Yoga and Buddhism: What's the Connection?
Have you ever wondered why Buddhist teachings such as impermanence, non-attachment, and compassion blend so well into yoga classes? It's no coincidence.
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Before Siddhartha Gautama became known as the Buddha, he was deeply involved in yogic practices. He trained intensively with renowned meditation teachers, mastering profound states of consciousness. Yet, despite his rigorous practice, he felt something essential was missing. His pursuit of liberation eventually led him away from traditional yoga practices toward what he called the Middle Way—a balanced path between extreme asceticism and indulgence.
Core Buddhist practices, such as meditation, breath awareness, and ethical conduct, echo the wisdom found in yoga. The Buddha’s Eightfold Path, guiding practitioners toward enlightenment, shares striking similarities with yogic principles of mindful living and self-awareness.
Where Yoga and Buddhism Align—and Diverge
Both yoga and Buddhism aim to free us from suffering and guide us toward spiritual awakening, but they approach this goal differently:
- Yoga, especially non-dual philosophy, teaches that each of us possesses an eternal self, or ātman, that ultimately unites with universal consciousness, or brahman. Even dualistic approaches, like Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, acknowledge an eternal, unchanging consciousness (purusha).
- Buddhism, in contrast, teaches the concept of non-self (anattā). The Buddha explicitly rejected the idea of a permanent self or soul, describing liberation as the understanding that the self is an illusion—an ever-changing stream of experiences.
A transformative power.
This fundamental difference influences how yoga and Buddhism each approach meditation, self-awareness, and personal growth. Yet, their shared values of mindfulness, ethical living, and inner transformation make them deeply complementary paths.
Bringing Buddhist Wisdom into Your Yoga Practice
If your yoga teacher guides you to observe your thoughts with gentle detachment, they're already introducing you to mindfulness (or sati), a foundational Buddhist practice.
When you're encouraged to let go of striving and simply be present, you're experiencing non-attachment (vairagya), a principle that bridges yoga and Buddhism beautifully.
By integrating Buddhist insights into yoga, we enrich our practice, cultivating deeper awareness, compassion, and inner peace. These two traditions, each powerful on their own, become even more transformative when practiced together.
Exploring Further
In my recent book, Buddhism for Yogis, I delve deeper into the fascinating connections between these two traditions and offer practical advice on how to integrate Buddhist wisdom into your yoga journey.
Barbara Courtille
Barbara Courtille, author of "Philosophy on the Mat" and "Buddhism for Yogis." is a Yoga Educator, Author, and Artist living on Cammeraygal land in Sydney, Australia.
With a yoga journey that began in the late 1980s, she has been a teacher, trainer, and mentor to many. Now, she supports teachers through her weekly blog "The Yoga Teachers Blog".
Barbara continues to deepen her spiritual connection through dedicated study and practice.
