisminIndia.SohedidnotfindanymatchforhisdebatesandwasabletoconvertmanypeopleinKathmandu.HemaypossiblybethesameHarinandawhowasdefeatedbytheGreatTibetanGuruSakyaPandit.Howeverthisisnotconclusive.ButthestoriesdosayhediedinTibet.HoweverhedidnotdiebeforehecreatedhavocamongsttheBuddhistsofKathmanduValley,whostilldonotseemtohaverecoveredfromtheshock.BiglearninghouseslikeNalanda,Bikramashilaetcwereraisedtothegroundandthemonksbeheadedandthebooksinthelibrariesburnttocindersb

ytheIslamicinvaderslikeBakhtiar,Khiljietc.ItissaidinthediaryofKhilji'sgeneralthat,thebooksofthelibraryofNalandatooksixmonthsforthecinderstosettledownandninemonthsforthesmoketosettledown.SomuchdestructiontookplaceallovertheIndiansubcontinent.ItsaidoneofthereasonswhytheBuddhistmonasterieswerespeciallypickedoutbytheIslamicinvadersisthattheymistookthemonksinuniformmonkdressasuniformedarmymenandthebooksinthelibraryasbooksonwarfareetal.Thishappenedinthe12th/13thcentury,almost5centuriesafterSankaracharya.TillthenBuddhismwasstillflourishingstrongintheIndiansubcontinent.

Publishedon28May-June32007Issue

YestheAdiSankaracharyarefutedtheBuddhisttenetsinhiscommentariesoftheUpanishadsandBrahmaSutra;buttheBuddhistshavealsoequallyrefutedtheconceptsofSankara.DebateandrefutationwasbothwaystilltheIslamicInvasion.ItwasonlyafterBuddhismwasliterallyraisedtothegroundbytheIslamicInvadersthatpresentdayHinduism,whichisametamorphosedformofVedicHinduism,begantoraiseitshead.Tillthen75%ofIndiansubcontinentand75%AsiawasBuddhist.FromthetimeoftheBuddhaandspeciallyfromthe1st/2ndcenturytillthe11th/12thcentury,whentheVajrayanaformofBuddhismwasinsway,Buddhistart,philosophyandlogicdevelopedtoitsfullestpotential.Itcancertainlybesaidthat,thatwasthegoldenperiodofIndiancultureasawholeandIndianBuddhismspecifically.Thiswasalsotheperiodwhen,asaresultofinteractionwithBuddhism,Hinduismalsodevelopedtoitscream.ItshouldberememberedthatSankaracharyawhoisconsideredasthecreamofHinduismbyanoverwhel

mingmajorityoftheHindus,wasaproductofthe6/7thcenturyandmanyancientHinduslikeBhaskaracharyaetcevencalledhimpracchannaBauddha(cryptoBuddhist).WhydidtheseHindupillarscallSankaracharyaacrypto-Buddhist?Thisisnotbecausehe,hisphilosophyortenetswereliketheBuddhists'.No,farfromit,hehasattemptedtorefutetheBuddhisttenets.ItisbecausehehasusedtheBuddhistlogicalmodusoperandiitorefuteallhisopponentswhichincludedtheHindus,BuddhistsandJains.ThisclearlyshowshowevenSankarawasinfluencedbyBuddhism.ThegreatBuddhistNyaiyayik(logician)DharmakirtiliterallychangedthelogicalsystemoftheIndiansubcontinentwithhisBuddhistlogicaltenets.

