Advaita Vedanta and Mahayana Buddhism share significant parallels. Those parallels have attracted Indian and Western scholar's attention, and have also been blamed by concurring seminaries. The parallels have been interpreted as Buddhist influences on Advaita Vedanta, though some deny similar influences, or see them as expressions of the same eternal verity.
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Advaita Vedanta is the oldest extant sub-school of Vedanta – an orthodox( āstika) academy of Hindu gospel and religious practice. Advaita darśana( gospel, worldview, tutoring) is one of the classic Indian paths to spiritual consummation. It took shape with the jottings of Gaudapada in the 6th century CE.
Buddhism is a religion and dharma that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs, and spiritual practices grounded on training attributed to the Buddha( 5th century BCE), but has diversified since also in a wide variety of practices and traditions. Buddhism began in India, where it spread throughout important parts of Asia. It declined in India during the Middle periods, after the rise of new forms of Hinduism, including Advaita Vedanta.
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1. Non-Dualism and the Self:
- Advaita Vedanta:
- Atman: Advaita Vedanta posits an eternal, unchanging self-called Atman as the underlying reality. It asserts that the individual soul (jiva) is identical to the ultimate truth (Brahman).
- Illusion of Phenomena: Advaita acknowledges the phenomenal world but considers it illusory. The famous statements “Tat Tvam Asi” (You are That) and “Aham Brahmasmi” (I am Brahman) emphasize this unity.
- Buddhism:
- Anatta (No-Self): Buddhism rejects the concept of an eternal, unchanging self. Instead, it teaches Anatta, which means that everything in the empirical world lacks a persisting self. There is no independent existence.
- Emptiness: Buddhists emphasize emptiness (shunyata), which points to the true nature of reality beyond conceptual limitations. Emptiness is not a ground or substance but a way of understanding existence.
2. Liberation and Rebirth:
- Advaita Vedanta:
- Moksha: Liberation (moksha) in Advaita involves realizing one’s identity with Brahman. The cycle of birth and rebirth ends.
- Individual Jivas: Advaita acknowledges individual souls (jivas) that transmigrate until liberation.
- Buddhism:
- Nirvana: Liberation in Buddhism is nirvana, the cessation of suffering. It doesn’t involve an eternal self but transcends the cycle of rebirth.
- No Persisting Soul: Buddhism sees rebirth as a stream of impersonal processes (Dharmas) without a persisting soul.
3. Influence and Similarities:
- Advaita Vedanta:
- Buddhist Influence: Advaita Vedanta adapted philosophical concepts from Buddhism, interpreting them through a Vedantic lens.
- Shared Ground: Both traditions explore the nature of reality, illusion, and the quest for liberation.
- Criticism: Some scholars criticize the similarities, while others appreciate the cross-fertilization of ideas.
- Buddhism:
- Mahayana Connection: Mahayana Buddhism shares significant similarities with Advaita Vedanta. Both traditions emphasize emptiness and non-duality.
- Different Perspectives: While they converge on certain points, their perspectives on the self and liberation diverge.
In summary, Advaita Vedanta and Buddhism engage in a rich dialogue about existence, illusion, and the path to liberation. Whether you resonate with the eternal Atman or the emptiness of phenomena, both traditions offer profound insights into the nature of reality.