The difference between Buddhism and Christianity. What does the word "Buddhism" mean? Differences and similarities between the two religious teachings

(not global, but all).

The world religion is a religion that has spread among the peoples of different countries around the world. The difference between world religions from national and national-state religions in that in the latter the religious connection between people coincides with the ethnic connection (the origin of believers) or political. World religions are also called supranational, as they unite different peoples on different continents. History of World Religions always closely connected with the course of the history of human civilization. List of world religions small. Religious scholars count three world religions which we will briefly review.

Buddhism.

Buddhism- oldest world religion, which originated in the VI century BC in the territory of modern India. At the moment, according to various researchers, it has from 800 million to 1.3 billion believers.

In Buddhism there is no creator god, as there is in Christianity. Buddha means enlightened. In the center of religion, the teachings of the Indian prince Gautama, who left his life in luxury, became a hermit and ascetic, thought about the fate of people and the meaning of life.

In Buddhism there is also no theory about the creation of the world (no one created and no one controls it), there is no concept of an eternal soul, there is no expiation of sins (instead of this - positive or negative karma), there is no such a multicomponent organization as the church in Christianity. Buddhism does not require absolute devotion and rejection of other religions from believers. It sounds funny, but Buddhism can be called the most democratic religion. Buddha is something like an analogue of Christ, but he is not considered either a god or a son of God.

The essence of the philosophy of Buddhism- striving for nirvana, self-knowledge, self-contemplation and spiritual self-development through self-restraint and meditation.

Christianity.

Christianity arose in the 1st century AD in Palestine (Mesopotamia) on the basis of the teachings of Jesus Christ, which were described by his disciples (apostles) in the New Testament. Christianity is the largest world religion in geographical terms (it is present in almost all countries of the world) and in terms of the number of believers (about 2.3 billion, which is almost a third of the world's population).

In the 11th century, Christianity split into Catholicism and Orthodoxy, and in the 16th century, Protestantism also broke away from Catholicism. Together they make up the three major currents of Christianity. Smaller branches (currents, sects) are more than a thousand.

Christianity is monotheistic, although monotheism a little non-standard: the concept of God has three levels (three hypostases) - Father, Son, Holy Spirit. The Jews, for example, do not accept this; for them God is one, and cannot be binary or ternary. In Christianity, faith in God, service to God and a righteous life are of paramount importance.

The main manual of Christians is the Bible, which consists of the Old and New Testaments.

Both Orthodox and Catholics recognize the seven sacraments of Christianity (baptism, communion, repentance, chrismation, marriage, unction, priesthood). Main differences:

the Orthodox do not have a Pope (single head);
there is no concept of "purgatory" (only heaven and hell);
priests do not take a vow of celibacy;
slight difference in rituals;
holiday dates.

Among Protestants, anyone can preach, the number of sacraments and the importance of rites are reduced to a minimum. Protestantism is, in fact, the least strict branch of Christianity.

Islam.

IN islam also one god. Translated from Arabic means "subjugation", "submission". God is Allah, the prophet is Mohammed (Mohammed, Mohammed). Islam ranks second in terms of the number of believers - up to 1.5 billion Muslims, that is, almost a quarter of the world's population. Islam originated in the 7th century on the Arabian Peninsula.

The Koran - the holy book of Muslims - is a collection of Muhammad's teachings (sermons) and were compiled after the death of the prophet. Of considerable importance is also the Sunnah - a collection of parables about Muhammad, and Shariah - a code of conduct for Muslims. In Islam, observance of rituals is of paramount importance:

daily five times prayer (prayer);
fasting in Ramadan (9th month of the Muslim calendar);
distribution of alms to the poor;
hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca);
pronouncing the main formula of Islam (there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet).

Previously, the number of world religions also included Hinduism And Judaism. This data is now considered obsolete.

Unlike Buddhism, Christianity and Islam are related to each other. Both religions are Abrahamic religions.

In literature and cinema, such a concept as "one universe" is sometimes found. The heroes of different works live in the same world and may one day meet, like, for example, Iron Man and Captain America. Christianity and Islam take place in "the same universe". Jesus Christ, Moses, the Bible are mentioned in the Koran, and Jesus and Moses are prophets. Adam and Chava are the first people on Earth according to the Quran. Muslims in some biblical texts also see the prophecy of the appearance of Muhammad. In this aspect, it is interesting to observe that especially severe religious conflicts arose precisely between these religions close to each other (and not with Buddhists or Hindus); but we will leave this question for the consideration of psychologists and religious scholars.

