Yoga and Buddhism: Similarities and Differences

Yoga and Buddhism are related traditions that evolved in the same spiritual culture of ancient India. They use the same terms and follow similar principles and practices. For this reason, it is not surprising that many of us born in the West, especially after initial exposure, tend to regard the teachings of Yoga and Buddhism as almost identical. We even sometimes want to combine their teachings or practices, since it seems that there is no real difference between them. The differences that have historically always existed between these two systems, which have kept them separate as distinct traditions, are less obvious to us in the West than their similarities. It happens that people who study one of these traditions tend to see the other as borrowing from the first. Those who study Buddhism may find so many similarities in Yoga that they suspect a strong Buddhist influence on Yoga. Those who study Yoga may find so many similarities with Buddhism that they will see a strong yogic influence on Buddhism. However, the tendency to find similarities between these two great spiritual traditions is not limited to the West. Swami Vivekananda, the first known person to bring Yoga to the West, studied the Mahayana Buddhist scriptures (Sutras) and found that their main teachings were in harmony with the teachings of Vedanta, which he himself followed. In recent years, with the influx of Tibetan refugees to India, including the Dalai Lama, a new dialogue has begun between the two traditions, leading to greater respect between them. Tibetan Buddhists often appear at Hindu religious gatherings and take part in all kinds of discussions. The attempt to connect the two traditions is not limited to modernity. A variety of synthesized Hindu-Buddhist teachings have existed throughout history. The Buddha himself was born a Hindu, and some scholars have argued that Buddhism as a religion separate from Hinduism appeared much later than the moment when the Buddha left the body.

Saivite-Buddhist teachings existed in Indonesia in the Middle Ages, and it is difficult to say about many tantric yogis of that time whether they were Hindus or Buddhists. Hindus began to consider Buddha as an avatar of Vishnu during the medieval period, and most Hindus still believe that we live in the era of Buddha-avatar. Most Hindus accept the Buddha as a great teacher, even if they do not accept all the teachings of Buddhism. However, in addition to similarities and connections, the two traditions have always had quite significant differences. Tendencies toward synthesis have not eliminated disagreement and debate between the two traditions, and they have never been successful in achieving complete unification. These traditions and lineages remain separate to this day. In general, the Hindu yoga tradition tried to absorb Buddhism by interpreting the Buddha in the light of Vedanta. Buddhism, however, has sought to maintain its own identity by pointing out disagreements with Vedic theism, or the Vedic understanding of the Self. Most Hindu and Buddhist teachers, including representatives of various schools of yoga from Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhists, have found it necessary to distinguish between their doctrines , especially at subtle levels of practice and understanding. Refutations of Buddhist teachings are common in yogic texts, and refutations of yogic and Vedanta teachings are common in Buddhist texts. Thus, while we can honor the connections between these two systems, we cannot help but notice their differences.

Yoga Tradition

Yoga in this study we consider mainly the classical system of yoga, as formulated by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras, but as part of the Vedic tradition from which Patanjali originated. Patanjali was never considered in India to be the founder of the Yoga tradition, but rather the compiler of yogic teachings that arose long before him. Patanjali, reflecting an older tradition, taught the eightfold (ashtanga) system of Yoga, emphasizing integral spiritual development consisting of the disciplines of ethics (Yama and Niyama), posture (Asana), breathing exercises (Pranayama), control of the senses (Pratyahara), concentration (Dharana), meditation (Dhyana), and comprehension (Samadhi). This integral or eightfold approach to Yoga is common to most schools of Vedic and Hindu thought and practice. They are found in literature written before Patanjali - in the Puranas, Mahabharata. The creator of the Yoga system is considered to be Hiranyagarbha, who symbolizes the creative and evolutionary force in the universe, and is a form of the Vedic Sun God. Yoga can be traced back to the Rig Veda itself, the oldest Hindu text, which talks about turning our minds and moving towards the light of truth. The great teachers of early Yoga include the names of many famous sages such as Vasistha, Yajnavalkya and Jaigishavya. Lord Krishna himself was considered a great yogi, whose Bhagavad Gita is called Yoga Shastra, or the authoritative work on Yoga. Among the Hindu deities, Shiva is the greatest of the yogis, the God of Yoga, Yogeshvara. Thus, the comparison of classical Yoga and Buddhism moves into the more controversial issue of comparison between Buddhist and Hindu teachings in general, especially as regards Yoga and Vedanta in the Hindu dharma. Some people, especially in the West, have argued that Yoga is neither Hindu nor Vedic, but an independent, or more universal, tradition. They point out that the term Hinduism does not appear in the Yoga Sutras, and also that the Yoga Sutras are not related to the basic practices of Hinduism. Such readings are artificial. The Yoga Sutras are replete with technical terms of Hindu and Vedic philosophy, which are explained in great detail in their classical commentaries or related literature. The Yoga Sutras have always been considered one of the six systems of Vedic philosophy, influenced by the Vedas, Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads, which have always been mentioned by the traditional commentators of this text.

Another great early yogic text, Brihatyogi Yajnavalkya Smriti, describes Vedic mantras and practices along with yogic practices of asanas and pranayamas. The same applies to the Yoga Upanishads, of which there are several dozen. Those who study the Yoga Sutras in isolation from this larger tradition are apt to make mistakes. After all, the Yoga Sutras are a work consisting of Sutras. Sutras are short statements, sometimes incomplete sentences, which without any commentary are often incomprehensible, or can be taken in several ways. Thus, to approach the Yoga Sutras and the Yoga tradition, one should look at the full context of these teachings, the commentaries and influential texts, and not just contemporary opinions on the topic.

Others in the West, including many yoga teachers, argue that Yoga is not a religion. This can also be deceptive, although there is an explanation for this too. Yoga is not part of any religious dogma that proclaims that there is only one God, church, or savior as the only possible path. Yoga teachers from India also never insisted that their students formally become Hindus. But Yoga is still a system that comes out of the Hindu religion and is closely connected with all aspects of Hindu Dharma and in many ways with aspects of Indian culture. Yoga deals with the nature of the soul, God and immortality, which are major themes in religions around the world. Its main focus is religious and is certainly not limited to exercise or health, although it relates more to the spiritual and mystical side of religion than to mere faith or formal confession. Although Yoga is one of the six schools of Vedic philosophy (Shat Darshana), it is also used in various ways by the other five systems.

Yoga is related to the other of these six schools, the Samkhya system, which describes the cosmic principles (tattvas) known by yogis to the point of realization. Nyaya and Vaisheshika, two of the other systems, provide rational and philosophical training, which yoga teachers in India also followed. The Purva Mimamsa, or ritual school, was the basis of much of the Karma Yoga in the yogic system. Uttara Mimamsa (also called Vedanta) is closely related to the yogic traditions of Bhakti and Jnana Yoga, and their teachers have always used the eight limbs of Yoga Darshana.

Most of the great teachers who brought Yoga to the modern world, such as Swami Vivekananda, Paramahamsa Yogananda, Sri Aurobindo, Swami Sivananda, were exponents of Vedanta and emphasized Yoga and Vedanta. These six systems have generally been studied together. All of them, to a certain extent, adapted the methods and practices of Yoga. While we can find philosophical debates and disputes between them, they all aim to reveal the truth of the Vedas and differ mainly in the details or levels of approach. They all take quotations from Vedic texts, including the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Puranas to establish their authority. Some Western scholars call them the "six schools of Indian philosophy." This is mistake. These schools represent only Vedic systems, and do not represent non-Vedic ones, of which there are several more. Moreover, they represent Vedic-based philosophical systems from the classical era. There are also many other Vedic and Hindu philosophical systems of later times. And even these later systems, such as Kashmir Shaivism, Hatha Yoga, Siddha Yoga and Natha Yoga systems, often quote and accept teachings not only from the Yoga Sutras, but also teachings from the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita.

Buddhism and its Philosophy

The Buddhist schools, of which there are four in classical Indian philosophy, although sharing many ideas with Vedic spirituality such as karma and rebirth, did not accept the supremacy of the Vedas and rejected a number of key Vedic principles. All Buddhist schools use meditation, some even add more specific yogic practices such as pranayama and mantra. Such systems can be called “Buddhist yoga” by modern authors. However, Yoga as a term is absent from early Buddhist texts, particularly those of early Theravada Buddhism, and becomes dominant primarily in the Buddhist tantric tradition that developed later, especially as practiced in Tibet. Some Buddhists believe that the Buddha was a great yogi and assumed that he possessed mystical powers, siddhis. Buddhism has mainly two branches, as well as many schools. The northern Mahayana or "great vehicle" tradition is predominant in Tibet, China, Japan and surrounding countries. This is the type of Buddhism that is best known and has the most followers in the world. It includes Chan, Zen, Buddhist Tantra (Vajrayana), and Dzogchen. The southern variant, Theravada, predominates in southern Asia, Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand. Vipassana is the most widely known practice of Theravada Buddhism. In general, Theravada is considered the more ancient of the two schools. However, much of Indian Buddhism, including the Sanskrit Buddhist Sutras, is of the Mahayana branch and was most likely best preserved in Tibet, where it was later transformed into Vajrayana. There is some disagreement between these two main lineages of Buddhism. The Mahayana tradition calls the Theravada tradition "Hinayana" or "small vehicle". Many Theravadins believe that Mahayana forms of Buddhism, especially Tibetan, are not truly Buddhist because they have mixed Buddhism with local religious practices. The Mahayana tradition, especially in its tantric forms, uses breathing exercises, mantras, visualizations and Deities in much the same way as the Yoga tradition. The Theravada tradition has less in common with Yoga, although it uses similar methods of meditation and concentration. It generally denies devotional worship and use of Deities as occurs in the paths of Yoga. For example, Vipassana teachers have often criticized the use of mantras, which are often used not only in Hindu yogic traditions, but also in Mahayana teachings. In fact, it could be argued that Tibetan Buddhism, with its mantras, Deities and yogic teachings, is closer to Hinduism than to the Buddhist schools.

