[Advaita-l] Sankara's praise of Buddha

[Venkata sriram P]

Namaste,
 
The Saint Bard of Andhra Desa Annamacharya also extolled the Buddha in his
famous kirtana "Indariki abhayambulu icchu cheyi".  Saint Annamacharya
praises the abhaya hasta of Lord Venkateshwara and says that it the same
abhaya hasta that saved vedas from the sea; that tore apart hiranyakasipu;
that begged from King Bali; that severed kshatriya kings (as parashurama);
that killed Ravana, that drove the chariot of Arjuna; that bestowed the abhaya
to the gods during tripurAsura samhAra by assuming the form of mendicant 
with the name of "arihan". Again the same abhaya hasta rides the 
horse on tirumala moutains by assuming the name of venkatanAtha.
 
So, this "arihan" is the incarnation of viShNu-mAyA
that took the form of a monk to destroy the tripurAsurAs.  The weapons of 
arihan is ahimsa and vaidika karma kANDa nirasana.  The words of arihan
to the inhabitants were very pleasing and hence chAru-vAk (chAru = pleasing;
vAk = words).  And hence the siddhAnta preached by arihan was chAruvAka siddhAnta.
 
It is this arihan as buddha is extolled in dasAvatAra stotra.
 
Given below is the lyrics of the kirtana :
 
///////////////////////////////
 
Language: Telugu
Poet: AnnamAChArya

Lyrics:
Indariki abhyambu lichu cheyi
Kandu vagu manchi bangaru cheyi 

Velaleni vedamulu vedaki thechina cheyi
Chiluku gubbali krinda cherchucheyi
Kaliki yau bhukantha kougalinchina cheyi
Valanaina konagolla vadi cheyi

Thanivokabalichetha dana madigina cheyi
Onranga bhudana mosagu cheyi
Monasi jalanidhi yammu monaku thechina cheyi
Yenayanagelu dari inchu cheyi

Purasathula manamula pollachsina cheyi
Thura gambu barapadi doddacheyi
Thiruvenkatachala dhisudai mokshambu
Theruvu pranula kella thelipecheyi

Meaning:

It is this hand that protects everyone.
It is the hand of the savior
This hand is not only golden and shiny
it is also beautiful and graceful

It is this hand that searched and brought the
submerged precious Vedas from the sea.
It is also the hand that is holding his beautiful
mate's chin in order to console her.
He is the one who is embracing ever graceful earth
Don't be mistaken, it is also the hand that
has sharp long nails which can kill the demons.

This is the hand that begged king Bali for the gift
This is the same hand that gave the entire earth as the gift
This is the hand of the man that bought the sinking
Mandara mountain to the top and held it on his back.
It is the hand that carries all the weight of the universe and
saves lives from everyday suffering.

It is the hand that saved hundreds of women's honor
It is the brave hand that rides the fierce horse
It is the hand of God Venkateswara
who is the lord of the sacred place, Venkatachala
that gives the salvation to all the life forms 

///////
 
regs,
sriram