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AnotherbigconfusionisthattheBuddhistTantrawasaresultoftheinfluenceofHinduTantraonBuddhism.ButthefamousIndianIconographistBenoytoshBhattacharyahasamplyproventhatitistheotherwayaround.HinduTantradevelopedafterBuddhistTantra(Vajrayana)reacheditsacmeintheIndiansubcontinent.OneoftheoldestHinduTantricliteraturethePichuTantraalsocalledtheRudrayamalaandtheBrahmayamalaveryclearlystatesthatVasisthawenttoMahachina(Tibet)tostudythetantricmethodswithShiva-rupiBuddha.Nowtillthe12thcentury,TibetanscamedowntothehotplainsofIndiatostudythetenetsofVajrayanainthegreatlearninghouseslikeNalanda/Bikramashilaetc.NowthismeansthisoldestHinduTantrawaswrittenafterthe12thcenturyandnotbeforethat.ItwaswrittenafterVajrayanavanishedfromIndiaaftertheIslamicInvasion.AlthoughHinduTantradevelopedasaresultoftheinfluenceofVajrayanaontheentiresubcontinent,thetwoareonlyapparentlysimilar.Adeeperprobeintobothofthemexposesatremendousdifferencenotonlyoftheparadigmsonwhicheachisbasedbutalsoontheprinciplesonwhicheachisbased,thepathfollowedbyeachandthefinalgoalofeach.

TheentireHinduTantricsystemsarethemselvesdiverse;somebasedonShakti,othersonShivaandsomeonVisnu.TheobjectiveofmostofthemistounitewiththedeityandfinallyattainBrahma,ParasamvitorSambhavastates.Exceptingthedualistictantras,theyareallvarietiesofadvaitaVedantawhereothernamessubstitutetheBrahmaoftheVedanta.MostofthemaregearedtowardstherealizationoftheEternalunchangingselfcalledtheAtmaintheentireHinduistic

system.NowthewholeofBuddhistTantraisgearedtotherealizationofemptiness(sunyata)whichisasubtleformofAnatma.

Publishedon4-10June2007Issue

HinduisticTantraisbasedontheexperienceofaneternallyexisting,unchangingentitycalledthetrueSelfortrueAtman,whereastheentireBuddhistTantraisbasedontheexperiencethatfromtheverybeginningthereisnoeternallyexisting,unchangingSelf.Bothexperienceisanon-dualexperience.IntheHindusystemonemergesnon-duallywiththeeternal,unchangingSelfandthatisthenon-dualexperience.InBuddhistTantraoneseesthroughthatthereisnoeternal,unchangingSelfasopposedtothechangingworld.Sothereisnotwo,i.e.adv

aya.Manyscholarshavebeenconfusedbysimilarwordslikeadvaita/advayaandmanyothersusedinboththesystemsandbelievethattheyaretwoversionsofthesamething.Nothingcouldbefurtherawayfromthetruth.Therearealsomanydifferencesinthepath;butthatwouldrequiredetailedtechnicalnittygrittieswhichisnotthepurposeofthisarticle.Soweshallstophereaboutthesepoints.AllformsofMahayanaBuddhismwithinwhichVajrayanalies,usesSanskritasitslinguafranca.SinceHinduismandHinduTantraalsousesSanskrit,andbecauseBuddhismandHinduismdevelopedfirstandforemostwithintheculturalmilieuoftheIndiansubcontinent,itisnotsurprisingthatsimilarwordsareusedinbothsystem.Forexample,wordslikemantra,dhyana,SamadhiarecommontobothbutdonotnecessarilymeanexactlythesamethingandonemustnotbefooledbytheuseofsuchcommonwordstoconcludethatBuddhismandHinduismarethesame.OnefamousNepaleseBrahminscholarsawthatthewordBhairavaisusedin

themantraofBignantakandusedthatasaproofthattheBuddhistworshipBhairavaandthustheyarethesame.IntheBuddhistcontextthewordonlymeanswrathfulandnotanyparticulardeityasisthecaseinHinduism.ThetwotantricsystemsoftheIndiansubcontinentareasdifferentfromeachotherasTheravadaisfromVaisnavism.OnlythenameTantraisthesamebuteventheexactdefinitionoftantraineachofthesystemisdrasticallydifferent.SothesearesomeofthemythsaboutBuddhismrampantamongstnon-buddhistsofNepalwhichneededtobeexploded.

TheserampantconfusionsexistamongstthenonbuddhistsoftheIndiansubcontin

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entbecause,ithasbeenoverninecenturiessinceBuddhismwaserasedfromthememoryoftheIndiansubcontinent.Itiscommonplaceforabsurdrumorstospreadlikewildfireintheabsenceofauthenticinformation.