Buddhism grew up in the cultural environment of Hinduism. For this reason, Indian and Tibetan Buddhism incorporated Ayurvedic medicine, Hindu astrology, Sanskrit, the same rules of iconography and the same forms of temple worship, and other common factors characteristic of the Hindu tradition. A number of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, such as Ganesh and Saraswati, appear in the Tibetan tradition. Some figures, such as the Goddess Tara, appear in both. However, when Buddhism spread to other countries outside India, many of these connections were either lost or their basis was forgotten. Nepal remains the one region of the Indian subcontinent in which both of these religions survive, although Nepal has a Hindu majority, and (until recently) had a Hindu king, and is officially a Hindu state. Until now, in Nepal, Hindu Yoga and Buddhist traditions have never been equated at the everyday level. Nepalese Hindus and Buddhists respect each other, but rarely combine the teachings of these two different religions in their actual practice. They tend to follow one tradition or the other, but rarely both.

Yoga and Meditation

Today Yoga is best known for its tradition of asanas and yogic postures, which are the most popular, visible and external form of this system. Buddhism is known as a tradition of meditation, through more popular forms of Buddhist meditation such as Zen and Vipassana. This is very strange because Yoga traditionally defines itself as meditation, or the calming of the fluctuations of the mind, and not as an asana, which is taught only as a preparation for meditation. In the Yoga Sutras, the classic text on Yoga, in which there are two hundred Sutras, only three of them mention asana, while the vast majority deal with meditation, its theory and results.

In the West we hear people talk about "Yoga and Meditation", referring to yoga as an asana, or some other external practice such as pranayama. If someone claims this in India, he will hear: “Yoga and meditation, are there really two of them?!” Unfortunately, those who have studied Yoga in the West have only learned the practice of asanas in this teaching, but not the practice of meditation. Some may therefore look towards Buddhist teachings such as Zen or Vipassana for meditation practices, not realizing that there are yogic and vedantic forms of meditation that are traditionally not only part of the yoga system, but also the main way it is taught! The reason for this often lies in yoga teachers who have not explored the meditation aspect of their own tradition. For some it was simply not taught as asana-only teachers became more popular, no doubt due to their affinity with the physical-oriented Western mind. There is nothing wrong in doing yogic asanas and doing Buddhist meditation, but one who calls himself a Yoga teacher and still does not know the yogic tradition of meditation cannot call himself a Yoga teacher. We can compare them to someone who practices a Buddhist system of exercises, such as Buddhist martial arts, but on top of it all does non-Buddhist meditation, and still calls himself a teacher of Buddhism!

The true Yoga tradition set itself the goal of creating masters of meditation, not just beautifully flexible bodies. Much of Patanjali's Yoga system is concerned with the science of meditation, including concentration, meditation and Samadhi (Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi). In fact, at the beginning of the Yoga Sutras, Yoga is defined as Samadhi, or spiritual knowledge/union. Yoga and related Vedanta systems include many types of meditation, both with and without form. These include pranayama techniques such as So'ham Pranayama or various types of Kriya Yoga (like the one taught by Yogananda), meditation on Deities of all types and different approaches associated with worship, all types of mantras - from simple bija mantras such as Om, to long mantras such as Gayatri, the use of yantras and other geometric images, various methods of concentration, passive approaches to meditation and active approaches such as self-questioning taught by Ramana Maharishi.It is a rich meditation tradition in which the varied practice of asanas is just an aspect.

Philosophical differences between Hindu Yoga-Vedanta traditions and Buddhism

There are Buddhist refutations of various schools of Hindu philosophy, including Yoga and Vedanta, and rejection of Hindu deities such as Shiva or Krishna. There are also similar rebuttals from Yoga and Vedanta to various schools of Buddhist philosophy, including denial of the omniscience of the Buddha, criticism of the Buddhist worldview, and so on. The Buddhist scriptures themselves, both Mahayana and Theravada, contain refutations of Atman, Brahman, Ishvara, and the key principles of Yoga and Vedanta, which are considered to be false doctrines. It is worth noting the Lankavatara Sutra, which is quite typical in this regard. The refutation of Buddhist teachings is not found in the Hindu scriptures, which significantly predate Buddhism, but is quite typical of later literature. Many Vedanta, Sankhya and Yoga texts contain refutations of Buddhist doctrines, especially those set forth in the four classical schools of Buddhist philosophy, which are likewise regarded as false. Such criticism of Buddhist teachings occurs in the major commentaries on the Yoga Sutras that Vyasa created, and is common in Advaita (non-dual Vedanta). Such criticism can be found among the works of the greatest Hindu and Buddhist sages, such as Shankara for the Hindus and Nagarjuna and Aryadeva for the Buddhists.

Regarding Yoga and Buddhism, one of the most interesting interactions was the discussion between Ishvara Krishna (not to be confused with Krishna from the Bhagavad Gita) and the Buddhist guru Vasubandhu, founder of the Vijnanavada school. The dispute was won by Ishvara Krishna and a record of his arguments was created, the Sankhya Karika, which later became the main text of Samkhya. Vijnanavada, also called Yogacara, is the closest Buddhist school to classical Yoga, but surprisingly was the Buddhist system that clashed with it the most in philosophical debates. There were also similar but more limited debates within each tradition; there was criticism of Advaita Vedanta against other Hindu traditions, such as Sankhya Yoga, or criticism of the Buddhist Madhyamika against the Buddhist Vijnanavada and other Buddhist traditions. The Indian tradition was sensitive to debate as a means of discovering truth, and there was no desire for artificial intellectual agreements. This tradition of free and open debate is alive and well not only in India but also in Tibet. Indian tradition has never demanded intellectual uniformity and has respected diversity, which we must also remember today. Although we need to be tolerant, we should not give up discernment, or clarity of thought.

Comparison of yogic and Buddhist teachings

Yoga and Buddhism are traditions designed to help us transcend karma and rebirth and realize the truth of mindfulness. They see suffering and impermanence as inherent in all birth, be it animal, human, or Divine, and seek to alleviate it through the development of higher consciousness. Both emphasize the need to dissolve the ego, the sense of self and ownership, and return to the original reality, which is not limited to the individual Self. Both traditions emphasize the realization of enlightenment, or inner insight, through meditation. Both systems recognize Dharma, the principle of truth and natural law, as the basic law of the universe that we all must understand. Such Dharmas are the law of karma and the unity of all sentient beings. Buddhism defines itself as Buddha Dharma or the dharma of the enlightened, which is seen as a tradition that transcends time and place. Yoga defines itself as part of the Hindu tradition called Sanatana Dharma, the universal or eternal dharma that is not tied to any particular teacher or tradition. Both traditions called themselves Arya Dharma, or the Dharma of noble men.

The main differences between these two systems are in their most important views and in the way they practice. Vedic systems are built on fundamental principles such as the true Self (Atman), the Creator (Ishvara), and the Supreme God (Brahman). Buddhism denies all such ontological principles as mere creations of the mind itself. In this regard, Vedic systems are more idealistic, while Buddhist systems are more phenomenological. Apart from such philosophical differences, both systems share the same basic ethical values ​​such as non-violence, honesty, detachment and non-stealing. The vows that Buddhist monks and sadhus take in the Yoga tradition are the same, as are the vows of Jain monks.

Absolute

Vedanta defines the absolute as the metaphysical principle of Existence - Awareness - Bliss, or as Brahman, in which there is perfect peace and liberation. Buddhism fully recognizes the Absolute, which is non-dual and beyond all birth and death. But, nevertheless, Buddhism as a whole does not allow any definitions of it and considers it useless. It is sometimes called the Dharmakaya or the body of dharma, but yet the Sanskrit Buddhist texts never call it Brahman.

