Buddhism slowly catching up in Hyderabad

Yusuf

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HYDERABAD: So what is common between Australian model Miranda Kerr, Hollywood actor Richard Gere and Techie B Rajkumar from Madhapur ?

They all took refuge in the teachings of the Buddha and embraced its philosophy to seek inner peace and strike a balance between their professional and personal life.

"I have been following Buddhism for the past one year and I found it to be very simple and practical. Today, many young people like me are in search of peace and happiness and Buddhist philosophy to me is the answer to it," said B Rajkumar, a software employee of a multi-national firm in Madhapur, who reflects what hundreds of others are saying in Hyderabad.

From a few hundred faithfuls in 2002 to at least 30,000 followers now, Buddhism is fast making a comeback in the city and elsewhere in the state which is dotted with more than 150 Buddhist religious sites, including the popular Buddha statue in the middle of Hussainsagar, all reminding of a glorious past.

The religion was once very popular in the coastal regions of the state during 5th century BC with all three doctrines of Buddhism - Thervada, Mahayana and Vajrayana - practiced .

While Hinduism and Islam flourished in the later centuries , Buddhism was forgotten which historians attribute to destruction of important shrines and monasteries by Hindu and Muslim rulers during later years.

Monks double up as counsellors

The monastries may have never been rebuilt, but Buddhism is slowly becoming popular in the hearts of Hyderabadis, many monks and locals vouch. Interestingly , the number of recent followers consists of young people in their twenties and thirties. "Buddhism follows a middle path and not extremes which has even helped in my professional life. I exactly know how to deal with my noisy colleagues or unreasonable bosses in an affective way while retaining my calmness," said Raja Choudhury, who runs a job consultancy firm and recently had separated from his wife and kid.
"Vipassana (form of meditation ) helped me sort out my inner demons and now I am back with my wife and child. I am a very happy man," he said.

The reasons of moving towards Buddhist philosophy may vary from peer pressure, stressful professional lives, increasing relationship problems or a way to experience peace, say Buddhist monks of the city. The Ananda Budhha Vihara in Mahendra Hills, the largest Budhhist temple in the twin cities, sees a steady stream of visitors in the weekdays which may go up to a few hundreds during weekends. Interestingly, the monks here double up as counsellors .

"The visitors here come and discuss their problems which range from professional and family troubles, relationship issues to poor performance in academics or poor health. They seek advice on how to address the issue and we are more than happy to help them," K Sangharakshitha Maha Thero, founder chairman of Ananda Budhha Vihara Trust said.

"We get innumerable inquiries by the public on how to convert to Budhhism time and again, but we convince them that it is a way of life and conversion does not hold importance. One needs to just follow the principles and teaching of lord Budhha," he added . There are also an increasing number of those who want to lead a monastic life from the city, but the monks advise them to undertake sharna or monastic life for a temporary period which can be from a week to a few months. "Many in the city, including women are going for it," said Bhikku Khemachara, Chairman of Sidhhartha Budhha Vihara Trust, Bowenpally, highlighting a growing religious trend of search for peace in the city.

Rajesh Suthari, a telecom coordinator working with an MNC founded the Yuva Buddhist group about a year back. "We have been getting lot of enquires on how to practice Buddhism...... .Just by following the basic principles of Buddhism, many people are leading a stable professional and personal life while many are in control of their emotions by the Vipassana meditation programme ." Added Rajesh.

Buddhism slowly catching up in Hyderabad - The Times of India on Mobile
 

Iamanidiot

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I wish this gets rooted in coastal AP particularly among dalits @Daredevil the Kamma caste is originally buddhist
 
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AVERAGE INDIAN

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in India Buddhism was not so popular and not much awareness was created and New Delhi has done little to spread the wealth from tourism to Lumbini which most view as less significant than the three pilgrimage sites in India. At the same time, even though China is notorious for its suppression of Tibetan Buddhism, and India is home to the exiled Dalai Lama, in its other forms Buddhism is reportedly the fastest-growing religion in China and accounts for only a tiny, neglected minority in the land where it originated

some good videos


 
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Indianboy

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Buddha was almost forgotten in India, Osho revived him, I'don't think India has any threat due to buddhism...:namaste:
 

parijataka

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The first video shows the Mahamastakabhishaka of Bahubali in Shravanabelagola, nought to with Buddhism. It is curious that Jainism that belongs to similar strain of philosophy survived in India but not Buddhism.
 

parijataka

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Buddha was almost forgotten in India, Osho revived him, I'don't think India has any threat due to buddhism...:namaste:
Gautama Buddha is considered avatar no 9 of the major 10 avatars as per S Indian pantheon but not as per N Indian Hinduism I believe. Not sure, someone more knowledgable can explain.
 

