Studies in the Origins of Buddhism c6.76

c6.76

⁵⁴ Its points of contact with Vedic theology and mythology appear in general confined to Brahmā (whose nearest Vedic equivalent would be the much too nebulous Prajāpati) and Brahma-loka, Yama and Pettivisaya (for Māra, see infra), Inda (Sakka belongs to the Budd. mythology then being built up cf. PTSD on 'Inda'; Dial. II. 294-298), Gandhabbas and Accharās. "Prajāpati" is mentioned only in the formula "devā sa-indakā sa brahmakā sa pajāpatikā" (PTSD) ; on Soma, Vāyu, Pajjunna and Varuṇa see Buddhist India p. 235. The ideas on hell are much nearer to the Purāṇas. On the whole the independence of this mythology is manifest, and it must have taken some time to develop.