BUDDHISM IN INDIA

About the Buddha

Born in Lumbini (Kapilavastu) in 563 BC

Belonged to a Shakya Kshatriya clan

Father: Suddhodhana, Mother: Mahamaya (a princess from Kosala). He was brought up by his aunt Goutami

Married to Yasodhara, had a son Rahul

Left home when 29 years old

Performed Mahabiniskaramana to become a wandering ascetic

He joined five ascetics Kondana, Vappa, Bhadiya, Mahanama and Assagi and became their leader

Achieved enlightenment at 35 at Uruvela (bodh Gaya) on the banks of Niranjana (528 BCE)

His first sermon is called Dharmachakra-pravartana

Died (Parinirvana) at Kusinagar in 483 BC at age 80

THE COUNCILS OF BUDDHISM

First Buddhist Council (400 BCE)

Held soon after the death of the Buddha

Presided by monk Mahakasyapa

Held by Magadha king Ajatasatru in Rajagriha

Objective was to preserve the Buddha’s sayings (suttas) and monastic rules (Vinaya)

Second Buddhist Council (4^th century BCE)

Held about 100 years after the Buddha’s demise

Held at Vaisali under the presidentship of Sabakami, convened by King Kalasoka

Objective was to settle a debate on certain practices of Buddhist monks, esp. in western India

Third Buddhist Council (250 BCE)

Held at Pataliputra under the patronage of Asoka

Chief monk was Mogaliputta Tissa

Sent Buddhist missionaries to other countries

Objective was to purify the Buddhist movement from opportunistic factions

Origin of Theravada school

Fourth Buddhist Councils (1^st century BCE or CE)

Possibly held under Theravada school in Tambapanni (Sri Lanka) in the 1^st century BCE

Committed the Pali Canon to writing

Another possibly held under Saravastivada tradition, convened by Kanishka around 100 CE in Kashmir under the leadership of monk Vasumitra

Kanishka’s council translated Abhidharna texts from Prakrit to Sanskrit

THE SCHOOLS OF BUDDHISM

Theravada Buddhism

Oldest surviving school of Buddhism

Considered closest to early Buddhism

Emerged from the Third Buddhist Council held under Asoka at Pataliputra (c. 250 BCE)

Introduced to Sri Lanka by Mahinda, the son of Asoka, during the reign of Devanampiya Tissa

Based on the Pali Canon

Practiced today in Sri Lanka, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand

Mahayana Buddhism

Flourished from the 5^th century CE onwards

Patronized by the Gupta dynasty

Nalanda University was a centre of Mahayana learning

Practiced today in Japan, China, Korea, Singapore and Vietnam

Vajrayana Buddhism

Involves tantric practices

Became prominent after the fall of the Gupta dynasty

Tibetan Buddhism belongs to this tradition

THE TEXTS OF BUDDHISM

Pali Tipitaka (Pali Canon)

Refers to three main books

Vinaya Pitaka: contains disciplinary rules for Buddhist monks

Sutta Pitaka: contains disclosures ascribed to the Buddha

Abhidhamma Pitaka: systematic explanations of the Buddha’s teachings

The Pali Tipitaka is the only one to survive in its original language

Originated from the First Buddhist Council (c 400 BCE) under the leadership of monk Mahakasyapa

Used primarily by the Theravada tradition

Mahayana Sutras

Composed from the 1^st century CE onwards

Claim to articulate the Buddha’s more advanced doctrines for followers of the bodhisattva path

Used by the Mahayana tradition

Timeline of Buddhism

563 BCE: Birth of the Buddha

528 BCE: Enlightenment

483 BCE: Death, First Buddhist Council

383 BCE: Second Buddhist Council

250 BCE: Third Buddhist Council

220 BCE: Theravada Buddhism

150 BCE: Indo Greek king Menander I  converts into Buddhism under the sage Nagasena.

29 BCE: Pali canon written down in the reign of the king vattagamini

100 CE: Fourth Buddhist Council

IMPORTANT BUDDHIST SITES IN INDIA

Buddhism’s four holiest sites are 

Lumbini(Buddha’s birth), 

Bodh Gaya (enlightenment), 

Sarnath (first sermon) and 

Kusinagara (death)

Lumbini (Nepal)

Site of the Buddha’s birth

In the present-day region of Terai (southern Nepal)

Houses the Mayadevi Temple and Pusakarini or Holy Pond (where the Buddha had his first bath)

Is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1997)

Bodh Gaya (Bihar)

Site of the Buddha’s enlightenment

Home of the Mahabodhi Temple (constructed 6^th century CE by the Guptas)

Is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2002)

Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh)

Site of the Buddha’s first sermon

Place where the first Sangha came into existence

Home of Asoka’s famous Sarnath Pillar

Contains the Dhamek Stupa, Chaukhandi Stupa, Dharmarajika Stupa, Mulagandhakuti Vihara

Presently on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

Kusinagara (Uttar Pradesh)

Site of the Buddha’s death

Contains the Mahipariniravana Stupa

Houses the Makutabandhana, cremation site of the Buddha

Current plans: Maitreya Project to build a 500 ft statue of the Buddha

Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh)

Houses several Buddhist monuments from 3^rd century BCE to 12^th century CE

The Great Stupa at Sanchi was commissioned by Asoka in the 3^rd century BCE

Is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1989)

IMPORTANT BUDDHIST MONASTERIES IN INDIA

Monastery	Location	Notes
Dhankar Gompa	Himachal Pradesh	In the Spiti Valley
Gandhola Monastery	Himachal Pradesh	Chenab river
Kardang Monastery	Himachal Pradesh
Key Monastery	Himachal Pradesh	Largest monastery in Spiti Valley
Lhalung Monastery	Himachal Pradesh	One of the earliest in Spiti Valley
Tabo Monastery	Himachal Pradesh	Listed by the ASI as a national historic treasure Oldest monastery in India
Tangyud Monastery	Himachal Pradesh
Dharmasala	Himachal Pradesh	Seat of the Tibetan Government in Exile
Namdroling Monastery	Karnataka (near Mysore)	Largest centre of Nyingmapa sect Established by Penor Rinpoche in 1963
Rumtek Monastery	Sikkim	Seat of the Tibetan Karmapa in exile
Tawang Monastery	Arunachal Pradesh	Largest monastery in India