History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c99.376

v7.c99.376

Buddha (vide under Bhāradvāja, dhamma, Edwin Arnold, Hīnayāna, nirvāṇa, śūdras, taṇhā, Upaniṣads), came to be regarded by Hindus as avatāra before 1000 A. D., but some Purānas and Kumārila in 7th century A. D. did not regard him so, 924, 914, 993, 1025; Ceylon tradition about Parinirvāṇa of, 356, characteristics of Buddha image, acc. to Br. S 996, claims that he only follows an ancient path, 1005, did not clearly define what he meant by nirvāṇa 941, 1008; did not think much of worship or prayer, 1007-08, expounded the four Noble Truths (or axioms, viz. Duḥkha, the cause of it viz. taṇhā, suppression of duhkha and Noble Eightfold Path to suppression, 939-40, Kumārila quoting Purānas condemns B. as one that caused confusion as to Dharma, 824; life of B. has a noble grandeur and human appeal 1021; main matters of controversy between B. and Hindus of his day, 1007, Nārada-purāṇa holds that one entering B. temple cannot be purified by any expiation 892, Nirvāṇa era 656; Noble Eightfold path described, 939n, 1005, original teaching of B. was swamped by Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna, 1070; Parinirvāṇa of B in 483 B. C. or 477 B. C, 1070, philosophical schools 63 in times of B mentioned by Mahāvagga 913n; preached in his first sermon the avoidance of two extremes, 939, B. rejected permanent ego and yet accepted doctrine of rebirth 941, 1004, 1577; spent forty-five years for suffering humanity 941; taught that Salvation may be attained even in this very life, 942n, 1008, taught that it was unnecessary to be definite about God's existence and similar matters, 1007, teaching of B held out the same promise of liberation to all men and was most attractive to śūdras and women, 925, 929-30, three early and central conceptions were Buddha, Dharma and Sangha 941, was a great reformer of the Hinduism of his times and laid sole stress on moral effort, *satya*, and *ahiṁsā*, 939-40, 1004, was against admission of women in the Sangha (Order), but yielded to persistent requests of Ānanda and prophesied that his pure dharma would flourish owing to this only for five hundred years instead of for a thousand years, 1025-26, 1069-70.