According to Western religions:

The world was created by God and sometime in the future will be forever destroyed by Him. God is different from the world and governs it from above.

There is only one true God and one true religion. Those who receive it will enjoy the grace of God; all the rest, unless they repent and come to my God, will suffer forever in hell. God is not only loving, but also wrathful.

The proof of God's love and promise to man is in the person of His prophet and in His unchanging and unique, candid writing.

It is very presumptuous on the part of man to seek a personal knowledge of God. The essence of religion is not in experience, but in faith and a virtuous life. The West is socially oriented and extroverted.

Only one path leads to God, the rest are false and futile. All must convert to the one true religion. If this is not done, then the soul burdened with sin will be damned on the Day of Judgment.

The plight of man is the result of disobedience to the will of God, unbelief and rejection of His law.

On the Day of Judgment, the physical body of every soul that has ever lived will be resurrected, and God will send pure souls to heaven, and sinners to hell, where the body will burn without burning, and the soul will suffer the torment of realizing that it already will never be with God.

There is genuine evil in the world, a living force that opposes the will of God. This evil is embodied in Satan and his demons and partly in man, as one of his inclinations.

If you submit to God's requirements for a moral and ethical life and believe in Him and His prophet - such as Moses, Jesus, Muhammad or Zoroaster - salvation is assured.

Religion is a historical phenomenon, it begins with some prophet or event. The past is especially important in religion, as well as the reward or punishment in the future. History is linear and never repeats itself.

The religious dogmas of the West are usually simple, clear and rational. Worship and faith are formalized and require a lot from a person. Other ways are tolerated but not revered. The West is exclusivity and dogmatism.

Salvation will come at the end of the world, at the end of time, and has nothing to do with enlightenment. Strict dualism (dvaita). The exception is the mystical sects, which are a minority.

The path to holiness lies through self-sacrifice, submission to God and concern for the welfare of others. Good work, social activities and the study of the scriptures are especially valuable. Yoga or asceticism is given much less importance.

Worship is a congregational activity with simple rituals and centered around a church, synagogue or mosque, mostly one day a week.

According to Eastern religions:

The universe exists in endless cycles of creation, preservation and destruction. There is no absolute end of the world, there is no duality of God and the world - they are one.

There is only one true and absolute God. All religions talk about Him. All souls are destined to receive the grace of God, who guides them through various experiences on many paths according to their understanding, temperament and maturity. God is pure Love and Consciousness.

The proof of God's existence and love can be found in direct union or communion with Him. Indirect evidence is the enlightened gurus, God-realized people who have been in all ages, as well as the revealed scriptures that they brought to us in every epoch.

The personal, inner, mystical experience of God is the main content of religion. Man can and ultimately must come to know God in earthly life. The East is individually oriented and introspective.

Man is free to choose for himself the form of worship of God, for all paths ultimately lead to Him. Sin is inherent only in the mind, and not in the soul, for it is pure. There will never be any Judgment Day, for God does not judge or punish. He lovingly leads all souls back to Him.

The plight of a man only testifies to the immaturity of his soul. He is constantly on the path of progress, which leads him from ignorance to knowledge, from death to immortality.

God is Love, He is inseparably one with the soul and leads it through karmas to the realization of dharma and ultimately to moksha, liberation. Hell is a lower astral realm, not a physical place; for the soul it is not eternal. Hell exists as a period of intense karmic suffering, as a state of mind - in life or between lives.

There is no essential, ontological evil. Everything is good. Everything is God. No force in the world or in man opposes God, although the screening instinctive-intellectual mind does not allow us to know him.

Virtuous conduct and righteous faith are the cornerstones of the religious life, the first step towards the highest mystical union with God. Liberation requires knowledge and personal achievement, not just faith.

Religion is a cosmic, eternal, transcendent phenomenon in relation to the cyclical human history. Especially important in religion is the discovery of the presence of God here and now.

The religious dogmas of the East are usually subtle, complex and even paradoxical. Freedom to worship and believe in a variety of ways dominates. Other ways are accepted as the will of God in action. The East is universalism and tolerance.

The goals of enlightenment and liberation are to be found in this life, in the context of time, within the individual himself. Religious-philosophical schools can be dualistic (Dvaiti) or non-dualistic (Advaitic).

The path to holiness lies through self-discipline, purification, concentration and contemplation. Especially valuable are the ideals of asceticism, individual sadhana, yoga and the awakening of superconsciousness.

Worship is an individual activity, highly ritualized and meditative, centered around the holy temple and home altar all days of the week.

