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From the Bhakti List Archives

V.Srimahavishnu • June 8, 1999 


On Mon, 7 Jun 1999 Sri Krishna Susarla wrote:
> 
> One question, however - is the Buddha referred to in NammAzhwAr's pAsuram
> 5.7.5 the Buddha from a previous age, or the Gautama Buddha? In other words,
> is the fact that He entered into Buddha and enabled him to preach nihilism
> taken to refer to Gautama Buddha and explain how he is actually not the
> avataara mentioned in the Bhaagavatam, or does it refer to the previous
> kalpa's Buddha, and saying that this Buddha is an avataara, but only a
> shaktyavesha?

           Dear Sri Krishna,

                    While I don't know anything about Sri Sathakopar's
works, I can add somehing to what you have said. In his Telugu meanings to
VSN, KAnchI mahA vidwAn SrI P B aNNangarAchArya swAmI says that BhagavAn
incarnated as Budhha, and spread Buddhism and other such theories. Here
also, there is no direct reference to Gautama Buddha and hence it is not
very clear as to which Buddha SrI PBA is making a reference. These
are the meanings to the nAmas in the region "mahAhradO mahAgartO .. ".
This entire area deals with BuddhAvatAram. SrI PBA's Telugu meanings are
invariably based on SrI ParASara Bhattar's commentary to VSN known as
"BhagavdguNa darpaNam".  Unfortunately, most of SrI PBA's Telugu works are
not available nowadays.

                                                                  dAsan
                                                                  Vishnu