pilgrim
30-01-2008, 03:08 PM
From 'Srimad-Bhagavatam' (3,000 BC)
SANSKRIT
tatah kalau sampravrtte
sammohaya sura-dvisam
buddho namnanjana-sutah
kikatesu bhavisyati
TRANSLATION
“Then, in the beginning of Kali-yuga, the Lord will appear as Lord Buddha, the son of Anjana, in the province of Gaya, just for the purpose of deluding those who are envious of the faithful theist.”
PURPORT
Lord Buddha, a powerful incarnation of the Personality of Godhead, appeared in the province of Gaya (Bihar) as the son of Anjana, and he preached his own conception of nonviolence and deprecated even the animal sacrifices sanctioned in the Vedas. At the time when Lord Buddha appeared, the people in general were atheistic and preferred animal flesh to anything else. On the plea of Vedic sacrifice, every place was practically turned into a slaughterhouse, and animal killing was indulged in unrestrictedly. Lord Buddha preached nonviolence, taking pity on the poor animals. He preached that he did not believe in the tenets of the Vedas and stressed the adverse psychological effects incurred by animal killing. Less intelligent men of the age of Kali, who had no faith in God, followed his principle, and for the time being they were trained in moral discipline and nonviolence, the preliminary steps for proceeding further on the path of God realization. He deluded the atheists because such atheists who followed his principles did not believe in God, but they kept their absolute faith in Lord Buddha, who himself was the incarnation of God. Thus the faithless people were made to believe in God in the form of Lord Buddha. That was the mercy of Lord Buddha: he made the faithless faithful to him.
Killing of animals before the advent of Lord Buddha was the most prominent feature of the society. People claimed that these were Vedic sacrifices. When the Vedas are not accepted through the authoritative disciplic succession, the casual readers of the Vedas are misled by the flowery language of that system of knowledge. In the Bhagavad-gita a comment has been made on such foolish scholars (avipascitah). The foolish scholars of Vedic literature who do not care to receive the transcendental message through the transcendental realized sources of disciplic succession are sure to be bewildered. To them, the ritualistic ceremonies are considered to be all in all. They have no depth of knowledge. According to the Bhagavad-gita (15.15), vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah: the whole system of the Vedas is to lead one gradually to the path of the Supreme Lord. The whole theme of Vedic literature is to know the Supreme Lord, the individual soul, the cosmic situation and the relation between all these items. When the relation is known, the relative function begins, and as a result of such a function the ultimate goal of life or going back to Godhead takes place in the easiest manner. Unfortunately, unauthorized scholars of the Vedas become captivated by the purificatory ceremonies only, and natural progress is thereby checked.
To such bewildered persons of atheistic propensity, Lord Buddha is the emblem of theism. He therefore first of all wanted to stop the habit of animal killing. The animal killers are dangerous elements on the path going back to Godhead. Maharaja Pariksit said that only the animal killer cannot relish the transcendental message of the Supreme Lord. Therefore if people are to be educated to the path of Godhead, they must be taught first and foremost to stop the process of animal killing as above mentioned. It is nonsensical to say that animal killing has nothing to do with spiritual realization. By this dangerous theory many so-called sannyasis have sprung up by the grace of Kali-yuga who preach animal killing under the garb of the Vedas. The subject matter has already been discussed in the conversation between Lord Caitanya and Maulana Chand Kazi Shaheb. The animal sacrifice as stated in the Vedas is different from the unrestricted animal killing in the slaughterhouse. Because the asuras or the so-called scholars of Vedic literatures put forward the evidence of animal killing in the Vedas, Lord Buddha superficially denied the authority of the Vedas. This rejection of the Vedas by Lord Buddha was adopted in order to save people from the vice of animal killing as well as to save the poor animals from the slaughtering process of their big brothers who clamor for universal brotherhood, peace, justice and equity. There is no justice when there is animal killing. Lord Buddha wanted to stop it completely, and therefore his cult of ahimsa was propagated not only in India but also outside the country.
Technically Lord Buddha's philosophy is called atheistic because there is no acceptance of the Supreme Lord and because that system of philosophy denied the authority of the Vedas. But that is an act of camouflage by the Lord. Lord Buddha is the incarnation of Godhead. As such, he is the original propounder of Vedic knowledge. He therefore cannot reject Vedic philosophy. But he rejected it outwardly because the sura-dvisa, or the demons who are always envious of the devotees of Godhead, try to support cow killing or animal killing from the pages of the Vedas, and this is now being done by the modernized sannyasis. Lord Buddha had to reject the authority of the Vedas altogether. This is simply technical, and had it not been so he would not have been so accepted as the incarnation of Godhead. Nor would he have been worshiped in the transcendental songs of the poet Jayadeva, who is a Vaisnava acarya. Lord Buddha preached the preliminary principles of the Vedas in a manner suitable for the time being (and so also did Sankaracarya) to establish the authority of the Vedas. Therefore both Lord Buddha and Acarya Sankara paved the path of theism, and Vaisnava acaryas, specifically Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, led the people on the path towards a realization of going back to Godhead.
