Chapter Eight

The Age of Reason:

The Decline of Vedism
and
the Rise of Rationalism

Radical changes in Indian religion and thought occurred during the Later Vedic Age.

This development is clearly seen in the Brahmanas.  Here we see the emergence of the Brahmin priests to a position of supreme power and privilege in society. There is a marked difference in the approach to deity before and after the Brahmana period.  During the Early Vedic Age, sacrifice had been only a means of appeasing the gods of nature and getting  favors based on the mercy and mood of the gods themselves.  But now the tables are turned.  The Brahmanas has the power to compel gods to act.  Gods will have to act under compulsion if proper rituals are performed.   of the offeror; now it became the means of compelling the gods to act, provided the correct ritual was employed in ritual purity. In effect gods became the servants of the Brahmin priests.

"Devadhinam jagat sarvarm

 Mantradhinam ta devata 

Tam Mantram Brahmandhinam

 Brahmana nam devata"

 "The Universe is under the power of gods,

 The gods are under the power of the mantras, 

The mantras are under the power of the Brahmins, 

Therefore the Brahmins are our gods. "

Abbe J.A. Dubois's "Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies" Oxford, Third Edition 1906, Page 139.  

” This supremacy of the priestly class had its origin in the the Purohita (praepositus, = he that is placed in front'), the family priest, who, as ritual developed, took the place of the house-father, by whom the earlier and simpler worship had been conducted. The priests of the Rig-veda were not as yet organized into a profession, nor did they claim their office by hereditary right. But the period of the Brahmanas shows a rapid development of their pretensions. We are told that there are two kinds of gods, the Devas and the Brahmanas, the latter regarded as deities among men. With this new theology was combined the dogma of the supremacy of sacrifice. 'The sun would not rise,' says the Satapatha Brahmana, 'if the priest did not make sacrifice.' When we meet it first in the Indian ritual, sacrifice is merely a thank-offering ; then it comes to be regarded as a means of nourishing the Pitri, or the gods; finally, a means of wresting favours from them. This naturally resulted in the exaltation of sacrificial ritual. Every religious act must be accompanied by its special Mantra, or formula, each word of which is momentous, each tone fraught with mystery. “Dr. Hopkins (Religions of India) 1894

 

This was a direct result of the nature of the Vedic gods.  If these gods are powers of nature, by knowing the laws of nature we will be able to control those forces.  It is simple science.  The power lay in the mantras and the perfectness and technical accuray of the ritual performance.  Simple deviations and errors will make the machine go wrong and will result in curses and destruction.  These expertise and vedic knowledge were family secrets. In so doing Brahmins became the superior class even greater than gods. Brahmins strengthened their position over the nobles and rulers of the Kshatriya class.

This eventually produced its reaction in the growth of several rationalistic movement of which the major two were Buddhism and Jainism.  What these rationalists were asserting was that the Vedic rituals were just superstitions imposed by the Brahmins to assert their superiority.  The real control of the cosmic powers can be achieved by scientific methods.

The other more materialistic rational movements eventually died out.  We know about them only from the writing of those who denied their atheism.  Jain documents clearly mentions four groups”

There are four (heretical) creeds which the disputants severally uphold: 1. the Kriyâvâda, 2. the Akriyâvâda, 3. the Vinayavâda, and 4. the Agñânavâda.  
Gaina Sutras, Part II  TWELFTH LECTURE, CALLED THE CREED .

According to one tradition there were 5 heretical sects. From the point of view of Vedisn there are eight.  They are :

1. Akriyavadins of Purana Kassapa,
2. Anuvadins of Pakuda Kattayana,
3. Ajivakas of Makkhali Gosala,
4. The materialists of Ajita Kesa Kambalin, and
5. The sceptics of Sanjaya Belattiputta.
6. The materialistic Lokayata of Carvaka
7. Buddhism
8. Jainism

1.  Akriyavadins of Purana Kassapa 

Purana Kassapa taught a no-action theory called akriyavada.

