What destroyed Buddhism – Hinduism or Islam?

Earlier, the Hindu claims of Hindu temples lying beneath mosques built during Islamic invasions/ occupation were laughed off as saffron whims of PN Oak. Romila Thapars and DN Jhas had established the ‘historical facts’ in our minds that Mughals were nation-builders and persecution of Hindus by Islamic rulers, breaking of temples, conversion of masses and worship places, enslavement of women, killing of Kafirs etc are exaggerations of right wing hate-mongers. Though every other page of (auto)biographies by Muslim invaders or their sycophants stood as testimony to what right winger hate mongers said.

Something has changed suddenly. Hindus have started asserting their right to inquire about their lost temples. A videography of Gyanvapi Masjid’s interior has stripped all Bhaichara claims of Jhas & Thapars suddenly. Clear evidences of destroyed Hindu idols, lotus, saffron images, Hindu motifs inscribed on Masjid walls have emerged. A few-feet tall Shivling is clearly seen inside well of Masjid’s Wazukhana positioned exactly in the direction pointed by Nandi.

With such overwhelming testimonies in support of Hindu claims of Gyanwapi being a demolished temple, the cabal of Islamists, liberals & communists has started another shameless propaganda.

Hindus demolished Buddhist temples. If Mughals were invaders, so were Hindus.

It’s like this: If you catch a thief while stealing your stuff, instead of apologizing and returning it, he asks you to prove that you haven’t stolen someone’s stuff 50 years ago!

Logic says those ‘Muslim sites’ that have clear Hindu footprints must be returned to Hindus. In view of strange nature of Muslim sites that they are always found in vicinity of an old Hindu worship place (this phenomenon is not restricted to Hindu places/ India alone. Israel, Turkey, Arab, China, Iran etc have innumerable ‘disputed’ places where mosques are built over worship places of Buddhists, Pagans, Jews, Zoroastrians & Christians), it’s imperative to get all pre-partition ‘Muslim sites’ examined from inside in interest of truth, peace, and brotherhood.

There have been famous ‘Muslim’ sites which were constructed over demolished Hindu temples on which Hindus never gave up their claims ever since they were built. Ram Mandir, Kashi Vishvanath, Mathura Krishna Jamabhumi to name a few. Crores of Hindus continued to believe and tried to get those places back from Muslim invaders. Are there any Hindu sites that have been claimed as Buddhists’ for centuries with such widespread belief and consistent struggle spanning over centuries?

If there are any Buddhist places ‘captured’ by Hindus anywhere, a separate legal course can and must be adopted. I hardly know any Buddhist who claims any Hindu temple to be theirs that was forcibly captured and converted into Hindu place. There might be exceptions. A proper archeological study must be conducted at proven disputed places and the concerned place must go to its original faith.

However, raking up the non-existent Buddhist-Hindu issue now out of nowhere has deeper designs.

1. To trap Hindus in guilt of being invaders just like Muslims so that they give up claims on Hindu sites under Islamic occupations

2. To fuel Hindu-Buddhist divide to weaken India. Divide & rule

Let’s examine the claims of Islamists of Buddhist persecution by Hindus. Let’s also see if Hinduism and Buddhism are indeed at odds. Let’s also declutter the sudden motherly love Islamists have induced for Buddhists and their temples ‘destroyed by Hindus’. You be the judge.

1. Islam destroyed Buddhism. Did you know But (idol) – greatest sin in Islam is Arabic corruption of Buddha?

Dr B R Ambedkar, a Buddhist himself, writes [1]

“There can be no doubt that the fall of Buddhism in India was due to the invasions of the Musalmans. Islam came out as the enemy of the ‘But’. The word ‘But’ as everybody knows is an Arabic word and means an idol. Not many people however know what the derivation of the word ‘But’ is the Arabic corruption of Buddha. Thus the origin of the word indicates that in the Moslem mind idol worship had come to be identified with the Religion of the Buddha. To the Muslims, they were one and the same thing. The mission to break the idols thus became the mission to destroy Buddhism. Islam destroyed Buddhism not only in India but wherever it went.