We are glad that people are taking interest in the nonviolent movement of Lord Buddha. But will they take the matter very seriously and close the animal slaughterhouses altogether? If not, there is no meaning to the ahimsa cult.
Srimad-Bhagavatam was composed just prior to the beginning of the age of Kali (about five thousand years ago), and Lord Buddha appeared about twenty-six hundred years ago. Therefore in the Srimad-Bhagavatam Lord Buddha is foretold. Such is the authority of this clear scripture. There are many such prophecies, and they are being fulfilled one after another. They will indicate the positive standing of Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is without trace of mistake, illusion, cheating and imperfection, which are the four flaws of all conditioned souls. The liberated souls are above these flaws; therefore they can see and foretell things which are to take place on distant future dates.
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.23)
Srila Prabhupada on Buddhism
The Buddhists or other religionists who do not care for revealed scriptures sometimes say that there are many devotees of Lord Buddha who show devotional service to Lord Buddha, and who therefore should be considered devotees. In answer to this argument, Rupa Gosvami says that the followers of Buddha cannot be accepted as devotees. Although Lord Buddha is accepted as an incarnation of Krsna, the followers of such incarnations are not very advanced in their knowledge of the Vedas. To study the Vedas means to come to the conclusion of the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead. Therefore any religious principle which denies the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead is not accepted and is called atheism. Atheism means defying the authority of the Vedas and decrying the great acaryas who teach Vedic scriptures for the benefit of the people in general.
Lord Buddha is accepted as an incarnation of Krsna in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, but in the same Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that Lord Buddha appeared in order to bewilder the atheistic class of men. Therefore his philosophy is meant for bewildering the atheists and should not be accepted. If someone asks, "Why should Krsna propagate atheistic principles?" the answer is that it was the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to end the violence which was then being committed in the name of the Vedas. The so-called religionists were falsely using the Vedas to justify such violent acts as meat-eating, and Lord Buddha came to lead the fallen people away from such a false interpretation of the Vedas. Also, for the atheists Lord Buddha preached atheism so that they would follow him and thus be tricked into devotional service to Lord Buddha, or Krsna.
(Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu / NoD7)
Just like Lord Buddha’s teaching. Lord Buddha’s teachings is... That is also detachment from matter, nirvana. Nirvana. But he does not speak anything about the spirit soul. Because the position in which he was speaking, that position, for the human, humanity, was not suitable for understanding what is the constitution of spirit, therefore he did not say anything about spirit. He simply preached nonviolence. So far our body is concerned, he stressed on the point that we should be nonviolent. We should not be killing animals anymore. That was his preaching. Similarly, Sankara... A little more than Buddha. He said, “No, no. Matter is not all. The spirit is real thing. Matter is false.” Brahma satyam jagan mithya. Now, he did not say about the activities of spiritual life. He simply gave hint that there, that matter is false. Matter is generated by spirit. Spirit is the real, principle thing. Just like Buddha did not say anything about spirit. He simply wanted that detachment of, from matter. But detachment from matter... Then where is my stand? Where is my stand? If I leave this room, I must have another room to stay. So that is the position of Buddha. He did not say about the spirit. But Sankara, Sankara said, “No, matter is our false position. Spirit is real position.” But he did not say anything, what are the activities of the spiritual life. Then Sri Ramanujacarya came. He described the actual position of spiritual life. These are gradual development. Your, I mean to say, Lord Jesus, also, Lord Jesus Christ, he also gave hints of spiritual life, kingdom of God. So when we speak of kingdom of God, a kingdom, vacant, cannot be. Kingdom means there must be activities. Otherwise, what is the meaning of kingdom? So, of course, he did not give any detailed account of the kingdom of God, but he gave hint.
(Bhagavad-gita lecture 27/04/66)
Impersonalist: What about Buddha? Would you say that he is good?
Syamasundara: Buddha, Lord Buddha.