ThepeopleoftheIndiansubcontinentcametobelievethatBuddhismhaddiedoutcompletelyanddidnotexistatall;soeachwasfreetointerpretitaccordingtoone'sownpredilictions.ButinrealityBuddhismcontinuedtosurviveinfullfledgeinotherlandswhereitwastakenbytheinhabitantsoftheIndiansubcontinentthemselves.BuddhismisstillaliveanddynamicinCentralAsia,Mongolia,Tibet,China,Korea,Japan,Bhutan,Vietnam,Laos,Cambodia,Thailand,Burma,SriLanka,theCisHimalayanregionsofNepalandIndia,andintheKathmanduValley.Butremarkablyenoughblindedbytheirownculturalpreconceptions,biasesandprejudiceseventhenonbuddhistsoftheKathmanduValleywhocouldnotbutrubshoulderswithitconstantly,werecompletelyobliviousaboutitsrealityandcontinuedtosubscribetotherumorsmadeupbytheirIndianGurus.Thisisindeedoneoftheworld'sbestepitomeofhowblindspotscontrolthehumanmind,thatinNepalwhereBuddhismneverdied,thenonbuddhistpopulacevirtuallyknownilaboutauthenticBuddhism.


Nowletsgobacktotheunbrokenenlightenedlineages.WithinBuddhismfromveryancienttimes,andinfactaccordingtotheBuddhistnotion,eveninthetimeso

fformerBuddhastherewerethreedistincthighways.Theyarecalled:-1.TheSravakyana2.ThePratyekbuddhayana3.TheBodhisatvayanaalsosometimescalledtheSamyaksambodhiyana.Thegoals,thatistheenlightenedstateofeachofthem,thoughsimilararenotexactlythesame.ThustheenlightenmentoftheSravakyanaiscalledSravakBodhiwhichistheenlightenmentoftheArhat,andthisisnotaccordingtoBuddhismitselfthesameasthePratyekbodhiwhichistheenlightenmentofapratyekBuddhaandbothoftheabovearenotexactlythesameastheSamyagsambodhiofaSamyaksambuddha.NowherewithintheBuddhisttraditionitselfwefindthreedifferentenlightenmentsandthisissomethingwehavefoundthatmostnon-buddhistteachersweretotallyunawareof.HereweshalltakeissuewithallthosewhobelieveorclaimthattheenlightenmenttaughtbytheBuddhaisthesameenlightenmentastaughtbyothernon-BuddhistMastersincludingthosewhoclaimtobeBuddhistsorteachBuddhismbutdonotstemfromanyau

thenticBuddhistlineages.IfBuddhismitselfsaysthereare3differentenlightenmentswhichmaybesimilarbutnotexactlythesame,howcanothersclaimthatnon-buddhistenlightenmentandtheenlightenmentoftheBuddhaarethesame?ItisnotevenclearwhichofthethreeBodhistheyaretalkingaboutwhentheyclaimthattheirenlightenmentisthesameastheenlightenmentoftheBuddha.Notonlythatmuch,accordingtotheTheravadinsutta,SamyuktaNikaya(whichisaformofSravakayan)thetwoagrasravakas(foremostdisciplesoftheBuddha,MaudgalyayanaandSariputra)hadpenetratedDhammadhatu(inSanskritDharmadhatu)whicheventheotherArhatshadnotpenetrated.Sotoclaimthatwhateverothernon-buddhistMasterscallenlightenment(Bodhi)isthesameenlightenmentastheBuddhaandhisdisciplesistodisplaygrossignoranceaboutwhatBuddhismisallabout.ThegoalofSravakyanaisSravakbodhiwhichisthesameastosaytobecomeanArhat.AnArhatissomeonewhosekleshas(emotionaldefilements)havebe

cometotallyextinguished.Unlessapersonhasbecametotallyfreefromallkleshatoclaimthatshe/heisanArhatislikeafoxclaimingthatshe/heisalion.TherearetwodifferenttypesofArhats,thosewhobecomeArhatsthroughsamathaandvipassanapracticeandthosewhobecomeArhatsthroughwhatiscalledSukkhaVipassana/VipassyanawhichmeanspracticingVipassanaafterattainingonlythefirstdhyana.Theformerhavepratiharya(miraculouspowers)whilstthelatterusuallyhavelessofit.NowtheseArhatsareneitherBuddhasnoristheirBodhi(enlightenment)consideredasSamyakSambodhi,i.e.theenlightenmentoftheBuddha,whattospeakoftheenlightenmentofnon-buddhistsystems.LikewisethereistheenlightenmentofthePratyek-BuddhascalledPratyekbodhiwhichisnei

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therthesameastheArhats'northatofaBuddha.


