[Advaita-l] nAstika mata (bauddha mata) khaNDana in rAmAyaNa

[Venkata sriram P]

Namaste,
 
In Ayodhya Kanda, there is a wonderful episode of Jabali Muni meeting Lord Rama.  Jabali Muni tries to dissuade Lord Rama from the path of sanAtana dharma and vaidika karma kANDa.    Jabali Muni tries to pull Lord Rama from the path of satya & dharma and exhort Him to follow nAstika mata.  Probably, Sage Valmiki had foreseen the future events of advent of Buddha (aka tathAgata ?????) and through Lord Rama teaches a lesson to the future generations of Kali Yuga.
 
This episode happens to be the 109th Sarga of Ayodhya Kanda.
 
See how, Lord Rama chides Jabali Muni of his nAstika mata pralObha and 
accuses this mata as:
 
nindaamyahaM karma pituH kR^itaM ta |
dyastvaamagR^ihNaadviSamasthabuddhim |
buddhyaanayaivaMvidhayaa charantaM |
sunaastikaM dharmapathaadapetam
 
// I accuse the act done by my father in taking you into his service, you with your 
misleading intelligence, a firm atheist fallen from the true path//
 
yathaa hi choraH sa tathaa hi buddha |
stathaagataM naastikamatra vidhhi |
tasmaaddhi yaH shaN^kyatamaH prajaanaam |
na naasti kenaabhimukho budhaH syaat
 
// It is an exact state of the case that a mere *intellection deserves to be punished as it were a thief and know an atheist to be on par with a mere intellectual. Therefore he should be punished in the interest of the people. 
In no case should a wise man consort with an atheist //
 
In the above verses, Sage Valmiki uses 2 words viz., “buddha” & tathAgata”,  
and refer to the path of nAstika as “fallen from true path” 
(apEtaM dharma patAt) & such a person is compared with 
thief “yathaa hi choraH sa tathaa hi buddha” who 
deserves to be punished.
 
shrIrAma sharaNaM mama......
rAmO vigrahavAn dharmaH.....
 
Regs,
Sriram