History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c17.21

c17.21

It is, however, necessary to remember that on the decline of Buddhism the vigorous impetus, which its followers gave to literature and science, was not lost to India. At the time of the Brahminical revival Buddhist works of acknowldged merit far from being cast aside were held in veneration. Amarsimha in his lexicon and Vagbhata in his Ashtamgahridaya commence with an invocation to Buddha, which has never shocked the tolerant spirit of the Hindus The Charaka and the Susruta also bear distinct impress of Buddhistic retouching. The Buddhistic Tantras became likewise a part and parcel of Hindu religio-philosophical literature, the subject-matter of the former being incorporated into the latter and the names of Tara, Prajnaparamita and Buddha being simply changed into those of Parvati and Siva. In Rasaratnakara itself we have distinct indications that it is an admixture of both.