Me and not-Me

Buddhism as a whole denies the Self (Atma or Purusha) of Yoga Vedanta and emphasizes the non-Self (anatman). It says that there is no Self in anything and thus the Self is only a figment of the mind. Whatever we show as the Self, Buddhists claim that it is only an impression, thought, or feeling, but a homogeneous entity such as the Self cannot be found anywhere. Buddhism has tended to confuse the Vedanta Self/Self with yet another form of ego. The Yoga Vedanta tradition emphasizes Self-realization, or the realization of our true nature. It states that the I/Self does not exist in anything external. If we cannot find the I/Self in something, then this is not surprising, because if we found the I/Self in something, then it would not be the Self, but a completely separate thing. We cannot single out the Self, because it is the Self that singles out all things. The I/Self transcends the mind-body complex, but that is no reason to say it does not exist. Without the I/Self we would not exist. We wouldn't even be able to ask questions. Yoga Vedanta distinguishes between the Self/Self (Atman), which is our true nature as awareness, and the ego (usually called Ahamkara), which is the false identification of our true nature with the mind-body complex. Atman in Vedanta is not the ego but an enlightened consciousness that transcends the limits of time and space. And yet, a number of Buddhist traditions, especially traditions outside of India such as Chan or Zen in China, have used terms such as the mind-self, true nature, the true nature of consciousness, or one's true face, which are similar to the self. /Self in Vedanta.

Mind and I/Self

Buddhism defines reality in terms of the mind and often refers to the ultimate truth as the One Mind, or the true nature of the mind. In Yoga, the mind (manas) is considered as an instrument of consciousness, which is the I/Self. It speaks of the One Self/Self and the many minds that are its means of expression and propagation. Therefore, the mind is not the main source, but is only an aspect of creation. If we study the terms mind and self/Self in the two traditions, it becomes clear that what Yoga criticizes as attachment to the mind and ego is quite similar to the Buddhist criticism of attachment to Self/Self, while what Vedanta calls The Higher Self is similar to the Buddhist ideas of the true nature of Mind and the One Mind. The Self/Self is the unborn, uncreated reality, similar to what Buddhism refers to as the transcendental aspect of Mind. The awakened mind that resides within the heart of Buddhists (Bodhichitta) resembles the Self (Paramatman), which also resides within the heart. Yet, beyond these similarities, the formulations and methodologies of the two systems in this regard can be quite different. Classical Indian Buddhist texts make no such correlations, but insist that the Vedantic Self/Self is distinct from the One Mind in Buddhism.

God or Creator

The yogic tradition is based on recognition, respect and devotion to God, or the creator, maintainer and destroyer of the universe. One of its basic principles is the worship of the Lord (Ishvara-Pranidhana), which is considered the most direct method of self-realization. A certain degree of theism exists in various teachings of Yoga Vedanta, although in the Advaitic systems Ishvara is a manifestation of the Self-Absolute, which goes beyond even the Creator himself. This is perhaps the main difference between Yoga and Buddhism. Buddhism rejects God (Ishvara), or the all-encompassing lord and creator. He does not see any need for a creator and believes that living beings come into being through karma on their own. The Dalai Lama recently noted that Buddha is like God in omniscience, but is not the creator of the universe. However, some modern Buddhist teachers use the term God and equate it with Buddha nature. Also in some Buddhist traditions there is the figure of Adi-Buddha or the original Buddha, who resembles God. The Buddha appears as God not in the sense of a theological object, but as the Divine potential inherent in all living beings, but is also perceived as a great being who is prayed to for the forgiveness of wrongdoings.

Karma and rebirth

Both systems see karma as the main causal factor behind rebirth in the world. However, in Buddhism, karma is considered a self-existent principle. Buddhism claims that the world exists due to the beginningless karma of living beings. In the Yoga tradition, however, karma is not a self-existent principle. The world was created by God (Ishvara), the creative aspect of consciousness. Karma, as just a force of inertia and attachment, cannot explain the creation of the world, but only our attachment to it. Karma is seen as a force distributed by God, which cannot exist on its own, just as a code of laws cannot exist without a judge. However, some other Vedic systems such as Purva Mimamsa also give more importance to karma than to God. Yoga recognizes the existence of the Jiva, or individual soul, which is reborn. Buddhism denies the existence of such a soul and says that rebirth is just a continuation of the flow of karma, and not a real essence.

Buddha figure

All Buddhist traditions have their origins in the Buddha, and many place special emphasis on studying the life of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. The Vedic tradition, on the other hand, recognizes many teachers, and there is no one teacher that everyone has to follow, or look at through history. There is no single historical figure like the Buddha who dominates, or who everyone should follow, revere, or worship. Hinduism accepted Buddha as a great teacher, but it included him in its stream of many teachers, gurus and avatars. The term Buddha itself is familiar to Vedic teachings, as it is a general Sanskrit term meaning to be wise, awakened, or enlightened. When mentioned in Hindu literature, he is called Bauddha Dharma or Saugata Dharma, since there is nothing in the term Buddha in Sanskrit that could refer to an individual person or religion. While Hindus have declared Buddha to be an avatar, in Buddhism Buddha cannot be an avatar because in Buddhism there is no God of which Buddha can be an expression. If Buddha is even considered an avatar in Buddhism, it is only because of his enlightened mind, but not as the Creator.

Nirvana

Both systems view Nirvana as merging with the Absolute and as the main goal of practice. However, in the Buddhist tradition, especially the Theravada, Nirvana in general is described only negatively, as a stop. It is not given positive names. In the Vedic tradition, Nirvana is described in a positive way as merging with Brahman, or Sachchidananda, Being-Awareness-Bliss, the realization of the infinite and eternal Self, called Brahma Nirvana. Yet both systems agree that this truth transcends all concepts. Vedanta describes Nirvana as freedom, or liberation (Moksha). This term is not found in Buddhism, which does not accept the existence of any soul that could be liberated.

Devotion and Compassion

Yoga, with its recognition of God, emphasizes devotion and worship of God (Ishvara-pranidhana) as one of the main spiritual paths. It contains a whole yogic method based on devotion - Bhakti Yoga, through which we open our hearts to God and bow to the Divine Energy. Since Buddhism does not recognize God, devotion to God is not the path in Buddhism. This is why we do not find any significant tradition of great devotees, or singers of divine love in Buddhism, such as Chaitanya, Ramakrishna, Tulsidas or Mirabai in the Hindu tradition. Buddhism does not recognize devotion to the Buddha, or faith in the mind of the Buddha. However, devotion to great teachers, or the functions of the enlightened mind, does not touch the human heart with the same significance as devotion to the Divine Father and Mother of the entire Universe, the creator, preserver and destroyer of everything, which in turn implies recognition of God. Buddhism has developed the role of the Bodhisattva, the enlightened one who remains after enlightenment to teach and guide living beings. According to Yoga, God and all the sages who have merged with him are eternally present to help all beings, and therefore there is no need for such a special Bodhisattva vow. Yoga values ​​compassion as an ethical principle and says that we cannot realize our true Self as long as we think that we are separate from other creatures.

Gods and Goddesses / Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are, technically speaking, not deities, or Gods and Goddesses. They are not forms of the Divine Father and Mother and they have no role in the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe. They are not the parents of all beings, but only wise advisers and teachers. They are often described as great beings who once lived and achieved enlightenment at some point in time, and made various vows to remain in the world to help save living beings. For example, perhaps the greatest Buddhist Goddess, Tara, is such a Bodhisattva, an enlightened person - not a Divine Mother like Durga or Kali in Hinduism, but a great enlightened sage who continues to exist in the world in order to help living beings. She is not a Goddess or a form of God as the universal creator, but a manifestation of the enlightened mind and its power of compassion. There are also meditational Buddhas (Dhyani Buddhas) who represent the archetypes of enlightenment. Even though Buddhas and Bodhitsattvas are not forms of God, they can be prayed to for grace and protection. For example, Bodhisattva Tara was considered the savior of the needy. The worship of various Bodhisattvas is called Deity Yoga in the Tibetan tradition.

Conclusion

If we could equate the One Mind in Buddhism with the One Self/Self in Vedanta, make Buddha and God one and the same and give Buddha the power to create the universe, and make other similar correlations, then both traditions could be synthesized at least on a philosophical level, although differences in lineages and practices would most likely remain. I have discovered that many people in the West who consider themselves Buddhists are actually Vedanta in their views. While they accept karma and rebirth, they also accept the existence of God as the Creator, the Self and the Absolute of Pure Being. These are Ishvara, Atman and Brahman of Vedantic thought, which classical Buddhism does not directly accept.

Choosing the Path

There are many people in the West today, and even in India, who combine Yoga and Buddhism, as well as less related traditions. Some people sometimes try to follow the gurus of both traditions (often without the approval of their teachers). Of course, teachings that are the same in both traditions, such as nonviolence, are quite easy to relate. It is also easy for Buddhists to use asanas, or pranayama, the outer aspects of Yoga teachings, in their practice. But meditation on the Higher Self in Vedanta, combined with meditation on the non-Self in Buddhism, can be very difficult. The Buddhist approach requires questioning whether there is any I/Self at all. The Vedanta approach requires complete faith in the Self/Self and merging everything with it. And mainly, it is difficult to maintain certain devotional approaches in a Buddhist context where there is no real God, or Creator.

