Re:Notes on India in Greece

[Guest guest]

>From Vrndavan Parker

 

Around 4500 years ago there was a 200 year global drought. The

evidence for this has been ignored but it is real. A 200 year

drought is more than enough reason for the collapse of thriving

civilizations. This was a major cause for the collapse of many

ancient empires and the source of major migrations. India was

obviously affected as well.

 

The Vedic-Buddhist rift is overplayed. The real rift took place

within Buddhism. The Mathura school of Buddhist art, for example,

was contemparaneous with the Ancient Vaishnava schools of Mathura.

Art, in itself, is a symptom of a culture rather than being the

culture itself. So the obvious location of this Buddhist art side by

side with Krishna-based Vaishnavism within Mathura, proves that

early Buddhism was actualy a revival of Vedic Culture.

 

Mahayana Buddhism was not a backlash against Vedic Civilization.

Rather than hostility between the traditions, there was a mutual

celebration of Bhakti. Buddha as the 9th Avatar was not a later

invention, but was the original conception. At later dates,

different forms of Buddhism developed that clearly separated itself

from the Vedas and the early Mathura Mahayana Buddhist Traditions.

 

Mahayana-Buddhist and Vaishnava connections

In your notes themselves, we see this evidence. " This was

originally the stronghold of the Buddhist or the Hari-cul.(Clan of

Hari.) " Hari = Krsna.

 

Also though Lord Rama was indeed from the Solar dynasty, in a much

later era close to Lord Buddha's, Lord Krishna's era, we find Vedic

Civilization being led by the Lunar dynasty. Lord Krishna Himself

appeared in the Lunar dynasty. So when Lord Buddha appeared in the

Lunar dynasty,1200 yrs later, continuity was maintained. In other

words, rather than hostility between the Solar Vedics and the Lunar

Buddhists, we had a resurgence of Vedic Dharma headed by Buddha

Avatar.

 

The acceptance of Buddhism throughout East Asia was actually based

on the fact that it was recognized as an authentic new wave of the

same ancient culture they already had ie Vedic based civilization.

Buddhism did not appear in a vacuum of unfimiliarity. It reinforced

the values and culture that was already existing.

 

More important points to consider:

Rhodes

The prominenet place that Rhodes had in the ancient world. It was

basically the center of Western Vaishnava culture. So as E. Pococke

correctly points out, ancient Greeks identified their lands as Vedic

icons. Rhodes was basically Vrndavan. The many Muslim iconaclastic

trepidations have left little obvious remains. Yet who knows what

can be discovered there?

 

Ancient Testimonials

All ancient civilizations, from Confusius' China to Aristotle's

Greece speak of, refer to and honor the Ancient Wise Ones. They

always refer to the ancient ways, Kings, Sages and Civilizations.

They also all, have in common, an ancient disconnection with those

ancients. Aristotle and Confucius both are known to us today because

they could tap into that ancient repository of wisdom and became

recognized leaders of their times. In other words, our ancient

geniuses that are highlighted to every school child themselves base

their wisdom on the ancients. So who were these ancients? The Vedic

Rshis.

 

Struggle between Dharmic traditions

The various instances of confrontations between Shaivites,

Vaishnavas, Buddhists and other Dharmic groups can usually be traced

to political intrigues. These events have alot more to do with

wealth, land grabs and political manueverings. They can not be

classified as interfaith clashes. Most authentic inter-faith clashes

and controversies were settled through public debates that were

moderated by the community leaders, kings and elders.

 

Alexander the Great

Everyone knows that Alexander went to India. Few say why he was so

intent on getting there. Educated by Aristotle, he was inspired to

seek India for what the ancient Greeks knew...India was the Mother.

V