“Purana Kassapa said to King Ajatasattu - To him who acts, O King, or causes another- to act, to him who mutilates or causes another to mutilate, to him who punishes or causes another to punish, to him who causes grief or torment, to him who trembles or causes others to tremble, to him who kills a living creature, who takes what is not given, who breaks into houses, who commits dacoity or robbery or highway robbery, or adultery, or who speaks lies, to him thus acting there is no guilt. If with a discus with an edge sharp as a razor he should make all the living creatures on the earth one heap, one mass, of flesh, there would be no guilt thence resulting, no increase of guilt would ensue. Were he to go along the south bank of the Ganges striking and slaying, mutilating and having men mutilated, oppressing and having men oppressed, there would be no guilt thence resulting, no increase of guilt would ensue. Were he to go along the north bank of the Ganges giving alms, and ordering gifts to be given, offering sacrifices or causing them to be offered, there would be no merit thence resulting, no increase of merit. In generosity, in self-mastery, in control of the senses, in speaking truth there is neither merit, nor increase of merit.” (Maha Bodhi Journal, Vol. 36, Jan. 1928)

2.  Anuvadins of Pakuda Kattayana,

Pakuda Katyayana,  taught that the soul was superior to good and evil, thus unchanged or untouched by it. He classified everything into seven categories, i.e. earth, water, fire, air, pleasure, pain and soul, which were eternal. Hence Mahavira and Buddha called his doctrine Eternalism. Both Kassapa and Katyayana believed that the soul existed independently of the body and thus unaffected by karma.

“Pakuda Katyayana said to the king :

The following seven things are neither made nor commanded to be made, neither created nor caused to be created, they are barren, steadfast as a mountain peak, as a pillar firmly fixed. They move not, neither do they vary, they trench not oneupon another nor avail aught as to case or pain or both. And what are the seven? The four elements - earth, water, fire, and air - and ease and pain, and the soul as a seventh. So there is neither slayer nor causer of slaying, hearer or speaker, knower or explainer. When one with a sharp sword cleaves a head in twain no one thereby deprives any one of life, a sword has only penetrated into the interval between seven elementary substances” (Maha Bodhi Journal, Vol. 36, Jan. 1928)

3.  Ajivakas of  Makkhali Goshala Maskariputra  'Followers of the way of Life,'

Ajivikas were founded by Goshala Maskariputra (c 484 BC?) a disciple, and later a rival contemprory of Mahavira Jain, forming a group of wandering ascetics. Ajivikas were deterministic philosophers.  Since everything is based on cause effect relationship, and all the world follows mechanistically based on physical laws of action and reaction. The transmigration of the human soul was determined by a precise and non-personal cosmic principle called Niyati (destiny or fate). They did not believe in the Free Will of man.   Destiny was predetermined and could not be changed by any Karma and it is impossible to influence the cycle of birth and rebirth as Jains and Buddhists imagined.  Nirvana was only reached after going through all the predetermined lives, the last  being as an Ajivika monk. They were more like the ultra Calvinist of this era.  Accordingly knowing all the natural forces one can foretell the future precisely.  Purana Kassapa claimed to know all about the past, the present and the future.

” All animals, all creatures, all beings, all souls, are without force and power and energy of their own. They are bent this way and that by their fate, by the necessary conditions of the class to which they belong, by their individual nature : and it is according to their position in one or other of the six classes that they experience ease or pain.”

Three Tamil texts, the Manimakalai of the Buddhists, the Nilakesi of the Jains, and the Sivajnanasiddhiyar of the Shaivites, all contain outlines of Ajivika doctrine.  The Ajivika teacher Puranan in the Nilakesi says "Though we may speak of moments, there is really no time at all." This was the theory of avicalita-nityatvam, unmoving permanence. And to the Ajivikas the soul was also atomic and could not be divided. In its natural state outside the body it is immense in size, five hundred leagues (yogana) in extent.