With an article about Buddhism - a philosophical doctrine that is often mistaken for a religion. This is probably no coincidence. After reading a short article about Buddhism, you will decide for yourself how much Buddhism can be attributed to a religious teaching, or rather, it is a philosophical concept.

Buddhism: briefly about religion

First of all, let's state from the very beginning that although for most people Buddhism is a religion, including for its followers, however, in fact, Buddhism has never been a religion and should not be. Why? Because one of the first enlightened ones, Shakyamuni Buddha, despite the fact that Brahma himself charged him with the duty to pass on the teaching to others (which Buddhists prefer to keep silent about for obvious reasons), never wanted to make a cult out of the fact of his enlightenment, and even more so a cult of worship, which nevertheless subsequently led to the fact that Buddhism was more and more understood as one of the religions, and yet Buddhism is not one.

Buddhism is primarily a philosophical doctrine, the purpose of which is to direct a person to search for truth, a way out of samsara, awareness and seeing things as they are (one of the key aspects of Buddhism). Also, in Buddhism there is no concept of God, that is, it is atheism, but in the sense of "non-theism", therefore, if Buddhism is classified as a religion, then it is a non-theistic religion, as well as Jainism.

Another concept that testifies in favor of Buddhism as a philosophical school is the absence of any attempts to “link” a person and the Absolute, while the very concept of religion (“binding”) is an attempt to “link” a person with God .

As a counterargument, defenders of the concept of Buddhism as a religion present the fact that in modern societies, people who practice Buddhism worship the Buddha and make offerings, as well as recite prayers, etc. It can be said that the trends followed by the majority do not in any way reflect the essence Buddhism, but only show how modern Buddhism and its understanding have deviated from the original concept of Buddhism.

Thus, having understood for ourselves that Buddhism is not a religion, we can finally begin to describe the main ideas and concepts on which this school of philosophical thought is based.

Briefly about Buddhism

If we talk about Buddhism briefly and clearly, then it could be described in two words - "deafening silence" - because the concept of shunyata, or emptiness, is fundamental to all schools and branches of Buddhism.

We know that, firstly, during the entire existence of Buddhism as a philosophical school, many of its branches have been formed, the largest of which are Buddhism of the “big vehicle” (Mahayana) and “small vehicle” (Hinayana), as well as Buddhism of the “diamond way" (Vajrayana). Zen Buddhism and the teachings of Advaita also gained great importance. Tibetan Buddhism is far more distinct from the mainstream than other schools, and is considered by some to be the only true path.

However, in our time it is quite difficult to say which of the many schools is really closest to the original teachings of the Buddha on the dharma, because, for example, in modern Korea, even more new approaches to the interpretation of Buddhism have appeared, and, of course, each of them claims the right truth.

The Mahayana and Hinayana schools rely mainly on the Pali canon, and in the Mahayana they also add the Mahayana sutras. But we must always remember that Buddha Shakyamuni himself did not write down anything and transmitted his knowledge exclusively orally, and sometimes simply through "noble silence." It was only much later that the disciples of the Buddha began to write down this knowledge, thus it has come down to us in the form of a canon in the Pali language and the Mahayana sutras.

Secondly, because of the pathological attraction of man to worship, temples, schools, centers for the study of Buddhism, etc. were erected, which naturally deprives Buddhism of its original purity, and each time innovations and new formations again and again alienate us from fundamental concepts. People, obviously, much more like the concept of not cutting off the unnecessary in order to see “what is”, but, on the contrary, endowing what already exists with new qualities, embellishment, which only leads away from the original truth to new interpretations, unjustified hobbies rituality and, as a result, to the oblivion of the origins under the load of external decor.

This fate is not only Buddhism, but rather a general tendency that is characteristic of people: instead of understanding simplicity, we burden it with more and more new conclusions, while it was necessary to do the opposite and get rid of them. This is what the Buddha spoke about, this is what his teaching is about, and the ultimate goal of Buddhism is precisely that a person should become aware of himself, his Self, the emptiness and non-duality of existence, in order to finally understand that even the “I” is not really exists, and it is nothing but a construction of the mind.

This is the essence of the concept of shunyata (emptiness). In order to make it easier for a person to realize the "deafening simplicity" of Buddhist teachings, Buddha Shakyamuni taught how to properly perform meditation. The ordinary mind gains access to knowledge through the process of logical discourse, more precisely, it reasons and draws conclusions, thus coming to new knowledge. But how new they are can be understood from the very premises of their appearance. Such knowledge can never really be new if a person came to it logically from point A to point B. It can be seen that he used starting points and passing points in order to come to a "new" conclusion.