Prabhupada: Yes. About Lord Buddha is also mentioned in the sastra that Lord Buddha will appear in Gaya Pradesh, in the province of Gaya, and his business will be to cheat the atheists. That is described. Now, how he is cheating? He is the incarnation of God, but he is preaching amongst people who don’t believe in God. So he is cheating in this way, that “Yes, there is no God. You hear me.” But he is God. The people amongst whom he is preaching, they don’t believe in God, but they accept Lord Buddha. But he is God. So by cheating, he is making others to worship God. God is there. But superficially they think, “We don’t believe in God. We believe in Lord Buddha.” And Lord Buddha is God. Therefore in the Bhagavata it is said that his business will be cheat the atheist class of men. Sura-dvisam. Sammohita-sura-dvisam. Sammohita means bewilder. But his philosophy is that to make the people sinless. Ahimsa. “Don’t kill.” That is the greatest sin. So he is propagating that “Let these people be saved from the greatest sinful activities.”
(Conversation 07/04/72)
There are different periods, just like in the whole year there are different periods in your country called summer, winter, fall, spring. They are coming by rotation. Similarly, there is rotation of time which is divided into four millenniums called Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. So Krsna says that dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge. Now, one may inquire that “Krsna appeared in the Treta-yuga. And when He is going to appear in the Kali-yuga?” That is also mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that in the Kali-yuga there are three different incarnations mentioned in the Bhagavatam or any other authentic Vedic literature. One incarnation is Lord Buddha, and another incarnation is Lord Caitanya, and another incarnation, in the last stage of this age, is Kalki, so far we get from the authority of Bhagavatam.
So we have to accept according to the authentic scripture who is incarnation. We cannot accept anyone who claims that “I am also incarnation.” No. In the sastras there are symptoms foretold of the incarnation. Just like about Lord Buddha there is mention, “In such and such place, in such and such form, in such and such activity, Lord Buddha will appear.” Similarly, about Lord Caitanya is there. Similarly, there is a description about Kalki. So far Lord Buddha is concerned, in the Bhagavatam the name of the mother of Lord Buddha is mentioned. And the activities is also mentioned. What are his activities? The activities are not very pleasant. Sammohaya sura-dvisam: [SB 1.3.24] “The Lord will appear as Buddha in order to sammohaya, bewilder, the atheist class of men.” Atheist class of... His activities were to cover the atheist class of men, those who do not believe in God. Yes. Lord Buddha said, “Yes, there is no God. There is no God. There is void only. But you believe me, what I say.” Just see. He is incarnation of God, and the people amongst whom he is preaching, to them he is saying, “There is no God,” but he is God.
(Srimad-Bhägavatam lecture 03/08/68)
And the next incarnation is Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha, He decried the Vedic principles. Therefore He is calculated as atheist. Anyone who does not agree with the Vedic principles, he is considered as atheist. Just like one who does not believe in the Bible, they are called heathens, similarly, those who do not accept the Vedic principles, they are called atheists. So Lord Buddha although incarnation of Krsna, He said that “I do not believe in Vedas.” What was the reason? The reason was to save the poor animals. At that time people were sacrificing the poor animals under the plea of Vedic sacrifice. So demonic persons, they want to do something under the protection of authority. Just like a big lawyer takes the protection of the lawbook and he makes the law unlawful. Similarly, the demons are so intelligent that they take advantage of scriptural injunction and do all nonsense. So these things were going on. In the name of Vedic sacrifice, they were killing animals like anything. So Lord became very much compassionate these poor animals, and He appeared as Lord Buddha, and His philosophy was nonviolence. His philosophy was atheist because He said that “There is no God. This combination of matter is a manifestation, and you dismantle the material elements, there will be void and there will be no sense of pleasure and pain. That is the nirvana, ultimate goal of life.” That was His philosophy. But actually His mission was to stop animal killing, to stop the men from so much sinful activities. So Lord Buddha is also prayed herewith. So people will be surprised that Lord Buddha is designated as atheist and still the Vaisnavas, they are offering their respectful prayers to Lord Visnu (Buddha). Why? Because the Vaisnava knows how the God is acting for His different purposes. Others, they do not know.
