Brief History of Buddhism in India

INITIAL SPREAD OF BUDDHISM IN INDIA

Pease note that !arious Buddhist s"hoos may differ in detais of Buddhist history#
Initiay$ Buddhism remained one of the many sma se"ts in India# The main %rea&throu'h "ame
(hen )in' Aso&a *"a# +,-.+/+ B0E1 "on!erted to Buddhism# He did not ma&e it a state rei'ion$
%ut su22orted a ethi"a rei'ions# He or'anised the s2readin' of Buddhism throu'hout India$
%ut aso %eyond3 most im2ortanty to Shri Lan&a# This o""urred after the Third 0oun"i#
THE BUDDHIST 0OUN0ILS
The First 0oun"i
Three months after the Buddha4s Maha2arinir!ana *2assin' a(ay1$ his immediate dis"i2es
"on!ened a "oun"i at Ra5a'aha# Maha )assa2a$ the most res2e"ted and senior mon&$
2resided at the 0oun"i#
T(o !ery im2ortant 2ersonaities (ho s2e"iaised in the t(o areas of the tea"hin's6
. The Dharma6 Ananda$ the "osest "onstant "om2anion and dis"i2e of the Buddha for +7
years# Endo(ed (ith a remar&a%e memory$ Ananda (as a%e to re"ite (hat (as s2o&en %y the
Buddha#
. The 8inaya6 U2ai remem%ered a the 8inaya rues#
Ony these t(o se"tions . the Dharma and the 8inaya . (ere re"ited at the First 0oun"i *no
mention (as made of the A%hidharma yet1# Thou'h there (ere no differen"es of o2inion on the
Dharma there (as some dis"ussion a%out the 8inaya rues#
Before the Buddha4s Parinir!anana$ he had tod Ananda that if the San'ha (ished to amend or
modify some minor rues$ they "oud do so# But Ananda for'ot to as& the Buddha (hat the minor
rues (ere# As the mem%ers of the 0oun"i (ere una%e to a'ree as to (hat "onstituted the
minor rues$ Maha )assa2a finay rued that no dis"i2inary rue aid do(n %y the Buddha shoud
%e "han'ed$ and no ne( ones shoud %e introdu"ed# No intrinsi" reason (as 'i!en# Maha
)assa2a did say one thin'$ ho(e!er6 9If (e "han'ed the rues$ 2eo2e (i say that 8en#
:autama4s dis"i2es "han'ed the rues e!en %efore his funera fire has "eased %urnin'#9
At the 0oun"i$ the Dharma (as di!ided into !arious 2arts and ea"h 2art (as assi'ned to an
Eder and his 2u2is to "ommit to memory# The Dharma (as then 2assed on from tea"her to
2u2i oray# The Dharma (as re"ited daiy %y 'rou2s of 2eo2e (ho re'uary "ross."he"&ed
(ith ea"h other to ensure that no omissions or additions (ere made#
The Se"ond 0oun"i
A""ordin' to the Thera!adin s"hoo *Rahua1$ a%out one hundred years after the Buddha4s
2assin' a(ay$ the Se"ond 0oun"i (as hed to dis"uss some 8inaya rues$ and no "ontro!ersy
a%out the Dharma (as re2orted# The orthodo; mon&s *Stha!ari!ada1 said that nothin' shoud
%e "han'ed$ (hie the others insisted on modifyin' some rues# Finay$ a 'rou2 of mon&s eft
the 0oun"i and formed the Mahasan'hi&a . the :reat 0ommunity# *The Mahasan'hi&a shoud
not to %e "onfused (ith Mahayana#1
A""ordin' to another !ersion *S&iton1$ the Se"ond 0oun"i may ha!e had t(o 2arts6 initiay in
8aisai$ some <- years after the Buddha$ and =- years after that$ a meetin' in Patai2utra$
(here Mahade!a maintained fi!e theses on the Arhat# The a"tua s2it may ha!e o""urred at
Patai2utra$ not 8aisai o!er detais of the 8inaya# In the non.Thera!adin !ersion of e!ents$ the
Mahasan'ha foo(ed the ori'ina !inaya and the Stha!ira!ada *the Eders1 (anted "han'es#
>hat e;a"ty ha22ened is uni&ey to %e e!er re!eaed$ %ut the first s2it in the San'ha (as a
fa"t#
The Third 0oun"i
Durin' the rei'n of Em2eror Aso&a in the /rd 0entury B0E$ the Third 0oun"i (as hed to
dis"uss the differen"es of o2inion amon' the %hi&&hus of different se"ts# At this 0oun"i
differen"es of o2inion (ere not "onfined to the 8inaya$ %ut aso "on"erned the Dharma# The
President of the 0oun"i$ Mo''ai2utta Tissa$ "om2ied a %oo& "aed the )atha!atthu (hi"h
refuted the hereti"a$ fase !ie(s and theories hed %y some se"ts o""urrin' at the time# The
