Yoga and Buddhism both originated from the East. Yoga means to connect, which means yoga can be linked to many things. So, it is no wonder yoga is connected to Buddhism. Both these traditions originated in India and shared some common ground. The major aim of Yoga and Buddhist philosophies is to attain enlightenment through discipline.
According to Buddhism, the only way to get rid of suffering is through leaving materialistic pleasures. The concept of the inner self is the main focus of Yoga, which was adopted from Buddhism. In this Blog, we are going to deal with the root and essence of Yoga and its Relation to Buddhism. Let’s explore.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is a spiritual practice which interconnects our mind, body, and spirit, and it also encourages us to live in peace with ourselves and the entire universe.
Yoga plays an important role in connecting our body, our emotions, or anything in our lives. There are five major types of yoga exists, and let’s have a close look at them. They include:
- Proper exercise (Asanas)
- Proper breathing (Pranayama)
- Proper relaxation (Savasana)
- Proper diet and nutrition
- Positive thinking and meditation
Practising yoga can increase one’s strength, maintain balance, improve blood circulation and relax the muscles.
The origin of Yoga
We just saw what yoga is. Let’s go through the origin of Yoga. It is an Eastern practice founded in India over 5,000 years ago. Yoga, the word’s first presence can be seen in the Rig Veda, it is a Sacred Hindu text.
We already know that Yoga is a combination which involves mental, physical and spiritual practices. It started with the rise of civilization, and also there is evidence of Yoga practice in the pre-Vedic period (2700 B.C)
Yoga is defined through five periods.
- Vedic Period
- Pre-Classical Period
- Classical Period
- Post Classical Period
- Modern Period
One of the important periods among them is Pre-Classical Period, and it lasted from 500 BC to 800 AD. It is the classical period of Yoga because the commentaries such as Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita were written during that period.
In the 1890s, Yoga became popular in Western countries due to the Indian monks spreading the knowledge of Yoga around there. The father of modern yoga is known as Patanjali; at some time, in some parts of India, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya is also known as the father of modern yoga.
Introduction to Buddhism
We have already learned about Buddhism in detail through our blogs. Let’s explore Buddhism in brief.
Buddhism was founded in India over 2,500 years ago, and Gautama Buddha is the one behind that. The fundamental principle of Buddhism is known as the Four Noble Truths and it includes mindfulness, meditation and the path to achieve enlightenment. The core principle of Buddhism is that the major reason for the suffering in our lives is due to our desires.
Similarities Between Yoga and Buddhism
Buddhism and Yoga are two best practices which help us to live a life in harmony. As we mentioned earlier, there are a lot of similarities between these traditions.
It is believed that before Gautama Buddha become the spiritual teacher of Buddhism, he was a scholar and also a follower of Yoga. Buddhism originated later so, we can clearly see the connection between these two.
The aim of Buddhism and Yoga is another major similarity. Both these are more like a guide for life, which offers psychological well-being to humans. Yoga in its ancient times was considered for self-development. It teaches people to eliminate thoughts and sensations to gain concentration. Buddhism, on the other hand, teaches its followers that greed, delusion and anger are the reasons that stay in our way of personal development.
Buddhism and Samkhya-Yoga have some similarities. Both unanimously reject the concept of God, Priests, and sacrificial ritualism. In Yoga, to achieve enlightenment, one has to develop detachment, tranquillity and resolution. In Buddhism, awakening is described as Nirvana. In this stage, suffering is ended due to the extinction of passion, and there are no more rebirths to happen.
Let’s look at each similarity in brief.
1.Freedom from Ego
Yoga and Buddhism both believe in the possibility of freedom from ego. According to Yoga, the seven limbs help one to liberate from ego, which is what is known as Samadhi. It is the union with the divine; it only happens when we surpass the individuality of the ego.
In Buddhism, ego is one of the reasons for suffering. Nirvana is the stage of attaining freedom from suffering and rebirth. Nirvana in buddhism is the third noble truth, and the fourth Noble Truth suggests the path to the end of suffering. To reach this stage, one has to leave all the fear, grasping, and reactions and reach the state of inner peace.
2.Compassion
Compassion is one of the key principles of both Yoga and Buddhism. They all promote non-harm or ahimsa. Dalai Lama states that compassion is one of the best ways to attain enlightenment. Patanjali Yoga Sutra, one of the important concepts in Yoga, says that the practice of ahimsa will help us to get ourselves good karma. Good Karma means the opportunity to experience peace and happiness.
3.Non- attachment
Another major similarity between Yoga and Buddhism is in the concept of Non-attachment. In Buddhism, Non-attachment is about developing mindfulness by living without expectation from others. It is not the complete denial of material substance; instead, it is all about acceptance of the world as it is. In Yoga, non-attachment is paying attention to each element of practice. In this scenario, there is no need to do any challenging postures. It focuses on sensations and just enjoying the practice.
4.Karma and Rebirth
Karma and rebirth are the other common concepts shared by Yoga and Buddhism. Both these define Karma as having power in the future due to the actions and intentions of the individuals in the present life.
5.Self- Realization
Both these belief in the concept that meditation can help to achieve self-realization. In Yoga, meditation helps one to understand the true universe, connecting with the spiritual aspects of life and discovering the depths of consciousness. In Buddhism meditation helps one to achieve a higher state of consciousness and helps to understand nature and the world better.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, both Yoga and Buddhism help one to attain harmony, inner peace, compassion, freedom from ego and connection with oneself in the world. Both these methods act as a catalyst to achieve enlightenment and self-realization, and it was proven long ago. Maybe you are wondering which is the way to start and what I can suggest is the practice of meditation. Both Yoga and Buddhism promote meditation in their practices. Take the first step and begin your spiritual journey. Visit our website, Hidden Mantra, for more such topics. Your path to enlightenment starts here.
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