PratyekbuddhasariseonlyinthegapsbetweentheteachingsoftwoBuddhas.Theydonotappearatothertimes.Forexample,whenthedispensationofSakyaMunihasbecomecompletelyextinct,therewillbeagapbetweentheextinctionandthecomingofMaitreyaBuddha.ItisduringthisperiodthatPratyekBuddhaswillarise.TheyarethosewhohavealreadypracticedinmanyliveswithotherBuddhasandtheywillpracticebasedontheirmemoriesoftheteachingsoftheBuddhasunderwhomtheypracticedbefore,whentheBuddhasteachinghavebecomecompletelyextinct.ItissaidthatatthemomentwhentheyattainPratyekbodhi,nomatterwhattheirget-upwastheywillmiraculouslybetransformedintofullfledgedBhikchhusalongwiththeBhikcchudress.ThesePratyekBuddhasdonotteachlikeArhatsorBuddhas.TheyarelonersorliveingroupsofPratyekBuddhasandonlyanswerquestionsaskedbutdonotformallyteach.Needlesstosay,therearenoPratyekBuddhasnowatthisperiodwhenthedispensationofSakyamuniisstillalive.NorhasanyoneheardanyparticularpersonmiraculouslyturningintoaBhikchhuwithallitsregaliaatthepointofhisenlightenment.Andthisiscorrect,becausePratyekBuddhaswillnotariseuntilShakyamuni'ssasan(dispensation)hascompletelydiedout.NowletustalkaboutSamyakSambodhiwhichistheenlightenmentofaBuddha.Firstofallabodhisattva(i.e.abeingdestinedtobeaBuddhainthefuture)beginshiscareerbymakingtheresolveinfronto

falivingBuddha,thathetoohasdeterminedtobecomeaBuddhalikehimselftobeabletofreeimmeasurablesentientbeingsfromsorrow.Thenhiscareerbegins.ThecareerorpathoftheBodhisattvaispracticingthesixparamitas(sometimesalsocalledthetenparamitas).ThesesixparamitasarepracticedfromthreetofourasankhyakalpasduringwhichperiodtheBodhisattvacrossesthroughthefivepathscalledthepanchamarga.VariouslineageslikeTheravada,Mahasangikas,SarvastivadinshavedifferentcategorizationsinordertoexplainthepathoftheBodhisattvas;buttheyarenotreallydifferentinessence.Here,however,weshallusetheexplanationofMahayana-VajrayanawhichissimilartothatoftheSarvastivadins.ItisonlythesewhomaketheresolvetobecomeaBuddhainfrontofalivingBuddhaandpracticethesixortenparamitasfor3to4AsankhyaKalpas,whobecomeaBuddhaasaculminationoftheirpathandnotothers.Nootherperson,nomatterhowintelligentandhowgreatameditatorcanandshoul

dbecalledaBuddha.TobecomeaBuddhaonemustcrossthepanchamarga(thefivepaths)andthesemaytakealongerorshortertimebuttherearenoshortcutstoBuddhahoodassomehavemisconceived.Perhapsanexplanationofthepanchamarga(fivepaths)willclarifytheabovestatement;butletusfinishwiththeunbrokenenlightenedlineageissuefirst.

