BUDDHA AVATARA

 

BUDDHA AVATARAM OF VISHNU
MAYAMOHA AVATARA

TIRUVAYMOZHI 5.4 (KaLLa vEDattai – 3335)

This is a less known avatAra of VishNu. Let us see a few references from our scriptures.

According to Shreemad BhAgavatam, Skandam 2.7.37, Lord VishNu appeared as Buddha to instill non-vedic doctrines called “upadharma” or “pAShaNDa” dharma into the asuras who were flying unseen on well-built rockets built by mayAsura.   PaashaNDa dharma or heresy or heterodoxy refers to a religion that does not accept the tenets of vEdic religions.  Their teachings include minor portions of religions, and preach common sense principles that appeal well to people.

दॆवद्विषां निगमवर्मनि निष्ठितानां
पूर्भिर्मयॆन विहिताभिरदृष्यतूर्भि:॥
लॊकान्घ्नतां मतिविमॊह मतिप्रलॊभं
वॆषं विधाय बहु भाष्यत औपधर्म्यम् ॥

dEvadviShAM nigamavarmani niShThitAnAM

pUrbhirmayEna vihitAbhiradRuShyatoorbhi:||

lOkAghnatAM mativimOha matipralObhaM

vEShaM vidhAya bahu bhAShyata aupadharmyam ||

Skandam 1.3.24 says: 

तत: कलौ सम्प्रवृत्ते सम्मोहाय सुरद्विषाम् ।
बुद्धो नाम्नाञ्जनसुत: कीकटेषु भविष्यति ॥ २४ ॥

tata: kalau sampravRuttE sammOhAya suradviShAm |

buddhO nAmnAnjanasuta: keekaTeShu bhaviShyati || 24 ||

 In the beginning of Kali-yuga, the Lord will appear as Lord Buddha, the son of anjanA, in the keekaTa dEsha, the province of GayA, just for the purpose of deluding those who are envious of the dEvas.

In VishNu sahasranAmam, the 24 names starting from 787 to 810 refer to Buddha avatAra of Lord VishNu.

.....दुरारिहा ॥  शुभाङ्गो लोकसारङ्गः सुतन्तुस्तन्तुवर्धनः । इन्द्रकर्मा महाकर्मा कृतकर्मा कृतागमः ॥ उद्भवः सुन्दरः सुन्दो रत्ननाभः सुलोचनः । अर्को वाजसनः श‍ृङ्गी जयन्तः सर्वविज्जयी ॥ सुवर्णबिन्दुरक्षोभ्यः सर्ववागीश्वरेश्वरः ।  महाह्रदो महागर्तो....

 (durArihA:, shubhAnga, lOkasAranga:, sutantu, tantu vardhana:,  indrakarmA, mahAkarmA, krutakarmA, krutAgama:, udbhava:, sundara:, sunda:, ratna nAbha:, sulOchana:, arka:, vAjasani:, shrungee, jayanta:, sarva vijjayee, suvarNa bindu, akShObhya:, sarvavAgeeshvarEshvara: | mahA hruda:, mahA garta:)

Sanskrit poet JayadEva has sung in his aShTapati that Lord Keshava assumed the shareera of a compassionate buddha to condemn animal sacrifices enjoined in the vEdas. – 

ASHTAPATI 1.9.

निन्दसि यज्ञविधेरहह श्रुतिजातम् । 
सदयहृदयदर्शितपशुघातम्॥
केशव धृतबुद्धशरीर जयजगदीशहरे॥ 

nindasi yagya vidhErahaha shrutijAtam | 

sadayahRudayadarshita pashughAtam||

keshava dhRutabuddhaSarIra jayajagadeeshaharE||

VishNu PurANam, amsha 3, AdhyAya 18 narrates the buddha avatAra as "mAyAmOha avatAra”, the incarnation taken to mesmerize demons.

In tiruvAymozhi 5.10.4, SwAmi nAmmAzhvAr mentions how VishNu took up the Buddha avatAra to help Shiva kill the three asuras of tirpura.

kaLLa vEdattaik koNDu pOyp puram pukkavARum kalandasurarai

uLLam bEdam seydittu uyir uNDa upAyangaLum

veLLa neerch chaDaiyAnum ninniDai vERalAmai viLanga ninRadum

uLLam uL kuDaindu en uyirai urukki uNNumE

TRIPURA SAMHARAM

After the death of the daitya, tArAkAsura (grandson of diti and kashyapa), his sons tArkAksha, vidhyunmali, and veeravana meditated on Lord Shiva to have three invincible cities of their own. Pleased with their penance, Shiva granted them three independent, undestroyable floating cities called tripura – one of gold, one of silver and one of iron which were constructed by the great asura architect mayAsura. He also warned them that when the floating cities came together (which would happen on a rare conjunction of the moon and pushya nakshatra), they would be destroyed.  

The asuras lived luxuriously in the cities and became proud as the days went by. They began to misuse their powers.  Hiding inside their safe cities, they began to disturb and destroy the vEdic sacrifices of the people of the earth and prevented the havis (offerings of ghee, rice, food, etc) from reaching the respective dEvas.  But they were themselves following all their dharmas meticulously to retain their power. They performed fire sacrifices for their own ishTa dEvatas. In greed of power, they performed numerous pashu bali, prANi bali and troubled all the beings of the universe.

The dEvas went up to Shiva and requested Him to stop their treacherous activities. Feeling sorry, Shiva admitted that He can't do that because it was He who granted them the indomitable powers. The dEvas then went to ksheerAbdi and approached Lord VishNu who was reclining on the serpent, to help them out of the situation. 

Lord VishNu decided to take an anti-vedic incarnation to attract the heartless asuras. He appeared as a hermit in a red robe, with tonsured head, and carrying a book in the hand.  Talking sweet words, He preached common noble truths without quoting form vEdic scripts.  

When the asuras were drawn towards him and sat to hear from Him, Buddha posed confusing questions in front of them to divert them from their horrific rituals.

Buddha said – Listen to me. All the rituals you offer are superstitious beliefs.

Why are you offering sticks in the sacrificial fire to gain riches? The dEvas like indra are eating dry sticks to grant your wishes. It is better that they be born as a cow that eats green grass. 

Why are you offering pashu bali in the fire? If the pashu is going to reach swarga by this, then you can throw your father into the sacrifice directly. He can go to swarga immediately.

If by feeding some people here, people in other lOkas get satisfied, then why do you pack food for someone who is travelling to another place?  Can you not feed someone here itself with a sankalpa so that His hunger is satisfied there?

Throwing such seemingly intelligent and tricky questions, Buddha bewildered the asuras and made them stop all sva-dharmas they were following. They started mocking vEdas, the dEvatas and all yagya karmas and lost their powers.  In this weak moment, the three cities also came together, and it was the time for their destruction.

Buddha resumed his position as VishNu and alerted Shiva that His followers are mocking at him. Shiva turned red with wrath. Mounted on the earth as his chariot, with the sun and the moon its wheels, the four vEdas as the four drawing horses, with brahmA as the charioteer, the mEru mountain as the bow, AdisEshan as the bowstring, with VishNu as the arrow, and agni/blazing sudarshana chakra as the arrow tip, Lord Shiva reduced Tripura to ashes.

AZHVAR EMPERUMANAR DESIKAN TIRUVADIGALE SHARANAM