Before Islam came into being, Buddhism was the religion of Bactria, Parthia, Afghanistan, Gandhar and Chinese Turkestan, as it was of the whole of Asia. In all these countries Islam destroyed Buddhism. As Vicent Smith points out: “The furious massacre perpetrated in many places by Musalman invaders were more efficacious than Orthodox Hindu persecutions, and had a great deal to do with the disappearance of Buddhism in several provinces (of India),”…

Islam attacked both, Bramhanism and Buddhism. It will be asked why should one survive and the other perish. The argument is plausible but not destructive of the validity of the thesis. To admit that Bramhanism survived, it does not mean that the fall of Buddhism was not due to the sword of Islam. All that it means is that, there were circumstances which made it possible for Bramhanism and impossible for Buddhism to survive the onslaught of Islam…

The Musalman invaders sacked the Buddhist Universities of Nalanda, Vikramasila, Jagaddala, Odantapuri to name only a few. They razed to the ground Buddhist monasteries with which the country was studded. The Monks fled away in thousands to Napal, Tibet and other places outside India. A very large number were killed outright by the Muslim commanders. How the Buddhist priesthood perished by the sword of the Muslim invaders has been recorded by the Muslim historians themselves.

Summarizing the evidence relating to the slaughter of the Budhist Monks perpetrated by the Musalman General in the course of his invasion of Bihar in 1197 A.D. Mr. Vincent Smith says: “The Musalman General, who had already made his name a terror by repeated plundering expeditions in Bihar, seized the capital by a daring stroke… Great quantities of plunder were obtained, and the slaughter of the ‘shaven headed Brahmans’ that is to say the Buddhist monks, was so thoroughly completed, that when the victor sought for some one capable of explaining the contents of the books in the libraries of the monasteries, not a living man could be found who was able to read them. ‘It was discovered’ we are told, ‘that the whole of that fortress and city was a college, and in the Hindi tongue they call a college Bihar.”

Such was the slaughter of the Buddhist priesthood perpetrated by the Islamic invaders. The axe was struck at the very root. For by killing the Buddhist priesthood Islam killed Buddhism. This was the greatest disaster that befell the religion of Buddha in India.. The sword of Islam fell heavily upon the priestly class. It perished or it fled outside India. Nobody remained to keep the flame of Buddhism burning… After the massacre of the Buddhist priests, ordination became impossible so that the priesthood almost ceased to exist.

The reason why Brahmanism rose from the ashes and Buddhism did not, is to be accounted for, not by any inherent superiority of Brahmanism over Buddhism. It is to be found in the peculiar character of their priesthood. Buddhism died because its army of priests died and it was not possible to create. Though beaten it was never completely broken. Every Brahmin alive became priest and took the place of every Brahmin priest who died.

As to the conversion to the faith of Islam by the Buddhist population as a cause of the fall of Buddhism, there can hardly be much doubt. Unfortunately, the causes that have forced the Buddhist population of India to abandon Buddhism in favour of Islam have not been investigated and it is therefore impossible to say how far the persecution of the Brahmanic Kings was responsible for the result.”

So, according to Dr Ambedkar,

• Greatest sin – But (idol) in Islam is derivative of Buddh! Such inbuilt hatred for Buddhism in Islam!
• Sword of Islam attacked both Hinduism and Buddhism
• Islam destroyed Buddhism not just in India but also in Afghanistan, Iran, Central Asia, and China
• Islam slaughtered Buddhists
• Islamic invaders burned Buddhist universities
• Islamic invaders destroyed Buddhist temples
• Islamic sword slaughtered Buddhist priests and literature
• Islamic sword converted Buddhists to Islam
• Role of persecution of Buddhists by Brahmanic kings that led to conversion of Buddhists to Islam needs more evidences

Dr Ambedkar completely bulldozes the recently fabricated ‘Buddhist genocide by Hinduism’ parallel of real ‘Hindu-Buddhist genocide by Islam’ Islamists and their leftist/liberal slaves have tried to push as ‘established historical facts’.

Dr Ambedkar has discussed stories of a few individual kings linked with possible Buddhist persecution. But it wasn’t counted as reason for destruction of Buddhism anywhere. Dr Ambedkar strongly believed preferential treatment of some class (castes) over others (including Buddhists) was strong reason for conversion of masses to Islam.