(Lecture 19/02/70)
So about Lord Buddha we have got a nice prayer:
nindasi yajna-vidher ahaha sruti-jatam
sadaya-hrdaya darsita-pasu-ghatam
kesava-dhrta-buddha-sarira jaya jagadisa hare
This song was sung by a great Vaisnava poet, Jayadeva Gosvami. So the purport of this verse, Sanskrit verse, is kesava-dhrta-buddha-sarira. “My dear Krsna”—Kesava means Krsna—“You have assumed the form of Lord Buddha. And what is Your function? Nindasi yajna-vidher ahaha sruti-jatam.” In the Vedic literature there are numerous prescription of sacrifice. And in some of the sacrifices animal sacrifice is also recommended. So that animal sacrifice does not mean to kill the animal. Animal sacrifice means to prove the strength of Vedic hymns so that one old animal is put into the fire and he’s given again a new life, renewed life, just to show the potency of the hymns, Vedic hymns. But in this age, Kali-yuga, those sacrifices are forbidden. So Lord Buddha, when he saw that people are sacrificing animals in the name of religious rituals without any pity for them, at that time Lord Buddha appeared. Therefore it is stated, sadaya-hrdaya-darsita-pahu-ghatam: “My dear Lord, You have appeared as Lord Buddha, just being compassionate to the poor animals.” Lord Buddha preached ahimsa paramo dharmah: “The best religious principle is to become nonviolent.” He preached this philosophy, that “If somebody hurts you, you feel pain, then why should you kill other animal and put it into painful condition? So don’t do these sinful activities.” That was his main principle of philosophy that he preached. He was Hindu, ksatriya, Hindu prince, born in a ksatriya family, and he was prince, a very luxurious life. So as young man, when he saw an old man and he is travelling, walking with great difficulty, he asked his servant, “What is this? Why this man is walking in this way?” He was explained that “This is old age, and in old age everyone has to become like this.” So he at once left home and sat down in Gayapradesh, a province in Bihar in India. And he began to meditate how to make solution of this old age.
(Lecture 16/04/70)
Guest (3): Buddha taught very similar things to what the Gita taught also, didn’t he? Are there agreeances there, agreement in certain places what Buddha taught and what the Gita teaches?
Prabhupada: Do you follow this Buddha?
Guest (3): Uh, no.
Prabhupäda: You simply talk of him? You practice Buddha if you appreciate him. You give up everything like Buddha and meditate. But that you will not do. Then what is the talking of, useless talking about this? Do something. Either you believe Buddha or Jesus Christ or Krsna. Do something. Don’t talk simply. Lord Buddha is very nice. He gave up his kingdom in youthful life. He was prince. He thought, “It is all nonsense. Let me meditate.” Do like that. That is the disease. We won’t do anything. We talk much of this, that, this, that. Do anything, but do it perfectly. “Jack of all trade, master of none.” That is not good. Be master of something. It doesn’t differ. Either you follow Lord Jesus Christ or Lord Buddha or Krsna, it doesn’t matter much. But do it perfectly. That is our request.
(Conversation 10/05/69)
Martin: Can a true devotee come face-to-face with God through the teachings of Buddha, the teachings of Christ?
Prabhupada: Yes. Teachings of Christ, teaching of Buddha, they are meant for a particular type of men. Generally it is meant for everyone, but specifically for a particular type of men. Just like Lord Buddha, he preached ahimsa. They were a particular type of men. Lord Jesus Christ also preached to a particular type of men. “Thou shall not kill.’’ That means they were killing. Is it not? If I say, “Thou shall not steal,’’ that means you are thief, you are stealing. So a kind of preaching among the thieves and a kind of teaching among the philosophers must be different. That is the difference. Lord Buddha is Krsna, Lord Jesus Christ was Krsna incarnation, but they were preaching to a different type of people. Therefore you’ll find difference of Lord Jesus Christ teaching, Buddha’s teaching, Krsna’s teaching. Krsna’s teaching also is there, which is also Buddha’s teaching. But more than that, because the persons amongst whom He was teaching, they were far, far elevated than the thieves and the rogues. That is the difference. Just like I am pushing on this Krsna consciousness movement, I am doing so many things which sometimes my Godbrothers out of envy criticize. But I know what is the circumstances how to do it. They do not know it. I know my business. So that is their fault. Their own buddhi business, then simply criticize “How he is acting.’’ Find out some fault. Just like Lord Buddha was criticized by the Vedic brahmanas, “Oh, you are stopping animal sacrifice? It is already in the Vedas. Because it is sacrifice, the animal is also sacrificed, so how you can stop animal sacrifice?’’ But Lord Buddha, nindasi yajna-vidher ahaha sruti-jatam. Sruti-jatam. In the Vedas there is recommendation for animal sacrifice, but he began to deride. So his business was to deride the Vedic principles, that “I do not care for these Vedas.’’ Therefore Buddha’s religion was not accepted in India. He criticized. He criticized the Vedic principles. In the Vedic principles there is recommendation for animal sacrifice, and he criticized, “This is not good. Don’t do this.’’ Therefore it is criticism. Vedic injunction should be accepted as it is. You cannot criticize. Then there is no Vedic authority. So therefore he defied Vedic authorities. As such, he was not accepted, strictly followers of the Vedas. But he has got a different purpose. The ordinary man cannot understand. But one who is devotee, he knows that why he has done this. Therefore they offer their obeisances, kesava dhrta-buddha-sarira jaya jagadisa hare. A devotee does not accept the philosophy of Buddha but accepts him as incarnation of Lord Krsna and offers obeisances. This is our position.