Ordinary thinking sees no obstacles in this, in general, this is a generally accepted method of obtaining knowledge. However, not the only one, not the most faithful and far from the most effective. Revelations, through which the knowledge of the Vedas was obtained, is a different and fundamentally different way of accessing knowledge, when the knowledge itself reveals itself to a person.

Features of Buddhism briefly: meditation and 4 types of emptiness

We drew a parallel between the two opposite ways of accessing knowledge not by chance, because meditation is the method that allows you to get knowledge directly in the form of revelations, direct vision and knowledge over time, which is fundamentally impossible to do using this called scientific methods.

Of course, the Buddha would not have given meditation so that a person learns to relax. Relaxation is one of the conditions for entering the state of meditation, therefore, it would be wrong to say that meditation itself promotes relaxation, but this is how the meditation process is often presented to ignorant people, beginners, which is why the wrong first impression is formed, with which people continue live.

Meditation is the key that reveals to a person the greatness of emptiness, the same shunyata that we talked about above. Meditation is a central part of the teachings of Buddhism, because only through it can we experience emptiness. Again, we are talking about philosophical concepts, not physical-spatial characteristics.

Meditation in the broad sense of the word, including meditation-thinking, also bears fruit, because a person already in the process of meditational reflection understands that life and everything that exists is conditioned, this is the first emptiness, Sanskrit shunyata - the emptiness of the conditioned, which means that in the conditioned there are no qualities of the unconditioned: happiness, constancy (regardless of duration) and truth.

The second emptiness, asanskrta shunyata, or the emptiness of the unconditioned, can also be made clear through meditation-contemplation. The emptiness of the unconditioned is free from all the conditioned. Thanks to asanskrit shunyata, vision becomes available to us - seeing things as they really are. They cease to be things, and we observe only their dharmas (in this sense, dharma is understood as a kind of flow, not in the conventional sense of the word "dharma"). However, the path does not end here either, because the Mahayana believes that the dharmas themselves are some kind of materiality, therefore, emptiness must be found in them.

From here we come to the third kind of emptiness - Mahashunyate. In it, as well as in the next form of emptiness, shunyate shunyata, lies the difference between Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana. In the two previous types of emptiness, we still recognize the duality of everything that exists, duality (this is what our civilization is based on, the confrontation of two principles - bad and good, evil and good, small and great, etc.). But this is where the delusion is rooted, because you need to free yourself from accepting the differences between conditionality and non-conditionality of being, and even more - you need to come to understand that emptiness and non-emptiness are just another product of the mind.

These are speculative concepts. Of course, they help us better understand the concept of Buddhism, but the longer we cling to the dual nature of existence, the further we are from the truth. In this case, again, truth is not understood as a certain idea, because it would also be material and belong, like any other idea, to the conditioned world, and therefore could not be true. Truth should be understood as the very emptiness of Mahashunyata, which brings us closer to true vision. Vision does not judge, does not divide, therefore it is called vision, this is its fundamental difference and advantage over thinking, because vision makes it possible to see what is.

But the mahashunyata itself is another concept, and therefore cannot be a complete emptiness, therefore the fourth emptiness, or shunyata, is called freedom from any concepts whatsoever. Freedom from reflection, but pure vision. Freedom from theories themselves. Only a mind free from theories is able to see the truth, the emptiness of emptiness, the great silence.

This is the greatness of Buddhism as a philosophy and its inaccessibility in comparison with other concepts. Buddhism is great because it does not try to prove or convince anything. It has no authority. If they tell you that there is, don't believe it. Bodhisattvas do not come to force anything on you. Always remember the Buddha's saying that if you meet a Buddha, kill the Buddha. You need to open up to emptiness, to hear the silence - this is the truth of Buddhism. His appeal is exclusively to personal experience, the discovery of a vision of the essence of things, and subsequently their emptiness: this is the concept of Buddhism briefly.

The wisdom of Buddhism and the doctrine of the "Four Noble Truths"

Here we deliberately omitted to mention the "Four Noble Truths", which tell about dukkha, suffering, one of the cornerstones of the Buddha's teaching. If you learn to observe yourself and the world, you yourself will come to this conclusion, as well as to how you can get rid of suffering - the same way you found it: you need to continue to observe, to see things without "slipping" into judgment. Only then can they be seen for who they are. Incredible in its simplicity, the philosophical concept of Buddhism, meanwhile, is accessible for its practical applicability in life. She makes no conditions and makes no promises.