In most cases, gurus in either the Vedic or Buddhist tradition require that their disciples place special emphasis on the accuracy of their teachings. In this regard, they may not accept that their followers combine teachings and practices from different gurus and from different traditions, especially those with different orientations. In this era of eclecticism, many people are making some kind of synthetic experiments, combining different spiritual paths and teachings according to their inclinations and influences. This may even prove fruitful in some cases, especially when someone is still searching for their own path. Yet, often people get lost or confused when trying to jumble together teachings that they don't really understand. Jumping back and forth between teachers and traditions can limit us from making any progress in any of them. Artificial synthesis, which is largely a mental exercise, is not a substitute for deep practice, which requires dedicated concentration. The goal is not to combine paths, but to achieve a goal, which requires staying on the true path to the end. While there may be many paths to the top of a mountain, it is unlikely that anyone will be able to climb high by constantly crossing and changing paths. First of all, trying to connect paths is not a task for students. It is possible for the masters, the great carriers of the lineage in the traditions, to do this if necessary.

Respecting all paths, follow your own

Today we are entering a global age that requires the development of global spirituality. This requires honoring all forms of inner seeking, no matter where or when they originate, even if our own preferences are different. The unity of truth runs like a red thread across all boundaries between human beings. It is key that meditation traditions such as Yoga and Buddhism form a common front in light of the needs of the global era. All such true spiritual traditions face many of the same enemies in this materialistic world. Their shared values ​​of protecting the earth, non-violence, recognizing the laws of karma, and the practice of meditation may be the decisive voice for delivering us from the current crisis. But in bringing together the diversity of teachings must be preserved, which means not only recognition of their unity, but also respect for their differences. The same is true for different cultures. While we must recognize the unity of humanity, we must also allow diverse cultures to retain their unique forms rather than simply throwing them all into one melting vat where all their distinctive characteristics are lost. True unity is universality, which stimulates creative diversity, not monotony, which reduces everything to a stereotype. Truth is not only One, but also Infinite and cannot be reduced to any final forms. Pluralism is also true because each individual is unique and we should have a broad enough view of things to allow others to have opposing opinions. As the Vedic Rishis stated: “What is the one Truth, the prophets teach in different ways.” It exists to help all different types and levels of souls. Although we must respect all paths, we simply need to follow a single path to the goal. Hopefully the path will be open-minded, but every path must have certain guiding principles and not every path will work for everyone.

Yoga and Buddhism are related traditions that evolved in the same spiritual culture of ancient India. They use the same terms and follow similar principles and practices. For this reason, it is not surprising that many of us born in the West, especially after initial exposure, tend to regard the teachings of Yoga and Buddhism as almost identical. We even sometimes want to combine their teachings or practices, since there seems to be no real difference between them. The differences that have historically always existed between these two systems, which have kept them separate as distinct traditions, are less obvious to us in the West than their similarities. It happens that people who study one of these traditions tend to see the other as borrowing from the first. Those who study Buddhism may find so many similarities in Yoga that they suspect a strong Buddhist influence on Yoga. Those who study Yoga may find so many similarities with Buddhism that they will see a strong yogic influence on Buddhism.

Saivite-Buddhist teachings existed in Indonesia in the Middle Ages, and it is difficult to say about many tantric yogis of that time whether they were Hindus or Buddhists. Hindus began to consider Buddha as an avatar of Vishnu during the medieval period, and most Hindus still believe that we live in the era of Buddha-avatar. Most Hindus accept the Buddha as a great teacher, even if they do not accept all the teachings of Buddhism. However, in addition to similarities and connections, the two traditions have always had quite significant differences.

Yoga and meditation

Today Yoga is best known for its tradition of asanas (yogic postures), which are the most popular, visible and external form of this system. Buddhism is known as a tradition of meditation, through more popular forms of Buddhist meditation such as Zen and Vipassana. It's very strange becauseYoga traditionally defines itself as meditation, or the calming of the fluctuations of the mind, rather than as an asana that is taught only as preparation for meditation. In the Yoga Sutras, the classic text on Yoga, in which there are two hundred Sutras, only three of them mention asana, while the vast majority deal with meditation, its theory and results.

In the West we hear people talk about "Yoga and Meditation", referring to yoga as an asana, or some other external practice such as pranayama. If someone claims this in India, he will hear: “Yoga and meditation, are there really two of them?!” Unfortunately, those who have studied Yoga in the West have only learned the practice of asanas in this teaching, but not the practice of meditation. Some may therefore look towards Buddhist teachings such as Zen or Vipassana for meditation practices, not realizing that there are yogic and vedantic forms of meditation that are traditionally not only part of the yoga system, but also the main way it is taught!

Comparison of yogic and Buddhist teachings

Yoga and Buddhism are traditions designed to help us transcend karma and rebirth and realize the truth of mindfulness. They see suffering and impermanence as inherent in all birth, be it animal, human or Divine, and seek to alleviate it through the development of higher consciousness. Both emphasize the need to dissolve the ego, the sense of self and ownership, and return to the original reality, which is not limited to the individual Self. Both traditions emphasize the realization of enlightenment, or inner insight through meditation. Both systems recognize Dharma, the principle of truth and natural law, as the basic law of the universe that we all must understand. Such Dharmas are the law of karma and the unity of all sentient beings. Buddhism defines itself as Buddha Dharma or the dharma of the enlightened, which is seen as a tradition that transcends time and place. Yoga defines itself as part of the Hindu tradition called Sanatana Dharma, the universal or eternal dharma that is not tied to any particular teacher or tradition. Both traditions called themselves Arya Dharma, or the Dharma of noble men.

The main differences between these two systems are in their most important views and in the way of practice...Philosophical differences aside, both systems share the same basic ethical values ​​such as non-violence, honesty, detachment and non-stealing. The vows that Buddhist monks and sadhus take in the Yoga tradition are the same, as are the vows of Jain monks.

Absolute

Vedanta defines the absolute as the metaphysical principle of Existence - Awareness - Bliss, or as Brahman, in which there is perfect peace and liberation. Buddhism fully recognizes the Absolute, which is non-dual and beyond all birth and death. But, nevertheless, Buddhism as a whole does not allow any definitions of it and considers it useless. It is sometimes called the Dharmakaya or the body of dharma, but yet the Sanskrit Buddhist texts never call it Brahman.

Me and not-Me

Buddhism as a whole denies the Self (Atma or Purusha), Yoga Vedanta and emphasizes the non-Self (anatman). It says that there is no Self in anything and thus the Self is only a figment of the mind. Whatever we show as the Self, Buddhists claim that it is only an impression, thought, or feeling, but a homogeneous entity such as the Self cannot be found anywhere. Buddhism has tended to confuse the Vedanta Self/Self with yet another form of ego. The Yoga Vedanta tradition emphasizes Self-realization, or the realization of our true nature. It states that the I/Self does not exist in anything external. If we cannot find the I/Self in something, then this is not surprising, because if we found the I/Self in something, then it would not be the Self, but a completely separate thing.

Mind and I/Self

Buddhism defines reality in terms of the mind and often refers to the ultimate truth as the One Mind, or the true nature of the mind. In Yoga, the mind (manas) is considered as an instrument of consciousness, which is the I/Self. It speaks of the One Self/Self and the many minds that are its means of expression and propagation. Therefore, the mind is not the main source, but is only an aspect of creation. If we study the terms mind and self/Self in the two traditions, it becomes clear that what Yoga criticizes as attachment to the mind and ego is quite similar to the Buddhist criticism of attachment to Self/Self, while what Vedanta calls The Higher Self is similar to the Buddhist ideas of the true nature of Mind and the One Mind. The Self/Self is the unborn, uncreated reality, similar to what Buddhism refers to as the transcendental aspect of Mind. The awakened mind that resides within the heart of Buddhists (Bodhichitta) resembles the Self (Paramatman), which also resides within the heart.

God or Creator

The yogic tradition is based on recognition, respect and devotion to God, or the creator, maintainer and destroyer of the universe. One of its basic principles is the worship of the Lord (Ishvara-Pranidhana), which is considered the most direct method of self-realization. A certain degree of theism exists in various teachings of Yoga Vedanta, although in the Advaitic systems Ishvara is a manifestation of the Self-Absolute, which goes beyond even the Creator himself. This is perhaps the main difference between Yoga and Buddhism. Buddhism rejects God (Ishvara), or the all-encompassing lord and creator. He does not see any need for a creator and believes that living beings come into being through karma on their own. The Dalai Lama recently noted that Buddha is like God in omniscience, but is not the creator of the universe.

Karma and rebirth

Both systems see karma as the main causal factor behind rebirth in the world. However, in Buddhism, karma is considered a self-existent principle. Buddhism claims that the world exists due to the beginningless karma of living beings. In the Yoga tradition, however, karma is not a self-existent principle. The world was created by God (Ishvara), the creative aspect of consciousness. Karma, as just a force of inertia and attachment, cannot explain the creation of the world, but only our attachment to it. Karma is seen as a force distributed by God, which cannot exist on its own, just as a code of laws cannot exist without a judge. However, some other Vedic systems such as Purva Mimamsa also give more importance to karma than to God. Yoga recognizes the existence of the Jiva, or individual soul, which is reborn. Buddhism denies the existence of such a soul and says that rebirth is just a continuation of the flow of karma, and not a real essence.