(Conversation 04/05/72)
SANSKRIT
tatah kalau sampravrtte
sammohaya sura-dvisam
buddho namnanjana-sutah
kikatesu bhavisyati
TRANSLATION
“Then, in the beginning of Kali-yuga, the Lord will appear as Lord Buddha, the son of Anjana, in the province of Gaya, just for the purpose of deluding those who are envious of the faithful theist.”
PURPORT
Lord Buddha, a powerful incarnation of the Personality of Godhead, appeared in the province of Gaya (Bihar) as the son of Anjana, and he preached his own conception of nonviolence and deprecated even the animal sacrifices sanctioned in the Vedas. At the time when Lord Buddha appeared, the people in general were atheistic and preferred animal flesh to anything else. On the plea of Vedic sacrifice, every place was practically turned into a slaughterhouse, and animal killing was indulged in unrestrictedly. Lord Buddha preached nonviolence, taking pity on the poor animals. He preached that he did not believe in the tenets of the Vedas and stressed the adverse psychological effects incurred by animal killing. Less intelligent men of the age of Kali, who had no faith in God, followed his principle, and for the time being they were trained in moral discipline and nonviolence, the preliminary steps for proceeding further on the path of God realization. He deluded the atheists because such atheists who followed his principles did not believe in God, but they kept their absolute faith in Lord Buddha, who himself was the incarnation of God. Thus the faithless people were made to believe in God in the form of Lord Buddha. That was the mercy of Lord Buddha: he made the faithless faithful to him.
Killing of animals before the advent of Lord Buddha was the most prominent feature of the society. People claimed that these were Vedic sacrifices. When the Vedas are not accepted through the authoritative disciplic succession, the casual readers of the Vedas are misled by the flowery language of that system of knowledge. In the Bhagavad-gita a comment has been made on such foolish scholars (avipascitah). The foolish scholars of Vedic literature who do not care to receive the transcendental message through the transcendental realized sources of disciplic succession are sure to be bewildered. To them, the ritualistic ceremonies are considered to be all in all. They have no depth of knowledge. According to the Bhagavad-gita (15.15), vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah: the whole system of the Vedas is to lead one gradually to the path of the Supreme Lord. The whole theme of Vedic literature is to know the Supreme Lord, the individual soul, the cosmic situation and the relation between all these items. When the relation is known, the relative function begins, and as a result of such a function the ultimate goal of life or going back to Godhead takes place in the easiest manner. Unfortunately, unauthorized scholars of the Vedas become captivated by the purificatory ceremonies only, and natural progress is thereby checked.
To such bewildered persons of atheistic propensity, Lord Buddha is the emblem of theism. He therefore first of all wanted to stop the habit of animal killing. The animal killers are dangerous elements on the path going back to Godhead. Maharaja Pariksit said that only the animal killer cannot relish the transcendental message of the Supreme Lord. Therefore if people are to be educated to the path of Godhead, they must be taught first and foremost to stop the process of animal killing as above mentioned. It is nonsensical to say that animal killing has nothing to do with spiritual realization. By this dangerous theory many so-called sannyasis have sprung up by the grace of Kali-yuga who preach animal killing under the garb of the Vedas. The subject matter has already been discussed in the conversation between Lord Caitanya and Maulana Chand Kazi Shaheb. The animal sacrifice as stated in the Vedas is different from the unrestricted animal killing in the slaughterhouse. Because the asuras or the so-called scholars of Vedic literatures put forward the evidence of animal killing in the Vedas, Lord Buddha superficially denied the authority of the Vedas. This rejection of the Vedas by Lord Buddha was adopted in order to save people from the vice of animal killing as well as to save the poor animals from the slaughtering process of their big brothers who clamor for universal brotherhood, peace, justice and equity. There is no justice when there is animal killing. Lord Buddha wanted to stop it completely, and therefore his cult of ahimsa was propagated not only in India but also outside the country.
Technically Lord Buddha's philosophy is called atheistic because there is no acceptance of the Supreme Lord and because that system of philosophy denied the authority of the Vedas. But that is an act of camouflage by the Lord. Lord Buddha is the incarnation of Godhead. As such, he is the original propounder of Vedic knowledge. He therefore cannot reject Vedic philosophy. But he rejected it outwardly because the sura-dvisa, or the demons who are always envious of the devotees of Godhead, try to support cow killing or animal killing from the pages of the Vedas, and this is now being done by the modernized sannyasis. Lord Buddha had to reject the authority of the Vedas altogether. This is simply technical, and had it not been so he would not have been so accepted as the incarnation of Godhead. Nor would he have been worshiped in the transcendental songs of the poet Jayadeva, who is a Vaisnava acarya. Lord Buddha preached the preliminary principles of the Vedas in a manner suitable for the time being (and so also did Sankaracarya) to establish the authority of the Vedas. Therefore both Lord Buddha and Acarya Sankara paved the path of theism, and Vaisnava acaryas, specifically Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, led the people on the path towards a realization of going back to Godhead.
