The truth of every religion is that they all exist just like Coke and Pepsi compete. Coke comes out with a cherry flavor soda, and not to be outdone Pepsi looks at it, comes up with it's own cherry flavor, changes the recipe a and color of the can.
Buddhism is really a rejection of India's religions just like Christianity was a rejection of the Jewish religions.
But Buddhism, like Christianity, to take off, the early founders looked around them, kept the old motifs, changed the details and vilified the things they did not like.
MARKETING, is how old religions survive and new ones get created.
The ancient Romans and Greeks were virtually the same pantheon with different names for the same gods.
Funny how the Jewish and Christian and Muslim God are the same character stemming from Abraham. Funny how all those started in the same region in close proximity. Funny how the motif of afterlife and judgment existed in prior polytheism of the Canaanites and Egyptians expressed the same motifs and are near the same geography.
Even today, some might think the Rasta religion is unique and original, but it too has it's roots in African Jewish/Christian history.
Point is religions exist because humans compete just like any other aspect of our existence.
Buddhism is really a rejection of India's religions just like Christianity was a rejection of the Jewish religions.
But Buddhism, like Christianity, to take off, the early founders looked around them, kept the old motifs, changed the details and vilified the things they did not like.
MARKETING, is how old religions survive and new ones get created.
The ancient Romans and Greeks were virtually the same pantheon with different names for the same gods.
Funny how the Jewish and Christian and Muslim God are the same character stemming from Abraham. Funny how all those started in the same region in close proximity. Funny how the motif of afterlife and judgment existed in prior polytheism of the Canaanites and Egyptians expressed the same motifs and are near the same geography.
Even today, some might think the Rasta religion is unique and original, but it too has it's roots in African Jewish/Christian history.
Point is religions exist because humans compete just like any other aspect of our existence.