I completely agree with this and will elaborate in some other article in future. Birth discrimination in form of castes, colors, regions, races has to result in conversion/destruction one day. Sword of Islam could have never succeeded in India had Hindus been following Vedic Karma-based Varna instead of the stupid birth-castes that have no mention in entire Vedas. However, it’s no way exonerating sword of Islam from butchery it unleashed on Hindu-Buddhists. It’s only to analyse internal factors that held back native Dharmics – Hindu-Buddhists – from giving decisive retaliatory blow to the invading sword of Islam.

2. Buddhism is branch of Bharatiya tradition of Vedic Dharma

Mahatma Buddha was born in Vedic Dharma. Like a true reformer of Dharma, he is said to have opposed anti-Vedic violent rituals of animal slaughter prevalent at that time. He was completely in accordance with Vedas that prohibit any slaughter of any animal in any manner by anyone. The very first Mantra of Yajurved says – प॒शून् पा॒हि॒ [१/१] – Don’t kill animals. His differences with ‘powerful traditional elite’ of his times makes him special.

3. Mahatma Buddha is 9^th Avatar of Bhagvan Vishnu as per Hinduism!

Hindus never saw Buddhism as a separate religion. Hindus called Buddha Bhagvan Buddha and declared him 9^th incarnation of Lord Vishnu! Is this how oppressor religions behave? Has Islam acknowledged any Mahapurush from outside Arabia as prophet? Do they revere Ram, Krishna, Buddha etc as Avataras or even prophets? Islam named its greatest sin ‘But-बुत’ after Buddha’s name instead! Can you see the contrast?

4. Mahatma Buddha propagated Vedic concepts of Dharma (Dhamma), Dhyana, Karma, Yog, Yam, Niyam

Mahatma Buddha rejected mindless ritualism. That doesn’t mean he left Dharma. All his life, he propagated concepts of Vedas that polish one’s Aatma from within which is the sole purpose of Dharma. Karma, Yog, Yam & Niyam are foundations that Buddha propagated like a true son of Mother Dharma.

5. Historical conflicts between Hindus and Buddhists, if any, were sectarian, not religious

As explained above, Hindus revered Mahatma Buddha as 9^th incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Hence they never saw Buddha as an outsider or his teachings as some other faith. Buddhism was never a separate religion for Hindus. It was another version of Vaishnavism – popular sect of Hinduism. Hence, conflict of Buddhists with ‘Hindus’, if any, had to be a ‘Vaishnav vs Shaiva’ struggle that was prominent at that time. Even the non-Buddhist Hindus competed as Vaishnava vs Shaiva. When your history spans over millennia, such groupings and conflicts are inevitable.

But to give this intra-Dharmic tussle an inter-religious twist is favorite job of jobless leftists. They would go to any extent to whitewash Islamic brutality in history and blame Hindus instead for non-existent ‘ongoing genocide of Muslims’. They would always fabricate a version of history that divides Dharmic natives and establishes foreign invaders as fathers of India. These slaves of barbarians have vested interests in promoting history that divides country and suppressing one that unites it.

6. Do Hindus hate Buddhism? Do Muslims love Buddhism?

Millions of Hindus have been choosing their names as Buddh Prakash and Siddharth for centuries. How many Muslims have named their kids after Mahatma Buddha?

Why were Buddhist city names never changed by Hindus? How many Hindu-Buddhist places names remain as original in Afghanistan/ Pakistan/ Central Asia?

Why are there so many functional Buddhist temples in Hindu majority India if Hindus were so out to destroy Buddhism? How many Buddhist temples are standing in Muslim majority Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Central Asia today? How many are functional?

7. Who bombed Bamiyan Buddha Statues?

The shameless attempt by Islamists to blame Hindus for genocide of Buddhists is actually to hide the massacre of Buddhists of past and even present by sword of Islam. Imagine, just 20 years ago, Islamic rulers of Afghanistan bombed monumental Buddha statues to dust. They even video-recorded and spread it across world. Imagine what these Islamists must have done in last 1400 years when there were no videos, human rights and international coverage?

8. Hindus persecute(d) Buddhists but Dalai Lama took shelter in India!

If Hindus persecute(d) Buddhists, why did Dalai Lama come to India when he was forced to leave his own country, Tibet? Why didn’t he go to any Islamic country? After all Islamists have real pain for Buddhists, no?

