Shiva renounces the social order, becomes a hermit, and is at peace. In Puranic lore, composed around 1,500 years ago, while Brahma creates social order,Р’В he and his children (for example, Indra) are not at peace with the world. The wise wereР’В those who participated in the world, without getting attached to it. People spoke of the wise god, Vishnu, who preserves the social order, and does not destroy it as monks do. Beauty and pleasure found displaysР’В on temple walls. In temples, rituals celebrated the marriage of gods and goddesses. Stories of such wise men were retold in epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. The wise were not thoseР’В who renounced the world the wise wereР’В those who participated in the world, without getting attached to it. In response, Vedic Hinduism reframed itself to become Puranic Hinduism, which brought hermit wisdom into the householderРІР‚в„ўs life.Р’В While Buddhist scholars focussed on negation of life, hence zero (shunya), Hindu storytellers spoke of affirmation of life, hence infinity (ananta). Buddha changed the rules of the game, and discussed ideas of desire and suffering with the common folk, inviting them to join the community (sangha) of monks and live in monasteries (viharas) where one could get wisdom (bodhi) that would grant peace and freedom. Introspective ideas were restricted to the intellectual communities. Great value was placed on social obligations such as marriage and children.

Before Buddhism, the focus on religious life was the yagna ritual in which gods were invoked for material gains. It played a key role in spreading monastic ideas across the subcontinent. For Hindus, he may be.Р”В«uddhism rose in India 2,500 years ago. For Buddhists, Buddha is not an avatar of Vishnu.

Dasavatharam stories for children