[Advaita-l] Budha & Advaita

[murali mohan]

Can someone pls enlighten me on whether Gautam Budha's teachings were fundamentally the same as Advaita ? I think Budha never talked about Brahman or the Absolute , but otherwise are they the same ? 
  Also why Budha had to start a new religion instead of reforming the religion he was born with, as was done by other greats like Shankara etc  ?  Jesus and Mohammed has to start new religions as there was no organised religions during their time at their part of the world, but when so much of knowledge such as Vedas and Upanishads already available in India, could not Budha correct their interpretations and save people from the caste prejudices prevalent at that time like Shankara did instead of totally deviating from Vedas ? I am not questioning anyone here, just trying to understand myself. 

		
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