We are glad that people are taking interest in the nonviolent movement of Lord Buddha. But will they take the matter very seriously and close the animal slaughterhouses altogether? If not, there is no meaning to the ahimsa cult.
Srimad-Bhagavatam was composed just prior to the beginning of the age of Kali (about five thousand years ago), and Lord Buddha appeared about twenty-six hundred years ago. Therefore in the Srimad-Bhagavatam Lord Buddha is foretold. Such is the authority of this clear scripture. There are many such prophecies, and they are being fulfilled one after another. They will indicate the positive standing of Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is without trace of mistake, illusion, cheating and imperfection, which are the four flaws of all conditioned souls. The liberated souls are above these flaws; therefore they can see and foretell things which are to take place on distant future dates.
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.23)
Srila Prabhupada on Buddhism
The Buddhists or other religionists who do not care for revealed scriptures sometimes say that there are many devotees of Lord Buddha who show devotional service to Lord Buddha, and who therefore should be considered devotees. In answer to this argument, Rupa Gosvami says that the followers of Buddha cannot be accepted as devotees. Although Lord Buddha is accepted as an incarnation of Krsna, the followers of such incarnations are not very advanced in their knowledge of the Vedas. To study the Vedas means to come to the conclusion of the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead. Therefore any religious principle which denies the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead is not accepted and is called atheism. Atheism means defying the authority of the Vedas and decrying the great acaryas who teach Vedic scriptures for the benefit of the people in general.
Lord Buddha is accepted as an incarnation of Krsna in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, but in the same Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that Lord Buddha appeared in order to bewilder the atheistic class of men. Therefore his philosophy is meant for bewildering the atheists and should not be accepted. If someone asks, "Why should Krsna propagate atheistic principles?" the answer is that it was the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to end the violence which was then being committed in the name of the Vedas. The so-called religionists were falsely using the Vedas to justify such violent acts as meat-eating, and Lord Buddha came to lead the fallen people away from such a false interpretation of the Vedas. Also, for the atheists Lord Buddha preached atheism so that they would follow him and thus be tricked into devotional service to Lord Buddha, or Krsna.
(Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu / NoD7)
Just like Lord Buddha’s teaching. Lord Buddha’s teachings is... That is also detachment from matter, nirvana. Nirvana. But he does not speak anything about the spirit soul. Because the position in which he was speaking, that position, for the human, humanity, was not suitable for understanding what is the constitution of spirit, therefore he did not say anything about spirit. He simply preached nonviolence. So far our body is concerned, he stressed on the point that we should be nonviolent. We should not be killing animals anymore. That was his preaching. Similarly, Sankara... A little more than Buddha. He said, “No, no. Matter is not all. The spirit is real thing. Matter is false.” Brahma satyam jagan mithya. Now, he did not say about the activities of spiritual life. He simply gave hint that there, that matter is false. Matter is generated by spirit. Spirit is the real, principle thing. Just like Buddha did not say anything about spirit. He simply wanted that detachment of, from matter. But detachment from matter... Then where is my stand? Where is my stand? If I leave this room, I must have another room to stay. So that is the position of Buddha. He did not say about the spirit. But Sankara, Sankara said, “No, matter is our false position. Spirit is real position.” But he did not say anything, what are the activities of the spiritual life. Then Sri Ramanujacarya came. He described the actual position of spiritual life. These are gradual development. Your, I mean to say, Lord Jesus, also, Lord Jesus Christ, he also gave hints of spiritual life, kingdom of God. So when we speak of kingdom of God, a kingdom, vacant, cannot be. Kingdom means there must be activities. Otherwise, what is the meaning of kingdom? So, of course, he did not give any detailed account of the kingdom of God, but he gave hint.
(Bhagavad-gita lecture 27/04/66)
Impersonalist: What about Buddha? Would you say that he is good?
Syamasundara: Buddha, Lord Buddha.
