Buddhism in Indian context: Alan Watts

Alan Watts: Buddhism, explained

Cosmology: 31 rebirth planes

(The Spiritual Press) Here is a lecture by Alan Watts which goes into depth about Buddhism in its various forms, as well as touching on

• karma,
• rebirth (commonly spoken of as reincarnation as if it were the same thing when it is not due to the impersonal nature of what is really happening as one reappears after passing away in whatever world or plane one has previously arisen in),
• and other belief systems, particularly Vedic Brahmanism now commonly referred to as Hinduism, to contrast and compare in context.

Samsara in pictures: 6 general worlds

The "Buddhism" being described is actually just Mahayana Buddhism, rightly stating that it is actually a form of Hinduism (stripped for export), which is not what the historical Buddha (Shakaymuni, Siddhartha Gautama) actually taught but what the Brahmin priestly caste made of it after he attained to final nirvana. Theravada Buddhism and the many defunct Early Buddhist schools are not explained, as they represent only ten percent of Buddhists today, with 90% following the later developments that simply go back to the dominant Brahminical view that preceded the Buddha's great enlightenment (mahabodhi). While Theravada Buddhists consider themselves the original Teaching or Early Buddhism, it is not because they are a surviving "Hinayana" ("Lesser Vehicle") school but because it is a back-to-basics movement with respect to the historical figure's actual teachings, not later developments watered down as Hinduism or Vedic Brahmanism as modern Hindus and ancient Brahmins might prefer.

• Alan Wats via The Spiritual Press (video), March 16, 2022; Eds., Wisdom Quarterly (text)