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8. AGE OF REASON
"Hence it is only as a means of livelihood that Brahmans have established here all these ceremonies for the dead, – there is no other fruit anywhere. The three authors of the Vedas were buffoons, knaves, and demons. All the well-known formulae of the pandits, jarphari, turphari, etc. and all the obscene rites for the queen commanded in Aswamedha, these were invented by buffoons, and so all the various kinds of presents to the priests, while the eating of flesh was similarly commanded by nightprowling demons." The Sarva-darsana-sangraha, Madhavacharya
7. Buddhism
The Vedas themselves does not tell us about Buddhism. However, Buddhist literature addresses the existing Brahminical religion clearly. Even though they were written down after several decades, we do have the basic criticism of Buddha on the Vedic religion. The Brhmaadhammika Sutta is an unambiguous exposition of the Buddha's attitude to both Brahmans and their ritual; he traces a gradual degeneration of the Brahmans from selfless seekers after truth to money-grabbing sacrificers who kill cattle and persuade kings to perform sacrifices, saying, and "Much indeed is your wealth. Increase it by the performance of sacrifice." The Buddha states that even Indra and other deities discard these Brahmans... Similar, and even more severe, attacks on the ancient Brahminic institution of sacrifice are found in abundance in the Buddhist Canon. (see http://urbandharma.org/udharma 7/indianthought.html)
Instead of these mumbojumbo rituals, Buddha proposed rational scientific reasoning and find out how we can change our societies and ourselves. This must be based on the science of cause- effect relationship, which is the law of Kamma or Karma
Buddha (circa 563 to 483 BC)
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