Prabhupada: Yes. About Lord Buddha is also mentioned in the sastra that Lord Buddha will appear in Gaya Pradesh, in the province of Gaya, and his business will be to cheat the atheists. That is described. Now, how he is cheating? He is the incarnation of God, but he is preaching amongst people who don’t believe in God. So he is cheating in this way, that “Yes, there is no God. You hear me.” But he is God. The people amongst whom he is preaching, they don’t believe in God, but they accept Lord Buddha. But he is God. So by cheating, he is making others to worship God. God is there. But superficially they think, “We don’t believe in God. We believe in Lord Buddha.” And Lord Buddha is God. Therefore in the Bhagavata it is said that his business will be cheat the atheist class of men. Sura-dvisam. Sammohita-sura-dvisam. Sammohita means bewilder. But his philosophy is that to make the people sinless. Ahimsa. “Don’t kill.” That is the greatest sin. So he is propagating that “Let these people be saved from the greatest sinful activities.”
(Conversation 07/04/72)
There are different periods, just like in the whole year there are different periods in your country called summer, winter, fall, spring. They are coming by rotation. Similarly, there is rotation of time which is divided into four millenniums called Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. So Krsna says that dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge. Now, one may inquire that “Krsna appeared in the Treta-yuga. And when He is going to appear in the Kali-yuga?” That is also mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that in the Kali-yuga there are three different incarnations mentioned in the Bhagavatam or any other authentic Vedic literature. One incarnation is Lord Buddha, and another incarnation is Lord Caitanya, and another incarnation, in the last stage of this age, is Kalki, so far we get from the authority of Bhagavatam.
So we have to accept according to the authentic scripture who is incarnation. We cannot accept anyone who claims that “I am also incarnation.” No. In the sastras there are symptoms foretold of the incarnation. Just like about Lord Buddha there is mention, “In such and such place, in such and such form, in such and such activity, Lord Buddha will appear.” Similarly, about Lord Caitanya is there. Similarly, there is a description about Kalki. So far Lord Buddha is concerned, in the Bhagavatam the name of the mother of Lord Buddha is mentioned. And the activities is also mentioned. What are his activities? The activities are not very pleasant. Sammohaya sura-dvisam: [SB 1.3.24] “The Lord will appear as Buddha in order to sammohaya, bewilder, the atheist class of men.” Atheist class of... His activities were to cover the atheist class of men, those who do not believe in God. Yes. Lord Buddha said, “Yes, there is no God. There is no God. There is void only. But you believe me, what I say.” Just see. He is incarnation of God, and the people amongst whom he is preaching, to them he is saying, “There is no God,” but he is God.
(Srimad-Bhägavatam lecture 03/08/68)
And the next incarnation is Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha, He decried the Vedic principles. Therefore He is calculated as atheist. Anyone who does not agree with the Vedic principles, he is considered as atheist. Just like one who does not believe in the Bible, they are called heathens, similarly, those who do not accept the Vedic principles, they are called atheists. So Lord Buddha although incarnation of Krsna, He said that “I do not believe in Vedas.” What was the reason? The reason was to save the poor animals. At that time people were sacrificing the poor animals under the plea of Vedic sacrifice. So demonic persons, they want to do something under the protection of authority. Just like a big lawyer takes the protection of the lawbook and he makes the law unlawful. Similarly, the demons are so intelligent that they take advantage of scriptural injunction and do all nonsense. So these things were going on. In the name of Vedic sacrifice, they were killing animals like anything. So Lord became very much compassionate these poor animals, and He appeared as Lord Buddha, and His philosophy was nonviolence. His philosophy was atheist because He said that “There is no God. This combination of matter is a manifestation, and you dismantle the material elements, there will be void and there will be no sense of pleasure and pain. That is the nirvana, ultimate goal of life.” That was His philosophy. But actually His mission was to stop animal killing, to stop the men from so much sinful activities. So Lord Buddha is also prayed herewith. So people will be surprised that Lord Buddha is designated as atheist and still the Vaisnavas, they are offering their respectful prayers to Lord Visnu (Buddha). Why? Because the Vaisnava knows how the God is acting for His different purposes. Others, they do not know.