Buddha figure

All Buddhist traditions have their origins in the Buddha, and many place special emphasis on studying the life of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. The Vedic tradition, on the other hand, recognizes many teachers, and there is no one teacher that everyone has to follow, or look at through history. There is no single historical figure like the Buddha who dominates, or who everyone should follow, revere, or worship. Hinduism accepted Buddha as a great teacher, but it included him in its stream of many teachers, gurus and avatars. The term Buddha itself is familiar to Vedic teachings, as it is a general Sanskrit term meaning to be wise, awakened, or enlightened. When mentioned in Hindu literature, he is called Bauddha Dharma or Saugata Dharma, since there is nothing in the term Buddha in Sanskrit that could refer to an individual person or religion. While Hindus have declared Buddha to be an avatar, in Buddhism Buddha cannot be an avatar because in Buddhism there is no God of which Buddha can be an expression. If Buddha is even considered an avatar in Buddhism, it is only because of his enlightened mind, but not as the Creator.

Nirvana

Both systems view Nirvana as merging with the Absolute and as the main goal of practice. However, in the Buddhist tradition, especially the Theravada, Nirvana in general is described only negatively, as a stop. It is not given positive names. In the Vedic tradition, Nirvana is described in a positive way as merging with Brahman, or Sachchidananda, Being-Awareness-Bliss, the realization of the infinite and eternal Self, called Brahma Nirvana. Yet both systems agree that this truth transcends all concepts. Vedanta describes Nirvana as freedom, or liberation (Moksha). This term is not found in Buddhism, which does not accept the existence of any soul that could be liberated.

Devotion and Compassion

Yoga, with its recognition of God, emphasizes devotion and worship of God (Ishvara-pranidhana) as one of the main spiritual paths. It contains a whole yogic method based on devotion - Bhakti Yoga, through which we open our hearts to God and bow to the Divine Energy. Since Buddhism does not recognize God, devotion to God is not the path in Buddhism. This is why we do not find any significant tradition of great devotees, or singers of divine love in Buddhism, such as Chaitanya, Ramakrishna, Tulsidas or Mirabai in the Hindu tradition. Buddhism does not recognize devotion to the Buddha, or faith in the mind of the Buddha. However, devotion to great teachers, or the functions of the enlightened mind, does not touch the human heart with the same significance as devotion to the Divine Father and Mother of the entire Universe, the creator, preserver and destroyer of everything, which in turn implies recognition of God. Buddhism has developed the role of the Bodhisattva, the enlightened one who remains after enlightenment to teach and guide living beings. According to Yoga, God and all the sages who have merged with him are eternally present to help all beings, and therefore there is no need for such a special Bodhisattva vow. Yoga values ​​compassion as an ethical principle and says that we cannot realize our true Self as long as we think that we are separate from other creatures.

Gods and Goddesses / Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are, technically speaking, not deities, or Gods and Goddesses. They are not forms of the Divine Father and Mother and they have no role in the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe. They are not the parents of all beings, but only wise advisers and teachers. They are often described as great beings who once lived and achieved enlightenment at some point in time, and made various vows to remain in the world to help save living beings. For example, perhaps the greatest Buddhist Goddess, Tara, is such a Bodhisattva, an enlightened person - not a Divine Mother like Durga or Kali in Hinduism, but a great enlightened sage who continues to exist in the world in order to help living beings. She is not a Goddess or a form of God as the universal creator, but a manifestation of the enlightened mind and its power of compassion. There are also meditational Buddhas (Dhyani Buddhas) who represent the archetypes of enlightenment. Even though Buddhas and Bodhitsattvas are not forms of God, they can be prayed to for grace and protection. For example, Bodhisattva Tara was considered the savior of the needy. The worship of various Bodhisattvas is called Deity Yoga in the Tibetan tradition.

Choosing the Path

In most cases, gurus in either the Vedic or Buddhist tradition require that their disciples place special emphasis on the accuracy of their teachings. In this regard, they may not accept that their followers combine teachings and practices from different gurus and from different traditions, especially those with different orientations. In this era of eclecticism, many people are making some kind of synthetic experiments, combining different spiritual paths and teachings according to their inclinations and influences. This may even prove fruitful in some cases, especially when someone is still searching for their own path. Yet, often people get lost or confused when trying to jumble together teachings that they don't really understand. Jumping back and forth between teachers and traditions can limit us from making any progress in any of them. Artificial synthesis, which is largely a mental exercise, is not a substitute for deep practice, which requires dedicated concentration. The goal is not to combine paths, but to achieve a goal, which requires staying on the true path to the end. While there may be many paths to the top of a mountain, it is unlikely that anyone will be able to climb high by constantly crossing and changing paths. First of all, trying to connect paths is not a task for students. It is possible for the masters, the great carriers of the lineage in the traditions, to do this if necessary.

Respecting all paths, follow your own

As the Vedic Rishis stated: “What is the one Truth, the prophets teach in different ways.” It exists to help all different types and levels of souls. Although we must respect all paths, we simply need to follow a single path to the goal. Hopefully the path will be open-minded, but every path must have certain guiding principles and not every path will work for everyone.

Excerpts from the article David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Sastri)

Translation from English by Ekaterina Degtyar

We are often asked questions about which book to start studying the teachings of Buddha or how to structure information about yoga? What kind of literature should a person read who is embarking on the path of self-development and is just getting acquainted with various trends and directions in the world of self-improvement. Where to start studying yoga and Buddhism?

In fact, in our time there is a lot of literature, excellent books, which clearly present important information that can help to better understand the issues raised above. This article provides a brief overview of literature that would be relevant for beginners or for those who want to understand yoga and Buddhism in more detail.

However, before we begin, I note that all beginners have different levels of development and perception, so perhaps the books described in this article will not be suitable for everyone. It's up to you to decide.

When describing books about yoga and Buddhism, two categories are distinguished: for beginners(that is, for those who have only recently heard about yoga and Buddhism and are little familiar with the terms), for more prepared(for those who already have basic terminology and are familiar with the materials from the first section).

Learn more about yoga philosophy.

FOR THE PREPARED. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Clarification. B. K. S. Iyengar

An accessible commentary on the ancient Indian treatise - the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (which is considered the main source of hatha yoga). The book contains Sanskrit terms found in the sutras and their dictionary definitions.

FOR THE PREPARED. Yoga Vasishtha

The plot centers on a conversation between the sage Vasishtha and Prince Rama. Vasishtha's teachings concern all issues related to inner knowledge of one's own nature, as well as the cycles of creation, maintenance and destruction of the world.

FOR THE PREPARED. Six systems of Indian philosophy. Max Muller.

The book provides information on the development of ancient Indian philosophy, starting from the period preceding the Upanishads, examines its history in the Buddhist and Vedic periods, the main philosophical teachings and general ideas. The book was translated into Russian in 1901, and since then it has been considered a fundamental work on Indian philosophy and religion.

Hatha yoga to understand the structure of this direction.

FOR BEGINNERS. Hatha yoga pradipika. Swatmarama.

Ancient text of hatha yoga. Asanas, shatkarmas, pranayama, mudras, bandhas and meditative techniques are described here. As well as the adherent’s lifestyle, his diet, mistakes on the path of self-development and practical tips for easier mastering of yoga.

FOR BEGINNERS. The heart of yoga. Improving individual practice. Desikachar.

The book describes all the elements of yoga: asanas, conscious breathing, meditation and philosophy. Describes how to build an individual practice. Much attention is paid to explaining the 8 stages of yoga according to Patanjali (yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi). Obstacles on the path of yoga and methods for overcoming them are described. Well-known types of yoga are examined, such as jnana, bhakti, mantra, raja, karma, kriya, hatha, kundalini. The book includes Patanjali's Yoga Sutras with translation and commentary by Desikachar. The applications present 4 general complexes of hatha yoga.

Learn more about the practice of hatha yoga

FOR BEGINNERS. ABC of asanas. Club website

The book provides information about asanas, telling about the beneficial effects on humans. All asanas are grouped in alphabetical order. At the end of the book, as a supplement, there are several appendices in which asanas are grouped into blocks (standing, sitting, inverted, etc.), and also a general complex for beginning yoga practitioners is presented.

FOR BEGINNERS. Clarification of Yoga (Yoga Dipika). B.K.S. Iyengar.

The most complete, illustrated encyclopedia, giving you the opportunity to study independently. The text contains more than 600 drawings, as well as unique descriptions of 200 yoga poses, 14 breathing techniques, bandhas and kriyas. The appendices contain a 300-week course of classes, exercise programs for the treatment of various diseases, and a glossary of Sanskrit terms.

FOR BEGINNERS ANDTRAINED. Ancient tantric techniques of yoga and kriya. Bihar school

A balanced manual (in three volumes) developed by the Bihar School of Yoga. It describes different branches of yoga - hatha yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga and kriya yoga. A sequential system of mastering yoga is proposed. In this case, special emphasis is placed on the practice and application of yoga in everyday life. The first volume, devoted to practices for beginners, is intended to gradually prepare the mind and body for the more advanced practices described in the second volume, and ultimately for the higher practices of Kriya Yoga, which form the contents of the third volume. The ultimate goal is to introduce the various techniques gradually, step by step.

