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Hi, Mike, I agree that BR is a brilliant writer. I also agree that her critiques of Hinduism and Buddhism are based on inadequate study.

I recently wrote a blog post summarizing her life story, drawing on the published works. It seems to me that her combative attitude goes all the way back to her childhood. It has nothing to do with her genuine insight.

In the interview she did with Yoga Journal, she observed that stage theories are only ever "someone else’s retrospective view of his or her own journey." Despite this disclaimer, she generally makes it sound as though spiritual development is a one-dimensional path, and that everyone goes through the same stages.

That's an attractive theory -- plenty of people come up with linear models -- but it doesn't have a whole lot of evidence to support it.

Hinduism didn't exist when the Buddha was growing up. The main religion at that time was called Brahmanism and it followed the Four Vedas. In the Pali suttas, there are actually not that many, if any, noteable discussions with Brahmins on the subject of "True Self". 

​​​​​​​Sorry but a Buddhist takes refuge in the Dhamma and the Upanishads are not mentioned in them. 

It appears you & Bernadette Roberts are referring to things that never existed. 

In summary, it appears Hinduism evolved out of Buddhism rather than Buddhism somehow developed out of or was a reaction against Hinduism. 

There was no Hinduism when the Buddha was alive.