Emperor Bidusara the father of Emperor Asoka was an Ajivika.  The movement died out eventually but lived till 14c AD. There were probably large numbers of ascetic groups into Mauryan times who lived as far as Karnataka.

(Basham, A.L. (2002). History and Doctrines of the Ājīvikas. Delhi, India: Moltilal Banarsidass Publications. ISBN 81-208-1204-2. )

4.  The materialists of Ajita Kesa Kambalin

Ajita Kesa Kambalin, another contemporary of Buddha went further and taught complete materialism. He did not believe in the afterlife and considered death as the final phase of all souls, fools as well as the wise.

“Ajita Kesakambali, who wore the garment of human hair, said :

"There is no such thing, 0 King, as alms or sacrifice or offering. There is neither fruit nor result of good or evil deeds. There is neither father nor mother, nor beings springing into life without them. There are in the world no recluses or Brahmans who have reached the highest point, who walk perfectly, and who having understood and realized, by themselves alone, both this world and the next, make their wisdom known to others. A human being is built up of the four elements, and when he dies the earthly in him, returns and relapses to the earth, the fluid to the water, the heat to the fire, the windy to the air, and his faculties pass into space. The four, bearers of the bier take his dead body away to the burning ground. The talk of offerings, this talk of gifts is a doctrine of fools. It is in empty lie, mere idle talk. Fools and wise alike on the dissolution of the body, are cut off, annihilated, and after death they are not. " (Maha Bodhi Journal, Vol. 36, Jan. 1928)

5.  The sceptics of Sanjaya Belattiputta – the Agnostics

Sanjaya Belattiputta said :

If you ask me whether there is another world - well, if 1 thought there were, I would say so. But I don't say so. And I don't think it is thus or thus. And I don't think it is otherwise. And I don't deny it. And 1 don't say there neither is, nor is not, another world. And if you ask me about the beings produced by chance or whether there is any fruit, any result, of good or bad actions or whether a man who has won the truth continues, or not, after death-to each or any of these questions do 1 give the same reply.

 “Many Christians, as well as many Hindus, make the erroneous statement that Buddhism is an offshoot of Hinduism. A cursory glance at the history of what is today called Hinduism would show the statement to be false. The dominant popular religion of the area where Siddhartha Gautama began his teachings was one of animal sacrifice, prayer, magical incantations, and ritual purity.  …….   A special class of people known as the Brahmans were the priests and arbiters of this religion. They were responsible for the ritual purity, the sacrifices, and for all other aspects of the religion. Many of the foundations of Hinduism came from this religion (Vedism), but what we think of as Hinduism today was largely developed centuries after the spread of Buddhism. Siddhartha Gautama was from a background in which he learned well this religion. He maintained a very skeptical attitude towards it; pointing out that the Brahmans could use the religion and the special status afforded their caste to secure wealth and dominance over the populace at large” 
Buddhism Offshoot of Hinduism? http://www.geocities.com/tribhis/buddhismforxtians.html

6. The materialistic Nastik Lokayata (Atheistic Worldly Ones) of Carvaka

 The school of materialism called the Charvaka (also called Lokayat) did not believe in the cycle of rebirth and transmigration. The frugal virtues of Buddhism and Jainism were rejected and followers were encouraged to reject all religious observances and make the most of life’s pleasures! The original writings of the Charvaka are lost to us, though Brhaspati is said to be its author. We know of the existence of such a system more from comments its opponents, who were Buddhist, Jain and Brahmanical scholars. The Charvakas totally disregarded Vedas as false and even referred to the authors of the three Vedas as demons.   According to them all scriptures like Vedas consist of three major flaws - fallacy, self-contradiction and tautology. They were of the belief that the sacrificial rituals benefited only the priestly class. Charvakas denied to accept the existence of after-life, rebirth, heaven, hell, soul or gods or goddess as those  are not amenable to sense perception. Charvakas believed that the material  Universe did exist.  But of God as a creator, it is only an assumption.  The  matter consisted of four elements: earth, water, energy and air. The creation of life is a specific process of nature and it evolved out of the composite composition of four elements. With death all ends.  That life originated from inanimate substance: "Joro shobhab bhuto-chotustoy hotey praaner utpotti.  

