[Buddha-l] Was Buddha a Buddhist

[curt]

Is there clear, or even suggestive, evidence to support the idea that 
"Buddhism" and "Hinduism" are mutually exclusive? "Exclusivism" is not a 
feature of religions in general (although it is a feature of certain 
religions) - and it is specifically not a feature of Buddhism - at least 
in practice. I also think a strong case can be made that it is not a 
general feature of Hinduism. If neither Buddhism nor Hinduism are 
exclusive in general - is there reason form assuming that they are 
specifically exclusive of each other?
- Curt

Franz Metcalf wrote:
> Gang,
>
> I think nearly the whole field of the history of religion stands with 
> Jim Blumenthal in thinking Siddhartha Gautama's relationship to 
> Hinduism--at least in the last half of his life--is quite different 
> than Jesus of Nazareth's relationship to Judaism. (The theological 
> question of whether they are "Buddhists" or "Christians" is quite 
> another matter.)
>
> I'm not sure I'd say it was doctrinal matters (such as anatman) that 
> separate Buddha from the general run of the sramana movement, though. 
> The movement, as far as I know or guess, was really only united by one 
> thing: being sramanas rather than householders. There was a huge range 
> of ideas represented in it, including radical materialism. Still, I 
> agree that the Buddha's ideas were pretty "out there." What I'd add to 
> this, what I personally think was exceptional in his sangha, was his 
> emphasis on the middle way. Where almost *all* sramanas had tapas, 
> asceticism, as their raison d'etre, and gained their status that way, 
> the Buddha and his sangha explicitly rejected this approach. This and 
> their acceptance of non-Brahmin members--and, later, women--set them 
> quite apart from other groups and on the road to being--too at last 
> return to the subject of this thread--"Buddhist," not "Hindu."
>
> That's what I think, anyway, though I'm far from a scholar on this 
> subject.
>
> Franz
>
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