BuddhismGautama Buddha: Gautama Buddha or Siddhartha was a contemporary of Mahav

ira. He was born in 563 BC in a Shakya(kshtriya) family in Lumbini near Kapilvas

tu, which is situated in Nepal. Gautama's father (Shudhodana) seems to have been
elected ruler of Kapilvastu, and headed the Republic clan of the Shakyas. His m
other(Mahamaya) was a princess from the Kosalan dynasty. From his early childhoo
d, Gautama showed a meditative kind of mind.
Alara Kama was teacher of meditation. He was married early, but married life did
not interest him. At the age of 29 he left home. He kept on, wandering for abou
t seven years and then attained knowledge at the eight of 35 at Bodh Gaya under
a pipal tree. From this time on words, he began to be called the Buddha or the T
he Englightened.
Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermons at Saranath in Banaras. Gautama Buddh
a passed away at the age of 80 in 483 BC at a place called Kusinagar, identical
with the village called Kasia in the district of Deoria in eastern Uttar Pradesh
.
Five Great Events In Buddha's Life And Their Symbols
Birth
Lotus and bull
Great renunciation
Horse
Nirvana Bodhi tree
First sermon
Wheel (Dharma Chakra)
Parinirvana/Death
Stupa
Teachings Of Buddha: Buddha said that the world is full of sorrows and people su
ffer on account of desires. If desires are conquerred, nirvana will be attained.
He recommended an Eight-fold Path (astangika marga) for the elimination of huma
n misery. It comprised: Right observation, Right determination, Right speech, Ri
ght action, Right livelihood, Right exercise, Right memory and Right meditation.
Buddha also laid down a code of conduct for his followers. The main items in th
is social conduct are:
do not take the property of others
do not commit violence
do not use intoxicants
do not tell a lie
do not indulge in corrupt practices.
The Buddha (The Englightened), Dhamma(The Doctrine) and Sangha(The order) are th
e three jewels of Buddhism. Buddhism does not recognise the existence of God and
soul(atma). It particularly warned the support of lower orders as attacked the
Varna system.
Buddhism PeopleDivision in Buddhism : Like Jainism, Buddhism also faced division
. It was divided into three main sects:
Hinayana or Lesser Vehicle :
Its followers believed in the original teaching of Buddha.
Distraught individual salvation through self-discipline and meditation.
They did not believe in the Idol worship.
Hinayana is a religion without God, Karma taking the place of God.
Nirvana is regarded as the extinction of all.
Pali, the languages of the masses, was used by Hinayana Buddhists.
Ashoka Patronised Hinayanaism.
Mahayana or Greater Vehicle :
Its followers believed in the heavenliness of Buddha.
It believes in the Idol worship.
Mahayana had two Chief philosophical schools: the Madhyamika and Yogachara.
Sanskrit, the language of scholars was used by Mahayana Buddhists.

Kanishka patronised Mahayanism. Later Harsha supported it

Vajrayana or Vehicel of Thunder Bolt :
Its followers believed that salvation be best attained by acquiring the magical
power, which they called Vajra.
The chief divinites of this new sect were the Taras.
It became popular in eastern India, particularly Bengal and Bihar.
It was a form of Buddhism, which appeared in eastern India in the eighth century
and was finally established in Tibet in 11th century, as a result of mission se
nt from the great Vajrayana monastery of Vikramshila.
Buddhism temple Buddhist Scriptures:
The Vanaya Pitaka :1. It mainly deals with the rulers and regulations, which the
Buddha promulgated. 2. It describes in detail the gradual development of the Sa
ngha. 3. An account of the life and teachings of Buddha is also given.
The Sutta Pitaka :1.IT consists of discourses delivered by Buddha himself on dif
ferent occasions. 2. Few discourses delivered by Sariputta, Ananda, Moggalana an
d others are also included in it.
The Abhidhamma Pitaka :1. It contains the pro-find philosophy of Buddha's teachi
ngs. 2. Investigates mind and matter, to help the understanding of things as the
y truly are.
The Khandhakas :1. They contain regulations on the course for life in the monast
ic order and have two sections-the Mahavagga and the Cullavagga. The third part,
the Parivara, is an insignificant composition by a Ceylonese monk.
The Important Buddhist Writers
Asvaghosha : Contemporary of Kanishka. He was poet, dramatist, musician, scholar
and debator.
Nagarjuna : He was a friend of contemporary of Satvahana king Yajnasri Gautamipu
tra of Andhra.
Asanga and Vasubandhu : Two brothers who flourished in the Punjab region in the
fourth century A.D. Asanga was the most important teacher of Yogachara or Vijnan
avada school founded by his guru Maitreyanatha. Vasubandhu's greatest work, Abhi
dharmakosa is still considered an important encyclopaedia of Buddhism.
Buddhaghosa : Who lived in the fifth century A.D. was a great Pali scholar.
Dinnaga :The last mighty intellectual of the fifth century, also well known as t
he founder of the Buddhist logic.
Dharmakirti : Lived in the seventh century A.D.; was another great Buddhist logi
cian, a subtle philosophical thinker and dialectician.
Buddhist Councils
No
Venue (Year)
Presiding Priest
King
Major Outcomes
First Satparni Rajagariha(483 BC)
Mahakassapa
Ajatashatru
Upali, r
ecited the Vinaya Pitaka, Which contains the rules of the Buddhist order; Anand,
the other discipline of Buddha, recited Suttapitaka, containing the great colle
ction of Buddha's sermons on matters of doctrine and ethical beliefs.
Second Vaishali (383 BC)
Split of Buddhist border into t
heSthaviravadins or Theravadins and mahasanghikas over small points of monastic
discipline.
Third
Pataliputra(250 BC)
Mogaliputta Tissa (also known as Upagupta)
Ashoka Establishment of Sthaviravada School as an orthodox school.
Fourth Kundalvana, Kashmir(72 AD)
Vasumitra; Asvaghosha was the deputy of
Vasumitra
Kanishka
Division of Buddhism into the Mahayana and Hina
yana sects
Spread of Buddhism: The use of Pali, the language of the people, contributed to
the spread of Buddhism. It facilitated the spread of Buddhist doctrines among th
e common people. Gautama Buddha also organised the sangha for the religious orde
r, whose doors work Open to everybody, irrespective of caste and sex. 200 years

after the death of Buddha, the famous Maurya King Asoka embraced Buddhism. Throu
gh his agents, Asoka spread Buddhism into Central Asia, West Asia and Sri Lanka
, and thus, transformed it into a world religion. King Kanishka became its patro
n in the first century A.D. Buddhism disappeared from the land of its birth, it
continues to hold ground in the countries of South Asia, East Asia.
Decline of Buddhism: By the 12th century A.D., Buddhism became practically extin
ct in India. It became a victim to the evils of Brahmanism against which had fou
ght in the beginning. Gradually, the Buddhist monks were cut off from the mainst
ream of peoples life; they gave up Pali, the language of the people, and took to
Sanskrit, the language of intellectuals. The Hinduism was internally reformed a
nd stressing upon love and devotion. From the first century A.D. Buddhist practi
sed Idol worship on a large scale and received numerous offerings from devotees.
Entry of woman in Buddhist sanghas, and the attacks of Huna King in the sixth c
entury A.D. and the Turkish invaders in the 12th century A.D. brought rapid exti
nction of Buddhism.