Ramayana mentions their philosophy as follows:.

 

“Regard only that which is an object of perception, and cast behind your back whatever is beyond the reach of your senses “(2.108)  
 

"Among the books that have been lost is the entire literature of materialism .....much of the literature of materialism in India was destroyed by the priests an other believers in the orthodox religion during subsequent periods."  Nehru, The Discovery of India

Madhava Acharya wrote an extensive review of the Charvaka system in the 14th century C.E. in the Sarvadarshanasamghraha in an attempt to refute it.  We get most of our information about Carvaka from his work.

“...but how can we attribute to the Divine Being the giving of supreme felicity, when such a notion has been utterly abolished by Charvaka, the crest-gem of the atheistic school, the follower of the doctrine of Brihaspati? The efforts of Charvaka are indeed hard to be eradicated, for the majority of living beings hold by the current refrain:

While life is yours, live joyously;

None can escape Death's searching eye:

When once this frame of ours they burn,
How shall it e'er again return?”

“The Agnihotra, the three Vedas, the ascetic's three staves, and smearing oneself with ashes — Brihaspati says, these are but means of livelihood for those who have no manliness nor sense.

“In this school there are four elements, earth, water, fire and air;  and from these four elements alone is intelligence produced — just like the intoxicating power from kinwa &c, mixed together; since in "I am fat", "I am lean", these attributes abide in the same subject, and since fatness, &c, reside only in the body, it alone is the soul and no other, and such phrases as "my body" are only significant metaphorically.

“If a beast slain in the Jyothishtoma rite will itself go to heaven,
why then does not the sacrificer forthwith offer his own father?

“If the Sraddha produces gratification to beings who are dead,

then why not give food down below to those who are standing on the house-top?

“If he who departs from the body goes to another world,

how is it that he come not back again, restless for love of his kindred?

“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 night-prowling demons.”

The Sarva-darsana-sangraha, Madhavacharya

7.  Buddhism

Buddha (circa 563  to 483 BC)

The Vedas themselves does not tell us about Buddhism.  But 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, "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/udharma7/indianthought.html)

Instead of these mumbojumbo rituals, Buddha proposed  rational scientific reasoning and find out how we can change ourselves and our societies.  This must be based on the science of cause- effect relationship which is the law of Kamma or Karma

The Samyutta Nikaya states:

"According to the seed that’s sown,
So is the fruit you reap there from,
Doer of good will gather good,
Doer of evil, evil reaps,
Down is the seed and thou shalt taste
The fruit thereof."

Karma is a law in itself, which operates in its own field without the intervention of any external, independent ruling agency. The bad seed is the wrong mental attitude and thinking.  Out of it comes bad actions and evil for self and for society.

"Listen, Tapassi. Of these three types of kamma (thought, word and deed)  so distinguished by me, I say that mental kamma has the heaviest consequences for the committing of evil deeds and the existence of evil deeds, not bodily or verbal kamma."

The other basic theory for Buddhism was the law of reincarnation.

Every birth is conditioned by a past good or bad karma, which predominated at the moment of death. Karma that conditions the future birth is called Reproductive Karma. The death of a person is merely ‘a temporary end of a temporary phenomenon’. Though the present form perishes, another form which is neither the same nor absolutely different takes its place, according to the potential thought-vibration generated at the death moment, because the Karmic force which propels the life-flux still survives. It is this last thought, which is technically called Reproductive (janaka) Karma, that determines the state of a person in his subsequent birth. This may be either a good or bad Karma.

Unlike the modern understanding of reincarnation it is not the same person who continues to be born again.  It is the energy or will to live that causes continuation of motion.  There is no such thing as soul in Buddhism and so there is no continuation of Soul in reincarnation.  

