Yogis are often interested in Buddhism, especially in the West. After all, our yoga practice has roots in Eastern spirituality and is associated with a major Eastern religion (Hinduism). So, it makes sense that at some point, many of us begin to wonder about the connection between yoga and Buddhism.
As a new yogi, I read a lot about Eastern spirituality and philosophy. I was especially drawn to the Buddhist teachings of Thich Naht Hanh and Pema Chodron, among others. On a meditation retreat led by Buddhist monk Bhante Wimala, I learned about mindfulness and other forms of meditation. I also explored the eye-opening work of Buddhist psychologist Mark Epstein, whose book Thoughts Without a Thinker blew my mind at the same time I was working to stop relying on it!
What is the Connection between Yoga and Buddhism?
Yoga, which means union, is connected to everything. So, of course we can find a connection between yoga and Buddhism. I’m all about finding connections, whether between yoga and Western religion, yoga and Buddhism, and even yoga and baseball!
Since they’re both from the East, the connection between yoga and Buddhism is not surprising. So, how are the two traditions alike? For one, Buddhism teaches non-attachment, which is also a main teaching of yoga. Both yogis and Buddhists emphasize the practice of mindfulness, and both follow a somewhat prescribed path to enlightenment
The yamas of yoga and the eightfold path of Buddhism have striking similarities. For example, the fourth tenet of Buddhism—right action—is similar to ahimsa (kindness), the first yama. The third Buddhist tenet is right speech, which will remind yogis of the second yama—satya (truthfulness). Both traditions espouse minimizing the allure of the senses as well.
Karma is another concept yoga and Buddhism have in common. The idea of karma is that all actions have consequences, and we need to keep this in mind when we make choices in our daily lives. We cannot escape the consequences of our actions.
In Buddhism, following the eightfold path leads to liberation from suffering, which Buddhists call Nirvana. In yoga, following the seven limbs leads to liberation from ego, which yogis call samadhi. Samadhi is union with the divine. It is a state of being that occurs when we transcend the individuality of the small self (ego) and recognize our true nature as divine beings.
The Buddha taught that identification with ego causes suffering. A yogi’s quest for truth is also a journey away from suffering. The Buddha’s teachings on suffering often sound yogic. We’d expect that; after all, he was a Hindu and a yogi before he became the Buddha!
Self-Knowledge or No Self?
As an ascetic yogi, Buddha was a superstar. We know the stories of how he sat under the bodhi tree, determined to reach enlightenment by renouncing…well, pretty much everything.
But it didn’t work, so the mystic yogi first known as Siddhartha Gautama found a middle way, a more balanced approach to life. He didn’t necessarily stop being a yogi, but he did build upon the spiritual base he had studied for years after he left the palace he grew up in.
One main difference between yoga and Buddhism is that while yogis seek self-knowledge, Buddhists seek to reframe the concept of self. For Buddhists, the idea of an unchanging self is an illusion. The delusion tricks us into believing we are separate, unchanging individuals. When we believe that, we spend our lives clinging to our ideas of who we are and what will make us happy only to find it doesn’t work.
So, which is right? Or is it possible that both are right in some way? Like any spiritual tradition, the deeper you go, the less you can explain. The important thing is finding a path and doing the practice.
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I just want to know if when you do yoga you’re praying to Buddha.
Interesting question. The answer is no—I’m not a Buddhist, but my understanding is that even they don’t pray to the Buddha, at least not in the way we think of prayer in the West. I’m curious what about the post made you ask that. It’s mostly about the philosophical connection between Buddhism and yoga, which both have origins in the spiritual traditions of ancient India.