tea"hin' a22ro!ed and a""e2ted %y this 0oun"i %e"ame &no(n as Stha!iras or Thera!ada$
9Tea"hin' of the Eders9# The A%hidhamma Pita&a (as in"uded at this 0oun"i#
After the Third 0oun"i$ )in' Aso&a sent missionaries to Sri Lan&a$ )anara$ )arnata&a$
)ashmir$ Himaaya re'ion$ Burma$ e!en no(adays Af'hanistan# Aso&a4s son$ 8en# Mahinda$
%rou'ht the Tri2ita&a to Sri Lan&a$ aon' (ith the "ommentaries that (ere re"ited at the Third
0oun"i# These tea"hin's ater %e"ame &no(n as the 9Pai."anon9#
The Fourth 0oun"i
The Fourth Buddhist 0oun"i (as hed under the aus2i"es of )in' )anis&a at ?aandhar or in
)ashmir around @-- 0E$ (here =AA mon&s of the Sar!asti!adin s"hoo "om2ied a ne( "anon#
This "oun"i (as ne!er re"o'nised %y the Thera!ada s"hoo#
The Fifth 0oun"i *Burma1
The 7th Buddhist 0oun"i (as hed from @B<B to @B,@ in Mandaay$ Burma (here the te;t of the
Pai 0anon (as re!ised and ins"ri%ed on ,+A mar%e sa%s#
The Si;th 0oun"i *Burma1
The <th Buddhist 0oun"i (as hed at Ran'oon$ Burma in @A7=.@A7<#
CTo2 of Pa'e
FROM +-- B0E TO THE PRESENT
Prior to the Third 0oun"i$ se!era s"hoos de!eo2ed from the Stha!ari!adin6
8asi2utriyaDPud'aa!adinDSammitiya *three names for the same s"hoo1$ Sar!asti!adin and
8i%a5ya!adin#
Later on$ the 8i%ha5ya!adin s"hoo (as di!ided into the Mahisasi&a and the Thera!ada# The
Sar!asti!adin de!eo2ed ater su%.s"hoos &no(n as 8ai%asi&a and Sautranti&a# The
Sar!asti!adin s"hoo is im2ortant in that it formed the %asis for the ater de!eo2ment
of Mahayana#
>ith the "on!ersion of )in' Aso&a$ Buddhism suddeny %e"ame a main rei'ion in India3 it had
%een 5ust one of the many se"ts %efore him#
After the death of Aso&a$ there foo(ed a 2eriod of 2erse"ution under Pusyamitra Sun'a *@B/.
@=, B0E1#
The se"ond roya 2atron for Buddhism (as )anis&a *@st to +nd "entury1# Under his aus2i"es$
the Fourth 0oun"i (as hed#
Le'end re2orts that Na'ar5una *"a#@7-.+7- 0E1 (as the 2erson 2reordained %y Buddha to
re"o!er and e;2i"ate the Perfe"tion of >isdom te;ts# The first of these te;ts (as the 4Perfe"tion
of >isdom in B$--- Lines4# After one of his e"tures$ some na'as a22roa"hed him and tod him
of the te;ts hidden in their &in'dom$ and so Na'ar5una tra!eed there and returned (ith the
sutras to India# He is "redited (ith foundin' the Madhyama&a *Midde >ay1 s"hoo of
Buddhist2hioso2hy$ (hi"h em2hasiEed the "entraity of the do"trine of em2tiness#
Na'ar5una4s 2hioso2hy is usuay "onne"ted to the emer'en"e of Mahayana around this time$
(hi"h meant a "ear distin"tion into the t(o main s"hoos of Buddhism#
A22ro;imatey t(o "enturies after Na'ar5una$ a ne( Mahayana s"hoo arose in India$ (hi"h is
"ommony &no(n as theFo'a"hara *Fo'i" Pra"ti"e S"hoo1# The main s"ri2tura sour"e for this
s"hoo is the Sutra E;2ainin' the Thou'ht *Samdhinirmo"hana.sutra1$ (hi"h "onsists of a
series of Guestions 2ut to the Buddha %y a 'rou2 of %odhisatt!as# The name 9Fo'i" Pra"ti"e
S"hoo9 may ha!e %een deri!ed from an im2ortant treatise %y Asan'a *"a# /@-./A-1 entited the
Le!es of Fo'i" Pra"ti"e *Fo'a"hara.%humi1# Aon' (ith his %rother 8asu%andhu *"a# /+-.=--1$
Asan'a is "redited (ith foundin' this s"hoo and de!eo2in' its "entra do"trines# Fo'a"hara
em2hasiEes the im2ortan"e of meditati!e 2ra"ti"e$ and se!era 2assa'es in Fo'a"hara te;ts
indi"ate that the founders of the s"hoo 2er"ei!ed other Mahayana Buddhists as %ein' o!ery
"on"erned (ith diae"ti"a de%ate (hie ne'e"tin' meditation# The Fo'a"hara s"hoo is
"ommony referred to in Ti%et as 9Mind Ony9 *sems tsam3 Sans&rit6 "hitta.matra1 %e"ause of an
idea found in some Fo'a"hara te;ts that a the 2henomena of the (ord are 9"o'nition.ony9
*!i5na2ti.matra1$ im2yin' that e!erythin' (e 2er"ei!e is "onditioned %y "ons"iousness#