BUDDHIST CONCEPT OF BRAHMA

As Buddhism entered the Christian era it got mixed with Gnosticism also and developed myths and legends parallel to that of  Hinduism.  They reacted with the myths and legends of Hinduism which emerged by that time in strange ways.  Later Mahayanist took over many of the Hindu magic and sorcery.  It is this fall from the heights of science into magic and myths that finally destroyed Buddhism.  It started by laughing at the myths as the following stories and Jatakas illustrate.   Kevaddha sutta Dig. Nik. XI tells of  how a monk who wanted to know about the dissolution and formation of cosmos went about asking of it to various gods who always pointed him to somebody else.

Finally he arrived at Brahmâ himself along with all the host of the other gods. After hearing the question, which was  ‘Where do the elements cease and leave no trace behind?” Brahmâ replied, "I am the Great Brahmâ, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-seeing, the Ruler, the Lord of all, the Controller, the Creator, the Chief of all, appointing to each his place, the Ancient of days, the Father of all that are and are to be." "But," said the monk, "I did not ask you, friend, whether you were indeed all you now say, but I ask you where the four elements cease and leave no trace."  Then the Great Brahmâ took him by the arm and led him aside and said, "These gods think I know and understand everything. Therefore I gave no answer in their presence. But I do not know the answer to your question and you had better go and ask the Buddha."

Kevaddha Sutta has a strange account of how Brahma himself came to be eternal.  Dig. Nik. I. chap. 2, 1-6. [The radiant gods are the Abhassara, of Dhammap 200]. ‘There comes a time when this world system passes away and then certain beings are reborn in the World of Radiance and remain there a long time. Sooner or later, the world system begins to evolve again and the palace of Brahmâ appears, but it is empty. Then some being whose time is up falls from the World of Radiance and comes to life in the palace and remains there alone. At last he wishes for company, and it so happens that other beings whose time is up fall from the World of Radiance and join him. And the first being thinks that he is Great Brahmâ, the Creator, because when he felt lonely and wished for companions other beings appeared. And the other beings accept this view. And at last one of Brahmâ's retinue falls from that state and is born in the human world and, if he can remember his previous birth, he reflects that he is transitory but that Brahmâ still remains and from this he draws the erroneous conclusion that Brahmâ is eternal.”

Still there was a great body of Buddhist and Jain legend in ancient India which handled the same stories as Brahmanic legend—e.g. the tale of Krishna—but in a slightly different manner. The characteristic form of Buddhist legend is the Jâtaka, or birth story. Folk-lore and sagas, ancient jokes and tragedies, the whole stock in trade of rhapsodists and minstrels are made an edifying and interesting branch of scripture by simply identifying the principal characters with the Buddha, his friends and his enemies in their previous births

In Maj. Nik. 49 Buddha tells his disciples how he once ascertained that Brahmâ Baka was under the delusion that his heaven was eternal and cured him of it

( See Hinduism and Buddhism – Charles Eliot 1902)

8.  Jainism

Jainism was also another religion based on very similar rationalism. 

 Mahavira Vardhamana (599 – 527 BC, though possibly 549 – 477 BC)  was the founder of Jainism.

“The Jains from the beginning have held that there is no Brahman-Atman, such as the Brahmins describe. No unity of substance or being holds the universe together. There is no Supreme Ruler of the world, such as the devout look to. There are numerous higher beings, who might be called "gods," and who exist on the various levels of the celestial regions; but they are finite beings, subject like men to rebirth. No help, Mahavira taught, could be expected from such beings, themselves in need of redemption. Therefore human souls caught in the predicament of existence in the physical world, an needing to find a way of escape from karma through moksha or release, must realize that salvation is self-attained. Praying to the gods is of no avail.

A monk or nun should not say, "The god of the sky! The god of the thunderstorm! The god of lightning! The god who begins to rain! ... May rain fall, or may it not fall! May the crops grow! May the sun rise!" They should not use such speech. But, knowing the nature of things, he should say, "The air; a cloud has gathered, or come down; the cloud has rained."