Buddhism to understand the structure of this teaching.

FOR BEGINNERS. Guide to Buddhism. Illustrated encyclopedia. E. Leontyeva.

An excellent guide for beginning practitioners who want to understand the various terms and concepts of the Buddha's Teachings. The book tells about the emergence and worldview of Buddhism, describes the way of life of the followers of the Teaching, examines the main questions about the three vehicles: Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana: the theoretical foundations of the vehicles, meditation at these stages, lifestyle and goals. From the book you will learn how Buddhism spread throughout the world, what important teachings Buddha left. Gain an understanding of the law of cause and effect, karma and rebirth, the ego and its illusory nature. The encyclopedia contains more than 400 illustrations and geographical maps.

FOR BEGINNERS. "Buddhism" Kornienko A.V.

The book tells about the life and work of Siddhartha Gautama, about the Teachings of Buddha, about the history of the formation of Buddhism as one of the world religions. A description of the forms of Buddhism is given, and the theory and practice of various schools are described. The sacred books of Buddhism, symbols and holidays are described.

FOR BEGINNERS. Sangharakshita "The Noble Eightfold Path of the Buddha"

A very detailed description of the fourth noble truth - the Buddha's teachings on the Eightfold Path. Each of the eight stages is explained clearly and in detail.

FOR BEGINNERS. Buddhism for beginners. Chodron Thubten.

In the form of questions and answers, there is a narration about the basic principles and key ideas of Buddhism: what Buddhism is for, who the Buddha was, what meditation gives, how to determine karma and much more.

FOR THE PREPARED. Words of my incomparable Teacher. Patrol Rinpoche.

One of the best introductions to the basics of Tibetan Buddhism. It provides detailed guidance for the methods by which an ordinary person can transform his consciousness and enter upon the path of Buddha. The first part of the book contains a series of reflections on the collapse of hopes and deep suffering in samsara, the whirlwind of existence generated by ignorance and deceptive emotions; and about the enormous value of human life, which creates a unique opportunity to achieve Buddhahood. The second part explains the first steps on the path of the Vajrayana (Diamond Vehicle), which has effective methods for transforming consciousness, which are the hallmark of Tibetan Buddhism.

Learn more about practice in the teachings of Buddha: meditation and retreats

FOR BEGINNERS How to meditate. Santje Khandro. Atisha: Advice from a spiritual friend.

The book consists of two parts. The first part will be interesting for beginning practitioners. It addresses questions about what the mind and meditation are, how to organize the practice of meditation, types of meditations (meditations on the mind, analytical, visualization meditations). A glossary of terms used is also provided. The second part will be relevant for those who are already familiar with the basics of meditation. It describes the life of the great master Atisha and several important texts. The instructions cover topics about transforming thoughts, working with the mind, turning unfavorable circumstances into help on the path. The value of these instructions is realized through their study and analysis in real practice.

FOR THE PREPARED. Instructions for Meditation on the Middle Path. Khechen Thrangu Rinpoche.

The middle path is one of the key Buddhist concepts, denoting the golden mean between the physical and spiritual world, between asceticism and pleasure, without going to extremes. This book discusses the three fundamental conditions of Middle Way meditation: compassion, enlightened thought (bodhichitta), wisdom (prajna). The nine stages of concentration of the mind are also explained, obstacles in meditation and their corresponding antidotes are illuminated, and techniques for working with thoughts are given.

FOR THE PREPARED. Revelations of Tibetan hermits

This is a collection of texts by the great masters of Vajrayana Buddhism, dedicated to meditative practices in solitary retreat. From the book you can get an idea of ​​what a retreat is, what its meaning and purpose are, how the structure of retreat is determined, how to prepare for practice, maintain and restore motivation. How to choose a place and prepare for the start of the retreat, how to leave the retreat and sum up its results. It tells about the meaning of the blessing of the Guru (Teacher), the importance of procedures for dedicating merit and checking one’s meditations. From the book you will learn about the rules of nutrition during a retreat. You will also receive information about the importance of solitude for progress on the path of self-improvement and other inspiring instructions from realized masters.

FOR THE PREPARED. Heartfelt Retreat Tips

The book talks about the essential aspects of retreat and how to create reasons for Awakening. The following questions are considered: what is a retreat, the main objectives of a retreat, the necessary motivation for a retreat. Instructions are given on analytical meditation, how to develop spiritual insights related to proper service to a spiritual teacher, how to plan your daily practice, an example schedule for those who are not used to long sitting meditations, how to ensure results from reading mantras, what meditations can be done during breaks.

Important texts in the Buddha's teachings (sutras and primary sources)

FOR BEGINNERS. Jatakas

Stories about the past existences of Buddha. After reading the Jatakas, the understanding of ethics and morality becomes deeper. They describe the social structure very well. This helps to understand how relationships are built between children and parents, between the Teacher and students, between rulers and subjects.

FOR THE PREPARED. Lotus Sutra (Saddharmapundarika Sutra, another name for the Lotus Flower Sutra of the Wonderful Dharma).

A series of sermons delivered by Buddha Shakyamuni on Mount Gridhrakuta. The essence of the Sutra is that all living beings, even the most immoral, can achieve enlightenment and escape from suffering. How to achieve this, the Buddha reveals through stories about his past lives: about the path to enlightenment, about his students and followers seeking happiness and wisdom - monks and ordinary people, kings and workers. The text also destroys the concept of nirvana (it is described as a moment that will end sooner or later), and also makes predictions to all the Buddha's disciples that they will all become Tathagattas in the future.

FOR THE PREPARED. Vimalakirti nirdesha sutra

The Vimalakirti Nirdesha Sutra is one of the oldest Mahayana sutras. Vimalakirti is a great Bodhisattva who lived as an ordinary layman. He had a home, a family, a job - everything was like ordinary people. But this is all just a manifestation of one of the skillful methods by which enlightened beings lead others to awakening. In the Sutra we find the most profound descriptions of the philosophical themes of the Buddha's Teachings, amazing dialogues between the main disciples of the Buddha, as well as realized Bodhisattvas, deep and accessible explanations of the Buddha's teachings and clarifications of important concepts that are encountered on the path of self-development.

FOR THE PREPARED. Bodhicharya Avatara (Path of the Bodhisattva). Shantideva

It is the most important classical text revealing one of the highest spiritual ideals of humanity - the ideal of the Bodhisattva, a being wholly dedicated to serving others, and striving for this good purpose to achieve complete Enlightenment, Buddhahood. The main theme in the text is the concept of Bodhichitta (the state of mind that guides us towards Enlightenment for the benefit of all living beings), the types of Bodhichitta are described, and various descriptions of such stages in practice as self-control, vigilance and patience are given, as well as diligence, meditation and wisdom

Autobiographies of yogis for inspiration

FOR BEGINNERS. Great Teachers of Tibet

This book contains the lives of Marpa and Milarepa.

Marpa, a great yogi, a lay lama in all outward appearances, lived the life of a wealthy family man, and by the end of his life he became one of the most authoritative translators and teachers in Tibet.

Milarepa is a famous yogi practitioner. His path to Enlightenment was not easy. In his youth, under pressure from his mother, Milarepa learned black magic and used witchcraft to kill thirty-five people. Soon he regretted what he had done and began to look for a way to get rid of the accumulated negative karma. Following the advice of his first teacher, Milarepa went to Marpa the translator. He was extremely strict with him, forced him to do hard work and flatly refused to give Buddhist initiations. After several years of severe trials, Marpa took Milarepa as his disciple and gave instructions on meditation. For twelve years, Milarepa persistently practiced the instructions he received. Milarepa was the first person to achieve such a high level of realization in one life, without having any merit in previous births.

FOR BEGINNERS. Autobiography of a Yogi. Paramahansa Yogananda

The Autobiography of Paramahansa Yogananda is a fascinating account of an individual's search for truth and a comprehensive introduction to the science and philosophy of yoga.

FOR THE PREPARED. Born from a lotus

Biography of Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche). Padmasambhava was born from a lotus flower, which is why he got his name. Being, like Shakyamuni Buddha, a prince, Padmasambhava, again, like the Buddha, leaves the palace and becomes a hermit. During meditations in cemeteries and in inaccessible caves, he receives secret tantric initiations from dakinis and becomes a great yogi and miracle worker.

FOR THE PREPARED. Famous Yoginis

This collection contains biographies of women - emanations of various divine personalities (Yeshe Tsogel, Machig Labdron, Mandaravas, Nangsa Obum, A-yu Khadro), who achieved enlightenment through yogic practice.

FOR THE PREPARED. Consort of the Lotus-Born

Biography of Yeshe Tsogyal - the spiritual wife of Padmasambhava, an enlightened dakini. It is believed that she lived for about 250 years. Together with Guru Rinpoche, she spread the Buddha Dharma in Tibet.