The doctrine of reincarnation is also not the essence of this philosophy. The explanation of the process of rebirth is perhaps what makes it applicable for use as a religion. By this she explains why a person appears in our world over and over again, it also acts as a reconciliation of a person with reality, with the life and incarnation that he lives at this moment. But this is only an explanation already given to us.

The pearl of wisdom in the philosophy of Buddhism lies precisely in the ability and ability of a person to see what is, and to penetrate the veil of secrecy, into the void, without any outside interference, in the absence of an intermediary. This is exactly what makes Buddhism a much more religious philosophical teaching than all other theistic religions, because Buddhism provides a person with the opportunity to find what is, and not what one needs or someone prescribed to look for. There is no goal in it, and therefore, it gives a chance for a real search, or, more correctly, for vision, discovery, because, no matter how paradoxical it may sound, you cannot find what you are striving for, what you are looking for, what you expect, t ... to. what is sought becomes just a goal, and it is planned. You can truly find only what you do not expect and do not look for - only then it becomes a real discovery.

Buddhism and Hinduism have common roots. Both religions originated in India, they are genetically close. However, over the centuries-old history of its formation, Buddhism has absorbed the traditions of many peoples of the East. It has become more than just a religion. This is the doctrine of enlightenment, but enlightenment not by God, but by the contemplation of one's own spirit.

What is Buddhism and Hinduism

Buddhism - monotheistic religion, philosophical doctrine of spiritual awakening, the doctrine of the Enlightened One. It originated in India, formed in East Asia and is one of the largest world religions.
Hinduism - the oldest polytheistic Vedic religion, a set of traditions and philosophical schools that arose and became widespread in the Indian subcontinent.

Comparison between Buddhism and Hinduism

What is the difference between Buddhism and Hinduism?
According to Hindu teaching, the whole world is samsara, an endless series of rebirths, the sad existence of everything ordinary and everyday. The world is an illusion. But outside of samsara there is a real, real world in which the Absolute rules. All attention in Buddhism is focused on the contemplation of one's own spirit; there is no God in Buddhism.
Hinduism- the religion of the soul, striving for the Absolute. Buddhism rejects God and the soul. This is a kind of hidden atheism.
The ultimate goal of a person in Hinduism is to break the karmic chain of rebirth, break out of samsara and connect with the Absolute. This can be done only through asceticism, self-denial and psycho-training. main idea Buddhism- the passage of life in the middle way, between asceticism and pleasure, as two extremes. The ultimate goal of the middle path is Nirvana, the state of supreme grace.
IN Hinduism the amount of good and bad deeds in the previous rebirth is called karma. Belonging to a certain caste is also subordinate to it. Nobody argues with fate. For a Hindu, calls for social equality or social justice sound strange to say the least. Representatives of the highest caste of priests have the highest chances to break out of samsara. Buddhism professes the principle of equality of all in the opportunity to comprehend the highest grace. He does not welcome the caste distribution of society, focusing exclusively on the individual and his consciousness.
Hinduism amorphous, does not have one founder, does not represent a single religion with a specific creed, but consists of many directions that have the same roots, but often contradict each other. Buddhism has a clear teaching, although it is not a dogma, it is a system of philosophical knowledge.
Hinduism is the national religion of the Indians. Without a connection with India, it is unthinkable. Buddhism- Religion is non-national. It was adopted by peoples with very different cultural traditions.
The monastic organization of Buddhism distinguishes this religion from Hinduism, which is scattered in its organization. Buddhists have their own cultural and educational centers, their own ideology.
Buddhism, preaching socio-political indifference, in practice made a huge contribution to the organization of society, its awareness of its ethno-political value. Society, politics and history are diametrically distant for followers of Hinduism. Hinduism is indifferent and inaccessible to change. Buddhism is more dynamic and open to renewal.

TheDifference.ru determined that the difference between Buddhism and Hinduism is as follows:

Buddhism is monotheistic, Hinduism is polytheistic.
The highest goal in Hinduism is to break the chain of reincarnations, break out of samsara and connect with the Absolute. The main goal in Buddhism is Nirvana, the state of supreme grace.
Hinduism is amorphous, Buddhism is clearly structured.
Hinduism is indifferent, closed to change, Buddhism is open to renewal.
Hinduism is the national religion of the Indians, Buddhism is a non-national religion.
Hinduism professes the principle of caste, Buddhism - the principle of equality.

