Bauddha
Bauddha, “a follower of the Buddha’s path”
Gautama has other meanings too: see all meanings of Gautama.
Grammar: masculine noun; from buddha: “of the Buddha”.
Meaning: a follower of the Bauddha dharma.
In the scriptures: The Pratisarga Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa tells that a devatā named Gautama, born from Kāśyapa, refined the Bauddha dharma and spread it in Paṭṭaṇa nagara. In his line came Śakyasiṃha, who ruled for sixty years, and in his time nearly everyone became Bauddha. Four kshatriyas arose from the yajña-kuṇḍa on Mount Ābū, brought the descendants of Aśoka under their power and destroyed all the Bauddhas of Bhāratavarsha (Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 1, Chapter 6). King Parihāra of Kaliñjara defeated the Bauddhas by his valour (Khaṇḍa 1, Chapter 7).
The Parva tells that when the kingdom passed to the Bauddhas, given to dambha and pākhaṇḍa, Bhagavān Śiva with Pārvatī settled at an excellent ground in Kāśī (Khaṇḍa 2, Chapter 32). Śukla, with his three brothers and the dvijas, conquered the Bauddhas on Mount Arbuda and by Hari’s grace established Dvārakā again (Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 3). Parihāra conquered all the Bauddhas and worshipped the Sarvaśaktimayī Devī with śraddhā (Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 4).
The Parva further tells that the devagaṇas left the earth for svarga, the mlecchas became Bauddhas and the rest became devoted to the Veda. Later the asura Maya, known as Śākyasiṃha, set yantras of māyā at all the tīrthas, and whoever went beneath them became a Bauddha. About ten crore Āryas took up the Bauddha path, and five lakh went to the mountain peaks. Kings born in the Agnivaṃśa defeated the Bauddhas by the power of the four Vedas, refined the Āryas and established them south of the Vindhya, and five lakh remained in Āryāvarta (Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 21).
Related terms: Parihāra · Agnivaṃśa · Mleccha · Yantra
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 1, Chapters 6–7; Khaṇḍa 2, Chapter 32; Khaṇḍa 4, Chapters 3–4, 21