Indianboy

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Gautama Buddha is considered avatar no 9 of the major 10 avatars as per S Indian pantheon but not as per N Indian Hinduism I believe. Not sure, someone more knowledgable can explain.
Yes, his Incarnation was predicted in many of the Vaishnav Scriptures as a Dharm sudharak.
 

jalsa

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I wish this gets rooted in coastal AP particularly among dalits @Daredevil the Kamma caste is originally buddhist
Can you give me some details about kamma caste being Buddhist originally?
 
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Indianboy

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Please name the dashavataras as per Vaishnav tradition (since you said he is called a dharma sudharak).
1. Matsyavtar
2. Kurmavtar
3. Varah Avtar
4. Nrusinha or Narsimhavtar
5. Vaman
6. Parshuram
7. Sri Ram.
8. Sri Krushna
9. Buddha
10 Kalki
 

parijataka

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Okayyy...

Alternative Lists for dashavatara

In Vishishtadvaita tradition, Balarama is considered an incarnation, while Buddha is not included. Some medieval traditions omit Krishna from the list. Gaudiya Vaishnavas, for example, worship Krishna as Svayam Bhagavan, or source of the incarnations. The Vallabha Sampradaya and Nimbarka Sampradaya go even further, worshiping Krishna not only as source of other incarnations, but also Vishnu himself, related to descriptions in the Bhagavata Purana. The first lines of the Bhagavata Purana open:

Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya ete
Camsah kalah pumsah krishna stu bhagavan svayam
I bow to God, Krishna, who appeared as the son of Vasudeva
—Bhagavata Purana, Srimad Bhagavadam, Bhagavata Purana,

In traditions that emphasize the Bhagavata Purana, Krishna is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, from whom everything else emanates.

In Vishishtadvaita, Balarama is the eighth avatar of Vishnu, while Krishna is the ninth. Buddha is considered as an avatar of Vishnu in Madhva (Dvaita), Smartha and Advaita traditions. The Bhagavata Purana describes Balarama as appearing in the Dwapara Yuga, with Krishna, as an incarnation of Ananta Shesha. He is also an avatar of Vishnu in the Vaishnava movements of Vishishtadvaita, although these lists do not mention Buddha.

In Maharashtra and Goa, Vithoba's image replaces Buddha as the ninth avatar of Vishnu in some temple sculptures and Hindu astrological almanacs. Maharashtra scholars have also praised Vithoba as a form of Buddha.

In Orissa, Jagannath is sometimes depicted as the ninth avatar instead of Buddha. Jayadeva, a great Vaishnava saint and renowned poet of 12th century from Orissa, included Buddha as the ninth avatar in the famous song Gita Govinda.
 

Virendra

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1. Matsyavtar
2. Kurmavtar
3. Varah Avtar
4. Nrusinha or Narsimhavtar
5. Vaman
6. Parshuram
7. Sri Ram.
8. Sri Krushna
9. Buddha
10 Kalki
Are these 10 avatars named as is, in the scriptures anywhere??
Is there an account where they've given the list like you've mentioned .. all at one place?
That way we can cut through the difference of opinion among various schools and traditions.

Regards,
Virendra
 

KS

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The first video shows the Mahamastakabhishaka of Bahubali in Shravanabelagola, nought to with Buddhism. It is curious that Jainism that belongs to similar strain of philosophy survived in India but not Buddhism.
Both of them barely managed to survive..atleast Buddhism found refuge in some other countries..but Jains only in India and today they are practically indistinguishable from Hindus.

If this is Buddhism like practised in North East and Tibet, then full power to it...if its the Ambedkarite virus strain...:tsk:
 

LurkerBaba

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If this is Buddhism like practised in North East and Tibet, then full power to it...if its the Ambedkarite virus strain...:tsk:
Most Ambedkarite orgs have become proxies of the Church
 

KS

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Most Ambedkarite orgs have become proxies of the Church
True..to them Dalits (even practising Hindu ones) are not Hindus and they find the Abrahamic dogma much more appealing many of which are in completel contravention to the teachings of Buddha.
 

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