To the question What distinguishes Buddhism from all other religions of salvation? given by the author Olenka the best answer is Disbelief in immortality and the preservation of what a European would call "personality", that is, our "I".
Strictly speaking, in Buddhism there is no one to be saved. Is the illusion "rescued" from the illusion? Sounds kind of awkward. Moreover, it is "saved" through destruction in the faceless Nirvana... .
Buddhism is rather not a religion of salvation, for salvation involves the preservation of something from adverse conditions, but flight ... Escapes of personality from suffering to self-destruction...

Answer from Other[guru]
This distinguishes that Buddhism is not a religion, but a worldview! Adequate, harmonious understanding of the world.

Answer from chevron[guru]
Let's start with the fact that Buddhism is a religion, and it is ridiculous to read statements that it is a teaching and not a religion, you are right to confuse it with Confucianism. Moreover, it is a world religion. And it differs from other religions of salvation, firstly, in that there is no god in Buddhism, and secondly, in that immortality in Buddhism is rather not the immortality of the soul, but the immortality of consciousness, and Nirvana is completely different from the usual Christian paradise, For example...

Answer from Apricot[guru]
Because Buddhism is not a religion of salvation.

Answer from Alexey Sleepy[guru]
Buddhism is much more adequate and logical religion than the rest ...

Answer from Pavel Veselov[guru]
Buddhism - offers a practical component - for "improvement", in other religions, faith and traditions, choose!))))

Answer from Yoanya[guru]
Buddhism was created by Shakyamuni 2500 years ago in ancient India. At the time when Shakyamuni opened gong and enlightenment descended on him, he remembered what he used to practice and began to preach it for the salvation of people. No matter how many thousands of volumes of canons of his school were published, their essence lies in three words characteristic of his school: “abstinence, contemplation, illumination”. Abstinence is giving up all the desires of ordinary people, forcibly giving up the pursuit of gain and renouncing all worldly things, and so on. Thus, the human soul becomes empty, does not think about anything and can enter the state of "contemplation". Here one causes the other. After reaching the state of “contemplation”, one should sit in a meditation posture, engaging in practical self-improvement with the help of the power of contemplation, which is the main part of true self-improvement in this school. A Buddhist does not pay attention to exercises, does not change his own body. He only practices gong, which determines the height of his level, so he only cultivates his xinxing, not cultivating life, not paying attention to the evolution of gong. Meanwhile, in the state of "contemplation" he strengthens his power of contemplation. While sitting in a posture of meditation, he undergoes torment, thereby repaying his karma. “Illumination” means that a person has achieved enlightenment, achieved the greatest wisdom, that he saw the truth of the Universe, saw the true state of things in various spaces of the Universe, and miracle-working is fully manifested. In “enlightenment”, a person achieves wisdom and enlightenment, in other words, gong is revealed in him.
When Shakyamuni created this school, eight religions were spreading simultaneously in India. Among them was an established religion called Brahmanism. Shakyamuni in his life led a continuous ideological struggle with other religions. Since Shakyamuni was transmitting the true law, throughout the process of transmitting the law, the law of the Buddha transmitted by him became stronger and stronger. And other religions were weakening every day. Even the established Brahmanism was also on the verge of collapse. However, after Shakyamuni's nirvana, other religions regained popularity, in particular Brahmanism, which began to flourish again. What happened to Buddhism? Some monks had their gong opened at different levels, enlightenment descended on them, but this happened at relatively low levels. Shakyamuni reached the level of Zhulay, which many monks did not reach.
At different levels, the Buddha Fa manifests itself in different ways. The higher the level, the closer to the truth, and the lower it is, the further. Therefore, those monks whose gong was opened and who achieved enlightenment at low levels explained the words of Shakyamuni based on the manifested pictures that they saw in the Universe at their level, on the circumstances that they encountered, on the principles they comprehended. In other words, some monks explained the law preached by Shakyamuni in this way, others - in a different way. There were also monks who presented their understanding of the truth as the words of Shakyamuni, and did not repeat the words of Shakyamuni. Thus, the Buddha Law has changed beyond recognition. It was no longer the same law that Shakyamuni transmitted, and eventually in India the law of the Buddha in Buddhism disappeared. This is an important history lesson. So in the end, Buddhism just disappeared in India. Buddhism went through repeated reforms before its disappearance, later, as a result of its combination with something from Brahmanism, the current religion, which is called Hinduism, was formed in India. There they make sacrifices no longer to any Buddha, but to something else, they no longer believe in Shakyamuni. That is the state of things.