You can find many of these books in electronic versions, including on our website in the and sections; for some books, teachers of our club have recorded them.

If you need editions of books, you can find them in the store or on the website lavkara.ru

I hope that this information will help you understand the issues that were identified at the beginning of the article. With deep devotion to the Gurus, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, for the benefit of all sentient beings.

In addition, it is easy to confuse the eight-step path of cultivation in classical yoga and the so-called eightfold path in Buddhism. In reality, yoga and Buddhism are two independent teachings. Let's try to figure out what is the difference between Buddhism and yoga and what they have in common.

Let's look at the philosophy and practice of yoga. Classical yoga is associated with the name of the ancient Indian philosopher Patanjali, who created a unique work on the practice of yoga “Yoga Sutras” (presumably the end of the 1st millennium BC). In it, Patanjali summarized the personal and centuries-old experience of ascetic practitioners. The fact is that in India for a very long time there was a tradition of the oral transfer of knowledge from teacher to student, so it is very difficult to say exactly when the teaching of yoga arose. According to some sources, its origins date back to the period of the Indus civilization, that is, before the arrival of the Aryans on the territory of Ancient India. Yoga as a teaching has been created over the centuries, enriched by new discoveries and achievements of those who practiced it. The same applies to the philosophy of yoga, which was formed gradually as the religious and philosophical thought of India developed.

First, the Upanishads, the greatest philosophical texts of ancient India, had a huge influence on the philosophy of yoga. They addressed issues of the universe, the relationship between man and the cosmos, man and the gods, the question of life and death. It is in the Upanishads that the concept of rebirth first appears, the idea that death is followed by a new life, a new form. And what this other life will be like depends only on the person himself, on his actions, thoughts, etc. in real life. At the same time, the concept of karma arose, one of the most important categories of Indian philosophy, which would later appear in almost all religious and philosophical systems of Ancient India, including yoga and Buddhism.

Secondly, the philosophy of yoga is largely based on the positions of such teachings as Samkhya. This philosophical movement was allegedly founded in the 8th - 7th centuries. BC. Indian philosopher and thinker Kapila. It draws heavily on the Upanishads. This teaching is based on the idea that there are two principles: Purusha (spiritual principle) and Prakriti (matter, energy), which interact with each other. Purusha is made up of countless souls and is conscious but inert, while Prakriti is unconscious but has energy. Their interaction is the reason for the emergence and existence of the universe. The goal of the individual soul is liberation from the captivity of matter, by separating the Purusha from Prakriti. The goal in yoga is the same as in Samkhya - to achieve Liberation (Moksha), go beyond Prakriti and merge with Purusha. But there is one cardinal difference: yoga is a practice. It contains less abstract philosophical reasoning, but there is a set of specific exercises and methods for transforming ordinary consciousness, the consciousness of Prakriti, into superconsciousness, that is, the consciousness of Purusha. Thus, only one who renounces worldly life, becomes an ascetic and practices yoga can achieve this.

There is a good expression: “Samkhya ends where classical yoga begins.” The yoga system is divided into eight stages, where each subsequent stage is based on the previous one. In other words, you cannot jump from one to another or work with only one or two of your choice - the goal will not be achieved. It would be good for those who practice yoga in our time to remember this. The eight steps of the yoga system are moral precepts (Yama), lifestyle prescriptions (Niyamas), practice of certain body positions (Asanas), practice of breathing exercises (Pranayama), practice of detachment (Pratyahara), practice of concentration (Dhyana), practice of reflection. (Dharana) and knowledge of truth (Samadhi).

Now let's look at the history, philosophy and practice of Buddhism. 1st millennium BC Ancient India was characterized by the active development of religious and philosophical thought. Many new philosophical trends and schools emerged, some of these new trends were essentially oppositional and revolutionary for their time. This is exactly what Buddhism was. By the way, the word Buddhism was introduced into use by Europeans, and Buddhists themselves call their teaching Dharma. The founder of this teaching, Siddhartha Gautama, was allegedly born in 544 BC (this date is officially accepted by UNESCO) in the northeastern part of Ancient India (the territory of modern Nepal). He came from a noble Shakya family, so after enlightenment they began to call him Shakyamuni, i.e. sage from the Shakyas. Gautama grew up in wealth and luxury in his father's palace until, at the age of 29, he came into close contact with human suffering, which shocked him so much that he decided to become an ascetic in order to understand the causes of suffering and find a way to relieve people from it. Thus, leaving his family, he joins a group of hermits who practice yoga. Gautama quickly masters yogic techniques. After several years of intense practice, driving himself to the point of extreme exhaustion, he realized that he could not achieve his goal in this way. Gautama saw that the path of the most severe asceticism is just as wrong as the path of indulging passions and pleasures. Ultimately, both bring suffering. Intuitively feeling that there must be some other way to solve this problem, Gautama leaves the community. He spends several days in deep meditation, during which the truth about the nature of suffering is revealed to him. From this moment on, Siddhartha Gautama becomes Buddha, which means Enlightened One.

Already the first sermon of the Buddha, delivered by him in Benares, was a huge success. For more than forty years, Buddha wandered around India, preaching his teachings. After his death, Buddhism received its further development in Southeast Asia and the countries of the Far East, but in the form of various currents and trends, which are very different from each other. Therefore, moving directly to the conversation about the essence of this teaching, I would like to clarify that we will only talk about what is characteristic of early Buddhism, before its division into various schools and confessions.

Explaining the nature of human suffering and the way out of it, the Buddha built the following logical chain, which was called the “Four Noble Truths”: the Truth about suffering, the Truth about the cause of suffering, the Truth about the cessation of suffering and the Truth about the path. Let's look at each in detail.

The Truth About Suffering

This Truth explains what is meant by the word suffering (dukkha). Buddha said that all manifestations of our existence are accompanied by suffering. What does ALL mean? It is clear that we suffer when we feel bad for some reason. But it turns out that we also suffer when we feel good, when we are happy. This happens because a person, deep down, is afraid of losing what makes him feel this happiness or this pleasure. Let's say a person has achieved everything he could dream of, but he cannot be absolutely happy, because he is surrounded by illnesses, unforeseen situations, and with them worries and worries, and ultimately death. It turns out that satisfaction (sukha) initially contains dissatisfaction, that is, the same suffering. In other words, happiness and pleasure in this world are extremely relative, while suffering is absolute.

The Truth About the Cause of Suffering

This Truth explains the nature of suffering, its causes. The Buddha taught that the basis of our entire life is attachment to the pleasant (desire) and rejection of the unpleasant (non-desire). The reluctance of the unpleasant in its essence is the same attachment, i.e. desire only with the opposite sign. At the root of suffering is desire. Desire means a need for something. And the need for something arises when a person attaches at least some significance to any aspect of life. From significance comes attachment, i.e. wish. Our whole life consists of many concepts to which we attach significance. These are, for example: work, family, children, fame, wealth, relationships between people, creativity, etc. Giving all this significance, i.e. Considering it important, necessary, a person becomes dependent on it, that is, becomes attached to it. The desire to realize what we attach importance to ultimately gives rise to suffering. If there were no such attachment, i.e. attraction to various aspects of human existence, then there would be no suffering.

In turn, the very fact of attachment to something inevitably causes the next birth of a person (here we are talking about reincarnation - rebirth). And this happens precisely because of a person’s attachments, desires and inclinations, which draw a person into the next birth. The next birth is initially determined by attachment to life in all its manifestations. A person will be born again and again, suffer again and again as long as he has a need for life itself. An infinite number of rebirths is called the wheel of Samsara. It has no beginning and no end, but there is a distinctive sign - suffering. Almost all the teachings of Ancient India offered their own way out of the wheel of Samsara, including yoga. In Buddhism, this path is explained in the third and fourth Noble Truths.

The Truth about the Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha)

This truth talks about how to get rid of attachments that create suffering. The word nirodha means control. If a person controls his desires and attachments, over time he will be able to get rid of them and, as a result, get rid of suffering. The state where there is no suffering is called nibbana (Sansk. nirvana) in Buddhism. It is important to understand that nirvana is not some kind of ecstatic state, as some people think. The word nirvana comes from the Sanskrit root “nir”, which means extinction, extinction, i.e. The causes that cause suffering fade away: passions, attachments, needs, desires, etc., but the world itself, existence itself does not fade away. The state of nirvana is a state of consciousness of a person free from worldly desires and attachments. It arises when a person changes his attitude towards the world around him. He stops living in the interests of this world. Consciousness becomes “supramundane”, detached, i.e. free from the desires and attachments that were previously given such importance. A similar change in consciousness occurs when a person begins to see the true essence of what he previously strived for so much, for which he felt such a strong attachment. That is why the state of nirvana is called the state of enlightenment, because a person, as it were, begins to see clearly. In order to achieve this, the Buddha proposed a specific path - the Fourth Noble Truth.

