Duke, please read the texts or at least this thread. You've not even read 'Buddha Jivani'; otherwise you won't be writing second paragraph. The royal priest told that buddha would either become the "SAMRAT" conquering many neighbouring states or he would become a saint. Shuddodan was very afraid that he would become a saint, so he was always surrounded best dancers and beautiful women. So till he saw the old, ill, and dead man, he was in a different world. You can disagree that it's not well argued. I've points to believe it is well argued if you're willing to talk without prejudices. Buddha was not exposed to any religious matters as you said. In fact, he went to search and came to learn about vedas and yogas probably later. But he declared that all these are not the paths to enlightnment, and finally got the enlightenment under Bodhigaya tree. Your other sentences just proves that some hindus don't like to read anything related with buddhism, but would like to feel happy by bringing him in their umbrella. If buddhism was really a branch of hinduism, why do shankaracharya has to destroy all buddhist texts as you mentioned. Why've he to be afraid of it?