Text 49]
Lord Caitanya’s travels to the Holy Places
315
TBANSIATION
Although the Buddhists are unfit for discussion and should not be seen by Vaiṣṇavas, Caitanya Mahāprabhu spoke to them just to decrease their false pride.
TEXT 49
তুর্ক-প্রধান   বৌদ্ধশাস্ত্র “নব মতে” ।।
তার্কেই   খণ্ডিল প্রভৃ, না পারে স্বাগিতে   ॥ ৪৯ ॥
tarka-pradhāna bauddha-śāstra ‘nava mate’ tarkei khandila prabhu, nā pāre sthāpite
SYNONYMS
tarka-pradhāna —argumentative;  bauddha-śāstra —scriptures of the Buddhist cult;  nava mate —in nine basic principles;  tarkei —by argument;  khaṇḍila —refuted;  prabhu —Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu;  nā —not;  pāre —can;  sthāpite —establish.
TRANSLATION
The scriptures of the Buddhist cult are chiefly based on argument and logic, and they contain nine chief principles. Because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu defeated them in their argument, they could not establish their cult.
PURPORT
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Țhākura states that according to the Buddhist cult there are two ways of understanding philosophy. One is called  hīnāyana , and the other is called  mahāyana . Along this path, there are nine principles. (1) The creation is eternal; therefore there is no need to accept a creator. (2) This cosmic manifestation is false. (3) "I am" is the truth. (4) There is repetition of birth and death. (5) Lord Buddha is the only source of understanding the truth. (6) The principle of  nirvāṇa , or annihilation, is the ultimate goal. (7) The philosophy of Buddha is the only philosophical path. (8) The  Vedas  are compiled by human beings. (9) Pious activities, showing mercy to others and so on are advised.
No one can attain the Absolute Truth by argument. One may be very expert in logic, and another person may be even more expert in the art of argument. Because there is so much word jugglery in logic, one can never come to the real conclusion about the Absolute Truth by argument. The followers of Vedic principles understand this. However, it is seen here that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu defeated the Buddhist philosophy by argument. Those who are preachers in ISKCON will certainly meet many people who believe in intellectual arguments. Most of these