 Jainism casted its concepts on rigid scientific terms and classifications and laws.  It is a science in its own right.  It is probably the most scientific religion ever evolved. According to Jain beliefs, the universe was never created, nor will it ever cease to exist.

They even consider “Karma” as fine infinitely small cosmic particles in order to give it the scientific basis similar to the early ether concept in physics.  Karmic particles are considered very similar to neurons that cause emotional reactions, inbalance in body and mind causing actions.

“Karmas are the derivatives of the karman particles. The Karman particles are made up of the non-living matter (pudgals). They are scattered and floating all over the universe (Lok). They are very very fine particles and we are neither able to see them with our eyes or with the regular microscope. A cluster of such innumerable karman particles is called a karman vargana. The karman varganas is one of the eight kinds of pudgal varganas. The karman vargana has the most subtle particles. When the soul acts with a passion like aversion or attachment; or anger, greed, ego, or deceitfulness, it attracts these karman varganas to itself. When these karman varganas get attached to the soul, they are called karmas. Karmas are classified into eight categories depending upon their nature. The karmas can be good (punya) or bad (Pap). The good karmas are the result of good or pious activities while the bad karmas are the result of bad or sinful activities.“

Jains believe that every thing has life and this also includes stones, sand, trees and every other living creatures including animals and man and even devas.  Thus there are infinite levels of life existence. Every soul continues to reincarnate depending on the karmic effect.  The Jains believe in the eternity of the soul, and there are thought to be multitudes of souls or life/monads which are all independent and eternal.   

Thus both Buddhism and Jainism was based on the basic assumption that the whole cosmos is based on rational laws to which everything is subject to.  The first principle of both was the law of Karma, the Cause - Effect relationship.  Like all scientific endeavors the assumption of a supreme god or existence of gods was negated.  Instead gods themselves were under the law of karma just as every other being.  Since the world really exists, and things change it naturally included the law of conservation of matter and spirits which led to the principle of reincarnation – matter and energy change forms and takes up new relationships.  This was a concept brought in by the Greeks into Both Jainism and Buddhism refused to acknowledge a being beyond the scientific realm.

Thus Buddhism was not an offshoot of Hinduism nor was Jainism.  They were a reaction to the vedic ritualism and brahminic domination.  They were the scientific rationalist of the period and so necessarily atheistic.  It was the scientific theory of the time and were not to bethought of as a religion at all.  These were the uprising of rationalism which existed at all times in history. Buddhism and Jainism emerged in India during a period of great cultural, intellectual and spiritual development, with the influences of foreign cultures of Greece and Syria. Some of the previously accepted truths of the religion were beginning to be questioned and the religious leaders were being asked to defend their views and teachings. Furthermore, the old tribal structure of society was diminishing. Common people stood against the caste system introduced by the Brahmins.  Instead of the gods who controlled the universe, scientific understanding of the laws of universe and beings were emphasized. The result was an increasing number of breakaway sects, of which Buddhism and Jainism were probably the most successful.  They could trace their origins from the beginning of mankind.

Soon after the rise of Buddhism and Jainism in India, Vedic religion began to loose its grip in India.  In Indian history Buddhism and Jainism practically eradicated Vedism. The whole of south India comprising the Deccan, Karnataka, Andhra and Tamilnadu was a great stronghold of Jains, especially Digambara Jains, By the time of Asoka Vedism practically disappeared from India.  Both North and South India were Buddhist and Jain.  Vedics remained as a small minority among the people who claimed Aryan origin.

“The Satavahanas (28 BC - 250 AD), also known as the Andhras, emerged as an independent power in the Deccan in the first century BC. It was founded by Simuka (65 BC - 25 BC). His son, Satakarni (25 BC - 20 AD), succeeded him. Under the Satavahanas, many Buddhist worshipping halls (Chaityas) and monasteries (Viharas) were cut out from rocks. Some famous examples are Amravati and Nagarjuna Konda. Buddhist cave temples were also cut at the now-famous sites of Ajanta and Ellora.”
http://nabataea.net/sindia.html

 Buddhist Proselytism at the time of king Ashoka (260-218 BC), according to his Edicts

Thus the atheistic rationalistic religions Buddhism, Jainism and others effectively wiped out the Vedic religion by the end of the era just before the coming of Christianity into India.  This can be interpreted as the wiping out of superstitious fear of nature by the rationalistic thinkers of the period. During the period immediately before and after the Christian Era, Vedism was practically wiped out from India.  They remained a minority religious group claiming Aryan origin. 

