Chapter III, Buddhism, The Confluence of Buddhism and Hinduism in India, Summary and Analysis

It is ironic that Buddhism, which began in India by rejecting ritual and mystery, evolved by bringing all that it originally rejected back into practice. A further irony is that Buddhism flourishes all over Asia except in India where it was born. Nevertheless, Buddhist principles left their mark on Hinduism. Theravada Buddhism is considered the same as non-dual Hinduism in India today.

This chapter on Buddhism admittedly looks only at the major Buddhist practices, which appear very diverse at face value but are incredibly alike beneath the surface. The ironies of the religion lie in the evolution of its practices which appear to be at odds with what available literature tells about the Buddha himself and the elevation of the Buddha...