Publishedon25June-July1Issue

Thustherearethreedistinct'yanas'i.e.vehiclesofwhichtherearenounbrokenlineagesofthePratyekBuddhas.Theremainingtwo,theSravakayanaandtheBodhisattvayanawerebothtaughtbytheShakyamuniandtheirunbrokenlineagescontinuetilltoday.TheteachingsandlineagesrelatedtoSravakBodhicontinued

togrowaftertheParinirvanaoftheShasta,andinlatercenturiesdevelopedinto18distinctlineagescalledNikayas.Somescholarssaythattheydevelopedinto24lineages.TheseweretheSravakayanalineageswhosemethodsproducedArhats.ArhathoodwasthefinalstageoftheselineagesandnoteverybodywascalledanArhatthemomentheexperiencedsomeextraordinarystateofmind.Infact,peoplegothroughfourstagesofenlightenmentinwhichtheybecomeprogressivelyfreefromKleshauntiltheybecomecompletelyfreeofallklesha(emotionaldefilements).Itisonlythosewhohavebecomecompletelyfreeofallklesha,whosekleshahavebeencompletelydestroyed,thatarecalledArhats,whattospeakofBuddhas.IntheSravakayanaitistheprogressiveexperienceofnirvandhatu(Pal

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i:nibbandhatu)thatiscalledenlightenment.Andthefirstglimpseofnibbandhatucutsoffthreemajorkleshaandiscalledsrotappatti.Itmeanshehasenteredthestream(srota)whichwillcarryhimtowardsArhathood.Andhehasbecomeenlightenedbutnotfullyenlightened.TherearetwomorestagesofenlightenmentbeforehebecomesafullyenlightenedArhat.Manynon-buddhistsystemsinthebazaarcalltheexperienceofthoughtlessawareness,asenlightenmentandsomegoevenfurtherandcallpeoplewhoexperiencesuchthoughtlesspureawarenessbyitselfasBuddhas.Needlesstosay,thatisnotevenwhatthesrotappannaexperienceswhattospeakofanArhatorevenfurtheraBuddha?ThereseemstobealotofconfusionaboutthispointinthespiritualmarketespeciallyinNepal.Solet'smakethispointclearonceandforall.NoformofBuddhism,SravakayanaorBodhisattvayanaclaimsthattheexperienceofpureawarenessbyitself/PurethoughtlessAwareness/Watcherastheenlightenedstate.SopeoplewhoexperienceonlysuchstatesarenoteverconsideredasenlightenedletaloneArhatsorBuddhas.Experiencingsuchstatesisrelativelyeasyandquick.Thatdoesnotmakemethodswhichproducesuchmind-statesorawarenessasthequick,shortpath.ThepathtoArhathoodorBuddhahoodisaslowandgradualpath.TheBuddhahimselfhassaidthatextinguishingtheklesha(emotionaldefilement)isaslowandgradualprocessandthereforebecominganArhatorBuddhaisaslowandgradualprocess.PeoplewhoexperienceonlythepureawarenessbyitselfdonotbecomepermanentlyfreeofanykleshaevenafterexperiencingsuchastatewhichIhavesaidisrelativelyeasytoexperienceforanybodywhohasamind.Soletmerecapitulateonceagain,justexperiencingathoughtlesspureawarenessbyitselfisnotanykindofenlightenedstatenoristheabilitytoremaininthatstatean

enlightenedstate.WeshallspeakinmoredetailaboutthispointwhenwetalkabouttheBuddhistenlightenment.

Publishedon2-8JulyIssue

OftheeighteentotwentyfourSravakayanalineages,onlytheTheravada(whichdevelopedoutoftheVibhajyyavadinwhichitselfdevelopedoutoftheSthabirvadins)remainstoday.However,itisstillalive,dynamicandgoingstrong.IthasmanylineagesandtherearestillenlightenedmastersinLaos,Burma,ThailandandSriLanka.Andthesemastersarebothhouseholders(upasakas/upasikas)andmonksandnuns(Bhikchhus/Bhikchhunis).However,theBhikchhunilineageoftheTheravadatraditionhasbeenbroken.ButChinastillhaveanunbrokenBhikchhun