9. If Muslims were invaders in India, so were Aryas (Hindus)?

Owaisi, Madani, Islamists and leftists are hell bent on calling Aryas (Hindus) invaders who subjugated native Daas/ Dasyus/ Aadivasis/ Dravidas. This is again to absolve themselves of the invader-guilt in eyes of others. What if Muslims are invaders? Hindus too are! Hence it justifies all Islamic occupations in form of mosques over ancient temples, all atrocities and genocide unleashed on native Hindus. Don’t ask us any questions about Islamic invasion! Don’t you dare ask us to return your temples. You too invaded India just like us!

In reality, Aryan Invasion Theory (AIT) has been discarded long back by all sane historians, linguists, and scientists. Dr B R Ambedkar’s views on AIT sums it all. He concludes his research as follows [2]:

“The Aryan race theory is so absurd that it ought to have been dead long ago. But far from being dead, the theory has a considerable hold upon the people.. The conclusions that follow from the examination of the Western theory may now be summarized. They are:

1. The Vedas do not know any such race as the Aryan race.

2. There is no evidence in the Vedas of any invasion of India by the Aryan race and its having conquered the Dasas and Dasyus supposed to be natives of India.

3. There is no evidence to show that the distinction between Aryans, Dasas and Dasyus was a racial distinction.

4. The Vedas do not support the contention that the Aryas were different in colour from the Dasas and Dasyus.

ENOUGH has been said to show how leaky is the Aryan theory expounded by Western scholars and glibly accepted by their Brahmin fellows. Yet, the theory has such a hold on the generality of people that what has been said against it may mean no more than scotching it. Like the snake it must be killed.”

Read again – Dr Ambedkar said – Aryan Invasion Theory is like a snake; it must be killed!

In a nutshell, all historical, factual, and circumstantial evidences puncture the hollow rants of ‘Buddhist genocide by Hindus’ and ‘Hindus are also invaders’ uttered by Islamist blabbers and jobless leftists. Dr BR Ambedkar, a Buddhist himself – whose picture and constitution these anarchist vultures carry on their shoulders in every anti-Indian protests in JNU, Jamia, AMU, Shaheen Bagh etc – unequivocally holds Islam and its sword responsible for destruction of Buddhism in India and outside. It’s time for Islamists, Owaisis, Ranas, Arfas, Ravishs, Sabas, Zubairs, Akhtars, Naseeruddins, Sayemas et al to honor Baba Saheb in real. Repeat words of Baba Saheb on Islam and its sword viz a viz Buddhism next time you appear on TV or Twitter.

Hindus don’t have to trap themselves in guilt of being foreign invaders. They are not. But a deep introspection is indeed needed. Why is an Ambedkar forced to adopt Buddhism at the end of his life? Why can’t Hindus follow Vedas in true sense, shun all birth-based castes, rituals, institutions only meant for some people, adopt Karma-Pradhan Samaj instead of Janma? Why can’t Hindus accept mistakes, apologize to ‘lower castes’, embrace them as equals in letter and spirit, reform and progress together as one family?

Time for Hindu-Buddhists to unite against Budh-Shikan (destroyer of Buddha idols) Khiljis!

Ending the write up with the words of Dr Ambedkar [3] on his conversion from Hinduism to Buddhism. Do we get the message?

“I will choose only the least harmful way for the country. And that is the greatest benefit I am conferring on the country by embracing Buddhism; for Buddhism is a part and parcel of Bhâratîya culture. I have taken care that my conversion will not harm the tradition of the culture and history of this land.”

References:

1. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Writings & Speeches, Vol 3, Dr Ambedkar Foundation, Ministry of Social Justice and empowerment, Government of India

2. Who Were Shudras, by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Writings & Speeches, Vol 7, Dr Ambedkar Foundation, Ministry of Social Justice and empowerment, Government of India

3. Dr. Ambedkar, Life and Mission, by Dhananjay Keer, Popular Prakashan, Bombay, 1954

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About Author – Dr Vashi Sharma, studied at IITB, taught at IITK, Energy Science, Defence, Religions, history, Pakistan.

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