(Lecture 19/02/70)
So about Lord Buddha we have got a nice prayer:
nindasi yajna-vidher ahaha sruti-jatam
sadaya-hrdaya darsita-pasu-ghatam
kesava-dhrta-buddha-sarira jaya jagadisa hare
This song was sung by a great Vaisnava poet, Jayadeva Gosvami. So the purport of this verse, Sanskrit verse, is kesava-dhrta-buddha-sarira. “My dear Krsna”—Kesava means Krsna—“You have assumed the form of Lord Buddha. And what is Your function? Nindasi yajna-vidher ahaha sruti-jatam.” In the Vedic literature there are numerous prescription of sacrifice. And in some of the sacrifices animal sacrifice is also recommended. So that animal sacrifice does not mean to kill the animal. Animal sacrifice means to prove the strength of Vedic hymns so that one old animal is put into the fire and he’s given again a new life, renewed life, just to show the potency of the hymns, Vedic hymns. But in this age, Kali-yuga, those sacrifices are forbidden. So Lord Buddha, when he saw that people are sacrificing animals in the name of religious rituals without any pity for them, at that time Lord Buddha appeared. Therefore it is stated, sadaya-hrdaya-darsita-pahu-ghatam: “My dear Lord, You have appeared as Lord Buddha, just being compassionate to the poor animals.” Lord Buddha preached ahimsa paramo dharmah: “The best religious principle is to become nonviolent.” He preached this philosophy, that “If somebody hurts you, you feel pain, then why should you kill other animal and put it into painful condition? So don’t do these sinful activities.” That was his main principle of philosophy that he preached. He was Hindu, ksatriya, Hindu prince, born in a ksatriya family, and he was prince, a very luxurious life. So as young man, when he saw an old man and he is travelling, walking with great difficulty, he asked his servant, “What is this? Why this man is walking in this way?” He was explained that “This is old age, and in old age everyone has to become like this.” So he at once left home and sat down in Gayapradesh, a province in Bihar in India. And he began to meditate how to make solution of this old age.
(Lecture 16/04/70)
Guest (3): Buddha taught very similar things to what the Gita taught also, didn’t he? Are there agreeances there, agreement in certain places what Buddha taught and what the Gita teaches?
Prabhupada: Do you follow this Buddha?
Guest (3): Uh, no.
Prabhupäda: You simply talk of him? You practice Buddha if you appreciate him. You give up everything like Buddha and meditate. But that you will not do. Then what is the talking of, useless talking about this? Do something. Either you believe Buddha or Jesus Christ or Krsna. Do something. Don’t talk simply. Lord Buddha is very nice. He gave up his kingdom in youthful life. He was prince. He thought, “It is all nonsense. Let me meditate.” Do like that. That is the disease. We won’t do anything. We talk much of this, that, this, that. Do anything, but do it perfectly. “Jack of all trade, master of none.” That is not good. Be master of something. It doesn’t differ. Either you follow Lord Jesus Christ or Lord Buddha or Krsna, it doesn’t matter much. But do it perfectly. That is our request.
(Conversation 10/05/69)
Martin: Can a true devotee come face-to-face with God through the teachings of Buddha, the teachings of Christ?
Prabhupada: Yes. Teachings of Christ, teaching of Buddha, they are meant for a particular type of men. Generally it is meant for everyone, but specifically for a particular type of men. Just like Lord Buddha, he preached ahimsa. They were a particular type of men. Lord Jesus Christ also preached to a particular type of men. “Thou shall not kill.’’ That means they were killing. Is it not? If I say, “Thou shall not steal,’’ that means you are thief, you are stealing. So a kind of preaching among the thieves and a kind of teaching among the philosophers must be different. That is the difference. Lord Buddha is Krsna, Lord Jesus Christ was Krsna incarnation, but they were preaching to a different type of people. Therefore you’ll find difference of Lord Jesus Christ teaching, Buddha’s teaching, Krsna’s teaching. Krsna’s teaching also is there, which is also Buddha’s teaching. But more than that, because the persons amongst whom He was teaching, they were far, far elevated than the thieves and the rogues. That is the difference. Just like I am pushing on this Krsna consciousness movement, I am doing so many things which sometimes my Godbrothers out of envy criticize. But I know what is the circumstances how to do it. They do not know it. I know my business. So that is their fault. Their own buddhi business, then simply criticize “How he is acting.’’ Find out some fault. Just like Lord Buddha was criticized by the Vedic brahmanas, “Oh, you are stopping animal sacrifice? It is already in the Vedas. Because it is sacrifice, the animal is also sacrificed, so how you can stop animal sacrifice?’’ But Lord Buddha, nindasi yajna-vidher ahaha sruti-jatam. Sruti-jatam. In the Vedas there is recommendation for animal sacrifice, but he began to deride. So his business was to deride the Vedic principles, that “I do not care for these Vedas.’’ Therefore Buddha’s religion was not accepted in India. He criticized. He criticized the Vedic principles. In the Vedic principles there is recommendation for animal sacrifice, and he criticized, “This is not good. Don’t do this.’’ Therefore it is criticism. Vedic injunction should be accepted as it is. You cannot criticize. Then there is no Vedic authority. So therefore he defied Vedic authorities. As such, he was not accepted, strictly followers of the Vedas. But he has got a different purpose. The ordinary man cannot understand. But one who is devotee, he knows that why he has done this. Therefore they offer their obeisances, kesava dhrta-buddha-sarira jaya jagadisa hare. A devotee does not accept the philosophy of Buddha but accepts him as incarnation of Lord Krsna and offers obeisances. This is our position.
(Conversation 04/05/72)