Origin of Buddhism (How Buddhism Originated)

When Buddhism arose there were two main religious traditions: Brāhmaṇa and Śramaṇa. The terms samaṇa-Brāhmaṇa in the suttas refer to these two traditions. The Brāhmaṇic traditions were of two levels:

(a) Vedic

(b) Upaniṣadic

Vedic-Brāhmaṇic tradition depended mainly on sacrifice Yajña also called karma. It was believed in sacrifice as in the most effective mean of security of happiness here and here-after. Therefore it was called Yajña-mārga or karma-mārga. In this tradition there was the belief in a creator God and a pantheon of other gods. The worship of them, offerings to them was the main religious practice.

The Upaniṣadic tradition is more philosophical. It believed in a universal principal called Brāhmaṇ (viṣva-ātman) which should have been the source of everything. Its counterpart was ātman (pudgda(?)-ātman). Both those were metaphysical concepts. The way to salvation was the realization of the ultimate oneness of the Brāhmaṇ – ātman. This had to be attained through knowledge (jñāna) produced by the practice of mental concentration and observance of severe ascetic practices (aṭṭhakilamathānuyogo).

The Śramaṇa tradition opposed these beliefs. There were six famous Śramaṇa teachers:

1. Ajita (a materialist who did not believe in morality)

2. Makkhalī (inclined to materialism; completely denied personal effort and action (kiriyavāda and viriyavāda)

3. Pakudha (inclined to materialism)

4. Pūrana (inclined to materialism)

5. Sañjaya (a sceptic)

6. Mahāvīraan (an extremist who preached non-violence and kamma determinism)

Ajita was a materialist who did not believe in morality. Makkhalī, Pakudha and Pūrana were also more inclined to materialism. But Makkhalī completely denied personal effort and action (kiriyavāda and viriyavāda). Therefore it was denounced by Buddha. Sañjaya was a sceptic and Mahāvīra an extremist who preached non-violence and kamma determinism.

All these schools accepted the same kind of an entity (soul) whether metaphysical or physical and taught the release of the soul through extreme paths: Kāmasukhallikānuyogo and Attakilamatthānuyogo.

This was the religious background in which Buddhism arose. Most of these religious teachings went to extremes. The materialists went to the xtreme of sensual enjoyment, abandoning all ethics and morals. Of the eternalists most followed the extreme of self-mortification. All religious teachers accepted some kind of power or agency that influenced human affairs.

As means of salvation they used sacrifice, invocations, prayer. Almost all of them advocated a (?) outside oneself. They thought the man's problems lay outside man.

From the Dhammacakkappavattana sutta itself it is clear how the Buddha reacted to those religious teachings. He began by advising listeners to reject the two extremes. Instead of focusing attention on an outside agency, the Buddha admonished looking into oneself, to understand reality and see the inter-dependent nature of both suffering and happiness. There, instead of a god-centered teaching he presented a man-centered teaching. Instead of praying to god he advocated cleansing of the mind, for both happiness and suffering originate in mind. All these he reached in response to religious teachings of his time.