The Truth about the Path

The Buddha proposed a specific practice for getting rid of addictions, attractions in our lives that lead to suffering. This Path consists of eight stages, which is why it is called the Noble Eightfold Path. Of course, the Buddha used in this technique the knowledge gleaned from practicing yoga during his period of asceticism. The eightfold Buddhist path is similar to the yogic path not only in the number of positions, but also in the fact that both are a specific practice, a specific way to achieve a specific goal. Both there are moral aspes and techniques for the discipline of the mind. But there is a difference. The Yogic Path presupposes progressive movement, consistent practice of each stage, and the Buddhist Path presupposes the mastery of each stage in unity with all the others.

The Eightfold Path is divided into three stages. The stage of wisdom consists of right understanding and right intention. The stage of moral conduct includes right speech, right behavior and right living. The third stage, the stage of mental discipline, is right effort, right direction of thought and right concentration.

Correct Understanding

This position is the opposite of the fallacy, i.e. correct understanding consists of recognizing things as they really are. For example, understanding the meaning of the Four Noble Truths: without realizing and accepting them, the practice of the Path is impossible. Naturally, this stage concerns the correct understanding of all aspects of life, and not just the Truths.

Right Intention

All further actions and efforts depend on correct understanding. It depends on the choice a person makes. For example, the Buddha's intention to become a hermit in order to understand the cause of suffering was absolutely correct.

Correct speech

One of the postulates of Buddhism: if you cannot benefit people with your words, then it is better to remain silent. One who practices this aspect will always watch what and how he says, firstly, so as not to harm anyone, and, secondly, so as not to engage in idle talk. A true Buddhist does not have any sophistication or floridity in his speech.

Correct behavior

The goal here is the same - do no harm. This is only expressed by behavior, actions that in no way should cause pain or harm to other beings, i.e. not only to people, but to all living nature. The simplest example is when a person is irritated and takes out his emotions on others, this is unacceptable for a Buddhist.

Right way of life

It follows from the previous two points, since our behavior shapes the way we live. For a Buddhist, social activity that could cause harm to someone is unthinkable. For example, fraud or alcohol sales. A Buddhist will completely consciously not take part in this, so as not to indulge evil.

The third stage, mental discipline, echoes the highest stages of yoga. Right effort is concentration, right direction of thought is reflection, and right concentration is supreme awareness, i.e. precisely that state of consciousness in which a person realizes the true nature of things.

The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path are the practices of Buddhism. In order to fully realize this practice, a correct understanding of several other aspects of Buddhist philosophy is necessary. Here we are talking about such important concepts as the doctrine of anatman, the doctrine of skandhas and the doctrine of dharmas.

The Doctrine of Anatman

This doctrine, the teaching of the non-existence of the individual self or soul (atman), distinguishes Buddhism from other Indian religions that recognize the existence of the self and soul. Why does Buddhism deny the individual eternal “I”? What is the reason for this? Recall the Second Noble Truth, which states that the source of suffering is our attachments to life. One of these attachments, if not the key one, is attachment to oneself, to one’s own “I”. It is the source of all other inclinations and desires, which, in turn, further drag a person into the wheel of karmic incarnations. The Upanishads describe Atman as the one Self for all living beings, which is identical with the Absolute or Brahman. Buddhism denies precisely the individual “I,” that is, the personality as an essence. Buddhism views the individual “I” as a kind of illusion created by the mental construction of the personality itself. For comparison (and this is a fundamental difference), in the teachings of yoga there is both an individual “I” and a common “I” for all of them - Atman, which is part of the Absolute. Naturally, the question arises: what exactly is personality? From the perspective of Buddhism, what is a person who lives, feels, thinks, experiences desires and attachments and ultimately suffers? The answer to this question can be found in the teaching of skandhas and the teaching of dharmas.

Teaching about skandhas

Buddhism answers this question in a very interesting way. Personality is the name for the totality of five groups of elements. These groups are called skandhas. The word skandha means "heap". The Buddhist monk Nagasena explained this teaching using the analogy of a chariot. What is a chariot? Is the drawbar a chariot? No. Are wheels a chariot? No. Maybe a collar, reins or a whip - a chariot? Also no. Or maybe the drawbar, wheels, yoke, reins taken together is a chariot? No. Maybe a chariot is something that exists separately from the drawbar, wheels, yoke, etc.? No. So it’s just the word “chariot” and nothing more. Where all the components are present, the word “chariot” is used. Similarly, where there are skandhas, the word “person” is used.

Thus, personality or man is just a word denoting the activities of the five skandhas, or aggregates of elements. The first group includes elements of the sense organs, i.e. elements of perception. The second group consists of elements of sensations: pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. The third group consists of elements of awareness of differences. The fourth is a set of incentive elements. And the fifth group consists of elements of consciousness itself. So how do they interact? First there is a perception of something, then a pleasant or unpleasant sensation appears, then awareness occurs or a specific image is formed, then either an attraction to it or a denial of it arises, and consciousness is involved in this whole process from the very beginning. Thus, personality is what perceives.

Teaching about dharmas

As we remember, skandha groups consist of elements. These elements are called dharmas in Buddhism. But the nature of the dharma elements is such that they are in constant change. Every moment dharmas arise and disappear, being replaced by new ones, which in turn, according to the law of dharma, are conditioned by the previous ones. These constantly changing dharmas form what is conventionally called a personality, a living being. That is why Buddhists understand by personality not something unchanging, but rather something consisting of constantly changing processes. A second ago, personality was one thing, but now it is something completely different. Thus, Buddhism explains the world and everything that exists in it as something unstable, consisting of constantly changing dharmas. From this follows the concept of instantaneity, which is characteristic of Buddhism. Each dharma separately (and, accordingly, the entire complex of personality dharmas) exists for a very short period of time - a moment. That is, at every moment the personality changes, it is already something new, different, not the same as a second ago. This is exactly what is said in the famous Buddhist wisdom, that not only cannot you enter the same river twice, but there is no one who can do it twice.

As we can see, in some ways Buddhism and yoga are indeed similar, but this mostly concerns the practical side of these teachings (for example, the common features of the eightfold path in Buddhism and the eightfold path in yoga). However, the philosophy of Buddhism is original; in basic issues and for philosophical and practical purposes, it is radically different from the philosophy of yoga.

Practice modern styles of hatha yoga, such as Ashtanga Vinyasa, Iyengar yoga, or any other style that emphasizes practice asanas, can significantly help in our Buddhist practice:

• Daily Practice asanas improves our discipline, and it will be easier for us to start a regular meditation practice.
• Is our the body becomes stronger and flexible, so it will be easier for us to sit during meditation sessions. In practice shamatha where we strive to develop a calm and steady state of mind, posture is very important, and practice asanas will help us with this.
• If we are able to concentrate on practice asanas, this prepares our attention for self-observation, for example in practice pranayama when we focus on breathing.
• Shavasana, or corpse pose, helps to learn relax, and this is an extremely important factor for the development shamatha.

From a philosophical point of view, the situation is a little more complicated because many of the key concepts of yoga and Buddhism are given different definitions. If we want to combine Hatha Yoga and Buddhism, it is important not to confuse the philosophical views of these two systems.

Similarities between the philosophies of yoga and Buddhism Arrow down Arrow up

The philosophical views of yoga and Buddhism have common features:

• Both traditions talk about karma and rebirth, and both consider them problematic.
• Our usual way of perceiving reality is distorted avidya– unawareness of how everything really exists. It is she who is the driving force of karma and rebirth.
• Because of our distorted vision of reality, bell-bottoms– disturbing emotions such as anger, affection and arrogance.
• To get rid of distorted perception, you need prajna– a true understanding of reality.
• For this understanding to remain in our minds, it is necessary samadhi– concentration.
• To reach the state samadhi, one must first follow ethical discipline. In yoga, the terms used for this are pit(universal ethics) and niyama(personal ethics), and in Buddhism - the term sewed(ethical self-discipline).
• By training our mind in this way, we achieve moksha– liberation from karma and rebirth.

These ideas are similar, but generalizing them and thinking that they are exactly the same will lead to a huge misunderstanding.

Philosophical differences between yoga and Buddhism Arrow down Arrow up

Although the above methods and concepts look similar, the philosophical principles behind them differ significantly:

• Yoga texts often say that reality is Mayan, a non-existent illusion. Buddhism does not claim that reality does not exist at all. Buddhism says that our projections about reality are irrational, unrealistic, and cause problems.
• Yoga is a theistic system with belief in atman- soul, as well as Brahma- God the creator. Buddhism denies the existence of both.
• In yoga, final liberation is often described as unification atman and the creator Brahma. In Buddhism, understanding reality and liberation from negative tendencies is not associated with either the soul or the supreme being. Everything depends on mastering your own mind.
• Ahimsa– the principle of non-violence is present in both systems. Other aspects of ethical behavior are understood in different ways. For example:
• The path of yoga is often described as a path of asceticism ( tapas), while the Buddha strongly emphasized the importance of the middle path, without extremes of hedonism and asceticism.

Practicing modern styles of yoga can certainly contribute to our Buddhist practice, as long as we are mindful of the differences between the philosophies of these systems, do not mix them, and practice yoga and Buddhism in separate sessions.