Buddhism from a Unique Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Perspective

Svāmī Sadānanda Dāsa’s Evolving Views on Buddhism and Its Influence on His Vaiṣṇavism

Abstract

This article examines the distinctive approach of Svāmī Sadānanda Dāsa (1908–1977), a German scholar and Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava, toward Buddhism. Unlike traditional Vaiṣṇava strategies—either assimilating the Buddha as an avatāra of Viṣṇu (e.g., Jayadeva) or refuting Buddhist philosophy (e.g., Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa)—Sadānanda engaged Buddhism with scholarly respect, informed by his prior Buddhist practice. The article analyzes two key texts: his 1936 article "Buddhism—Philosophy or Religion?" (published in The Harmonist), where he critiques Buddhism as a "logically flawed" psychological philosophy, and his later private note "The Buddha’s Conception of Nirvāṇa" (1939–1945), where he praises Buddhism as a religion "par excellence." This apparent contradiction is explored through biographical and textual analysis, revealing how his dual engagement with Buddhism and Vaiṣṇavism shaped his theological method. The article concludes by tracing Buddhist influences in Sadānanda’s teachings, particularly his emphasis on autonomy, phenomenological inquiry, and the non-dual nature of spiritual reality.