Answer: Indian Buddhism has several unique features that distinguish it from other Buddhist traditions, such as its emphasis on emptiness and dependent origination, the use of sophisticated philosophical methods to understand the nature of reality, and its adaptation to local cultural and religious practices
Step-by-step explanation: Some of the most important ways that Indian Buddhism is unique are:
Emphasis on Emptiness and Dependent Origination: Indian Buddhism places a strong emphasis on the concepts of emptiness and dependent origination. Emptiness refers to the ultimate nature of reality, which is empty of inherent existence or independent existence. Dependent origination, on the other hand, refers to the idea that all phenomena arise in dependence on other phenomena.
Use of Sophisticated Philosophical Methods: Indian Buddhism developed a range of sophisticated philosophical methods to understand the nature of reality, including the use of logical analysis, debate, and meditation.
Adaptation to Local Cultural and Religious Practices: Indian Buddhism adapted to local cultural and religious practices, which allowed it to spread throughout the Indian subcontinent and beyond. For example, it integrated with Hinduism to form the syncretic tradition of Buddhism in India.
Concerning the second part of the question, there have been some conflicts between the more yogic forms of Buddhism and the Buddhism of the elders, also known as Theravada Buddhism. The yogic forms of Buddhism, such as Tibetan Buddhism and Zen Buddhism, place more emphasis on meditation and visualization practices than on the study of Buddhist texts. Theravada Buddhism, on the other hand, places more emphasis on the study of Buddhist texts and the practice of mindfulness meditation. However, these differences are not necessarily conflicts, but rather different approaches to the practice of Buddhism. In fact, many Buddhists practice a combination of these approaches, depending on their individual preferences and the teachings of their particular tradition.