The case of Kerala, the southern most area of India stands as a supreme example of what happened. In Kerala for example the temples shows the history as follows:

“EARLIEST SHRINES (Before 300 BC) (these stand for local religions)

EARLY JAIN TEMPLES (c.300 BC to 500 AD)

EARLY BUDDHIST TEMPLES (c.200 BC to 800 AD)

HINDUISM & THE 'NEW' BRAHMINICAL TEMPLES (c.800 AD onwards)”

http://www.thrikodithanam.org/intro.htm

K.R. Vaidyanathan observes: 

"Like Jainism, Buddhism also held sway in ancient Kerala during the reign of Asoka in the 3rd century B.C. Coming by sea, Buddhism was popular in coastal districts, Karumati, Mavelikkara, Bharanikkavu, Pallikkal, Karunagappalli, Idappalli, Dharmapattabnam, Matayi and Pallikkunny being its chief centers... Many prominent Hindu Temples of today like the Vadakkunnathan temple, Trichur and the Kurumga Bhagwati Temple, Kondugallur, and even the famous Ayyappa shrine atop Sabarimala are believed to have been at one time Buddhist shrines. ... While Jainism did hardly leave any impress on Kerala society, Buddhism was absorbed in Hinduism in respect of some of its ceremonies and forms of worship. The images, processions and utsavam, etc. associated with popular worship in present day Hindu temples in Kerala are said to be a legacy of Buddhism. Even the chakiyar kuttu conducted in temples is said to be an adaptation of the Buddhist monk's religious expositions." [Vaidyanathan: 1982]

There is no trace of Vedism or Hinduism before 800 AD certainly in Kerala.  It was totally wiped out by the beginning of Christian Era.  If they existed it was as a weak minority group.  Even the present day Brahmins cannot trace their lineage before 8c AD.  Instead another religion grew out of Christianity which came to be known as Hinduism.  This eventually was taken over by the Brahmins and was revamped as modern Hinduism.  

It is also to be noted that today there is no trace of Buddhism or Jainism in Kerala.  Hinduism absorbed them.  Hinduism took over the Jain and Buddhist temples. The   Vadakkunnathan Temple of Trichur, the Kurumba Bhagavathi Temple of Cannanore, and the Durga Temple at Paruvasseri near Trichur were all originally Buddhist temples.

Thus the period was a period of enlightenment which advocated reason as the primary authority as opposed to the Vedas.  A close parallel with the 18^th century Age of Reason is easily discerned. This was a liberation movement of the time.  Gradually India began to turn away from the gory ritualistic sacrifice of animals and humans and of  the Vedic gods.  They opposed the caste system and exploitation of masses in the name of religion

This Age of Reason swept away Vedism and Brahminic superiority.  By the beginning of Christian Era Vedism was practically dead.  A few Vedic Brahmins remained scattered all over India, but without Power.

Bhavishya Purana explicitly admits this in the following statement:

 “At this time, reminded of the Kali Age, the god Vishnu became born as Gautama, the Shakyamuni, and taught the Buddhist dharma for ten years. Then Shuddodana ruled for twenty years, and Shakyasimha for twenty. At the first stage of the Kali Age, the path of the Vedas was destroyed and all men became Buddhists. Those who sought refuge with Vishnu were deluded”

Buddha and Mahavir Jina (the founder of Jainism) were eventually considered incarnations of Vishnu, and hence Vaishnavas now consider Buddhism and Jainism as subsects of the Vaishnava religion!!