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ABSTRACT It is argued that early (canonical) Buddhism to a very considerable extent can and should be seen as reformed Brahmanism.
Speculations about cosmogony in Buddhist sutras can be traced back to Vedic sources, above all Rigveda 10.129 a 10.90 two hymns that play a similar fundamental role in the early Upanisads.
Like the immortal and unmanifest Brahman and the mortal and manifest Brahma, the Buddha, as a mythological Bhagavat, also had two forms (or bodies). In his highest form he is "the profound" beyond being and non-being, like Brahman. As a teacher, he is like Brahma. By suppressing mind and by getting rid of desire a Buddhist should "swim" back to the profound beyond the duality of life and death, which is also suffering. One becomes real and true by seeing the causal identity of tat and tvam, ie. of macrocosm and microcosm. The spiritual ideals of early Buddhism are thus founded on natural philosophy.
Introduction
In earlier as well as later Indian Buddhist sources we can often read, that the sramana Gautama is identified with Brahma (m.), or Mahabrahma, that his Dharma is identified with Brahman (n.), that he and his monks-those that follow the true marga-are the true brahmans, in other words that the ratnatraya of Buddhism is the true form of Brahmanism. Furthermore, Brahman and Nirvana are used as synonyms (not just in Buddhist texts), the Buddha is said to know the Veda(s), and the purpose of following his teaching about Dharma (dharmadesana) is to become one with Brahman [1].
In a passage in the old Suttanipata (II.7) some wealthy brahmans ask Bhagavat: "Do brahmans now, Gotama, live in conformity with the brahmanical lore of the brahmans of old?" "No, brahmans, brahmans now do not live in conformity with the brahmanical lore of the brahmans of old." "Then let the venerable Gotama tell us about the brahmanical lore of the brahmans of old, if it is not too much trouble for him." "Then listen, brahmans, pay careful attention. I shall tell you" [2].
There are, of course, numerous scriptural passages to the same effect: that Gautama was considered (and considered himself) an authority on matters of Brahman, that he, in other words, was considered a Vedic scholar. The Buddha, in...