From around the =th "ent 0E$ 8a5rayana *Tantrayana1 Buddhism started to de!eo2 in India as
2art of the Mahayana tradition# In addition to the de!eo2ments in 2hioso2hy$ a ne( trend in
2ra"ti"e de!eo2ed in India$ (hi"h (as (ritten do(n in te;ts "aed tantras# These te;ts
2ur2orted to ha!e %een s2o&en %y the histori"a Buddha *or sometimes %y other Buddhas1$ and
(hie they in"or2orated the traditiona Mahayana idea of the %odhisatt!a (ho see&s
%uddhahood for the %enefit of a %ein's$ they aso 2ro2osed some radi"ay ne( 2ra"ti"es and
2aradi'ms# The "entra 2ra"ti"es of tantra in"ude !isuaiEations intended to foster "o'niti!e
reorientation$ the use of 2rayers *mantra1 to Buddhas that are intended to fa"iitate the
transformation of the meditator into a fuy eni'htened Buddha$ and often ea%orate rituas#
In the 7th "ent 0E$ a Buddhist monasti" uni!ersity (as founded at Naanda$ India# This
uni!ersity (oud %e"ome the ar'est and most infuentia Buddhist "enter for many "enturies to
"ome#
0handra&irti *"a# 77-.<--1 (as one of the most infuentia "ommentators of Na'ar5una
In the foo(in' "enturies$ a num%er of syn"reti" s"hoos de!eo2ed# They tended to min'e
Madhyama&a and Fo'a"hara do"trines# The 'reatest e;am2es of this syn"reti" 2eriod are the
2hioso2hers Shantara&shita *"a# <B-.,=-1 and)amaashia *"a# ,=-.,A-1$ (ho are amon' the
ast si'nifi"ant Buddhist 2hioso2hers in India#
Foo(in' this ast fo(erin' of Buddhist thou'ht in India$ Buddhism %e'an to de"ine# It %e"ame
in"reasin'y a tradition of eite s"hoar.mon&s (ho studied in 'reat monasti" uni!ersities i&e
Naanda and 8i&ramashia in Northern India# Buddhism faied to ada2t to "han'in' so"ia and
2oiti"a "ir"umstan"es$ and a22arenty a"&ed a (ide %ase of su22ort#
>hen a series of in!asions %y Tur&ish Musims des"ended on India in the ninth throu'h t(efth
"enturies$ after the in!aders had sa"&ed the 'reat north Indian monasti" uni!ersities and &ied
many 2rominent mon&s$ Buddhism (as deat a death %o( from (hi"h it ne!er re"o!ered# In
@@A/ the Mosems atta"&ed and "onGuered Ma'adha$ the heartand of Buddhism in India$ and
(ith the destru"tion of the Buddhist Monasteries$ i&e Naanda *@+--1 in that area Buddhism
(as (i2ed out#
Ony some sma remnants of Buddhist "ommunities$ i&e in the Himaayan areas$ Buddhism
remained ai!e# A2art from the Mosims$ most Indians are Hindu$ and to them Buddhism is a od$
dead %ran"h of Hinduism$ not a se2erate$ inde2endent rei'ion#
Durin' the En'ish 0oonia Rue$ there (as a sma resur'en"e of Buddhism in India# In the
@BA-4s$ for e;am2e$ Damma2ara of Sri Lan&a founded the Maha%oddhi So"iety$ and Ayoti
Daas founded the Buddhist So"iety of South India$ as (e as other unreated Buddhist a"ti!ities
in Ben'a and other 2a"es in India# The effe"ts of these a"ti!ites (here o"aiEed$ ne!er
s2readin' (idey#
In @A7< in the state of Maharashutra$ in the "ity of Na'2ur$ Dr# Am%ed&ar hed a "on!ersion
"eremony$ and "on!erted 7--$--- untou"ha%es to Buddhism# One of the underyin' thou'hts
of this re.introdu"tion (as to redu"e the infuen"e of the Hindu "aste system in India and its
detrimenta infuen"e on 2eo2e of the o(er "astes# The num%er of Buddhists in India in @AB@
*a""ordin' to India :o!t# estimates1 (as =#<7 miion 2eo2e$ and in @AA@$ %e"ame <#/+ miion
2eo2e# A%out B-H of this 2o2uation i!e in the state of Maharashutra$ and in the "ity of Na'2ur3
mainy "onne"ted to Dr# Am%ed&ar4s efforts# In the ast fe( years$ the "oun"iousness of human
ri'hts has in"reased in India$ and the num%er of Untou"ha%es "on!ertin' to Buddhism is
in"reasin'#
Main sour"es6
8en# Dr# ># Rahua4s 9:ems of Buddhist >isdom9
Asian studies$ Buddha Sasana
9A 0on"ise History of Buddhism9 %y Andre( S&iton *>indhorse @AA=1#