Astrological Determinism in Indian Buddhism

This study surveys the presence of astrological determinism (i.e., the belief that celestial bodies influence or signal fated developments) within Indian Buddhism, from early literature until late-Tantra, in which passive belief in astrology is more often expected than rejected. It is argued that a tradition of ‘Buddhist astrology’ did, in fact, exist with a clear evolution over time. This demonstrates that many Buddhists were comfortable with astrology alongside a belief in karma. The increasing incorporation of astrological elements into Buddhist texts also reflects the growing appreciation of astrology in Indian culture over the course of the first millennium CE.