isangaoftheMahasangikaNikayas.Foranybodytobecomeevenasrotappanna,whattospeakofanArhat,onemuststudyandpracticeundersuchlineagemastersandbeconfirmedbysuchaMaster.ThisishowtheBuddhistsystemworksfromthetimeoftheShasta(Master)himself.ItwastheBuddhahimselfwhodeclaredandthusstampedtheauthenticityoftheSrotappanna,Sakridagami,AnagamiandArhatsofhistime.Infact,thereisastorythatsomeBhikchhuswhohadreachedtheveryhighstateofAnagami(thosewhowillnotreturntohumanforms)claimedthattheyhadreachedArhathood;butwhentheBuddhawastoldaboutthis,hecalledthemandtoldthemtheyhadnotbecomeArhatsyet.ThisstoryimpliesthatonlyArhatsandBuddhascanknowwhetherapersonhasbecomeanArhatornotandthattheindividualhimselfcannotpossiblyknowitandcaneasilybefooled.Thisistheraisond'etreforanunbrokenenlightenedlineage.AllformsofBuddhismandspeciallylineagesoftheMahayanaplacegreatimportanceandvaluetot

hepurityofsuchanauthenticunbrokenenlightenedlineage.

Noyogi/yoginisorpractitionerisacceptedasaGenuineMaster(Guru)nomatterhowintelligenthemaybe,nomatterhowhardhemayhavepracticed,nomatterhowmanyyearshehasspentinretreat,nomatterhowscholarlyheis,nomatterhowmuchofanoratorhemaybe,untilandunlessheisauthenticatedbyamasterormastersofsuchauthenticunbrokenenlightenedlineages.ThisistheBuddhistcultureinallBuddhistcountrieswheretheunbrokenenlightenedlineageshavenotdiedout.Thisissueiscrucialnotonlytounderstandwhatisgenuine,authenticBuddhismbutalsofortheexistenceofauthenticBuddhismitself.So,

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forgetaboutnon-buddhistswhohaveneverpracticedanyformofgenuineBuddhistpracticesofeithertheSravakayanaortheBodhisattvayanaevenbyreadinggenuine,authenticbooksofBuddhism;eventhosewhohavestudiedandpracticedforlongperiodsunderauthenticmastersdonotdarepretendtobeMastersuntilandunless,olderMastersauthenticatethemasMasters.

Publishedon9-15July2007Issue

AverygoodexampleisthatofthefamousscholarofZenBuddismProfessorDr.D.T.Suzuki.HewasagoodpractitionerofZenBuddhism,andhadattainedaveryhighlevel.HewrotemanybooksonZenBuddhismwhichwascrucialinpopularizingZenBuddhisminthewest.Whenhediednotafewmasterssaidthathewasalreadyenlightened.Butbecausehehadneversatforthedharmabattles(TheZensystemofinterview)withanyoftheolderMasters,heneverreceivedthetitleofRoshi/Zenji/Oshoetc.whicharetheauthenticationofhisenlightenmentfromanyoftheMasters;hehimselfnevercalledhimselfanOshoorZenjiorRoshiwhichareallJapanesewords.ZenjimeansZenMaster,RoshimeansoldvenerableMasterwhichisgiventoadisciplewhetherhebealaypersonoramonk,whenhecompletesthetrainingandtheMasterissatisfiedthathehasattainedthefinalSatori(enlightenment).Thisentitleshimtoteach.IntheRinzaischoolofZenthepersonhastocompletethecoursebyansweringaseriesofthreeorfourhundredkoans.Koansarequestionswhichpointdirectlytothenatureofmindanddharmaandthestudenthastoshowthathehasexperienceddirectlywhatis

beingpointedoutbythequestion.Inessencetheyarenotquestionsbutfingerspointingtothedharmataofalldharmas(phenomena).WeshalltalkmoreaboutthislaterwhenwedescribetheZenlineages.Fornow,nooneisentitledtocallhimselfRoshiunlesshehascompletedthiscourseandbeenvalidatedbyhisownMasterandatleast3-4othermasters.ThewordOshoisalsoaJapanesewordwhichisgiventoaMasterwhoisamonk.ItismadeupoftwoChineseideographswhichispronouncedasHwaShanginChinese,andinJapanesethepronunciationvarieswiththeparticularlineage.TheZenandPurelandSchoolspronouncethosetwoideographsasOsho,whiletheTendaischoolpronouncesthosesameideographsasKashoandintheShingonSchool(JapaneseVajr

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