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'{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2013}} [[File:Mahabodhitemple.jpg|thumb|The [[Mahabodhi Temple]], a [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]], is one of the four holy sites related to the life of the Lord Buddha, and particularly to the attainment of Enlightenment. The first temple was built by The Indian Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC, and the present temple dates from the 5th century or 6th century AD. It is one of the earliest Buddhist temples built entirely in brick, still standing in India, from the late [[Gupta empire|Gupta period]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1056|title=Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya|author=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|publisher=|accessdate=27 February 2015}}</ref>]] [[File:Mahabodhi-1780s.jpg|thumb|Mahabodhi Temple before restoration, [[Bodh Gaya]], 1780s' ]] [[File:Rock-cut Lord --Buddha-- Statue at Bojjanakonda near Anakapalle of Visakhapatnam dist in AP.jpg|thumb|Rock-cut Lord --[[Buddha]]-- Statue at Bojjanakonda near [[Anakapalle]] of [[Visakhapatnam]] dist in AP]] [[File:Ancient Buddhist monasteries near Dhamekh Stupa Monument Site, Sarnath.jpg|thumb|Ancient Buddhist monasteries near [[Dhamekh Stupa]] Monument Site, Sarnath]] [[File:ElloraPuja.jpg|thumb|Devotees performing [[Puja (Buddhism)|puja]] at one of the Buddhist caves in [[Ellora Caves]].]] [[Buddhism]] is a world religion, which arose in and around the ancient Kingdom of [[Magadha]] (now in [[Bihar]], [[India]]), and is based on the teachings of [[Siddhartha Gautama|Siddhārtha Gautama]]{{refn|group=note|born as a prince of the ancient [[Kapilavastu]] kingdom now in [[Lumbini]] of [[Nepal]]),<ref>{{cite book|last=Smith|first=Vincent A.|title=The Early History of India from 600 B.C. to the Muhammadan Conquest Including the Invasion of Alexander the Great|year=1914|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=London|pages=168–169|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=b9a1AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA168-IA1&dq=birth+place+buddha&hl=en&ei=cyqWT9juLsnZiQL0m8yFCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book-thumbnail&resnum=9&ved=0CGQQ6wEwCA#v=onepage&q=birth%20place%20buddha&f=false|edition=3rd}}</ref>}} who was deemed a "[[Buddhahood|Buddha]]" ("Awakened One"<ref name="Monier-Williams' dictionary">{{cite book|last=Monier-Williams|first=Monier|title=Dictionary of Sanskrit|publisher=OUP|url=http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/monier/indexcaller.php?input=Harvard-Kyoto&output=RomanUnicode&citation=buddha}}</ref>). Buddhism spread outside of Magadha starting in the Buddha's lifetime. With the reign of the Buddhist [[Maurya empire|Mauryan]] Emperor [[Ashoka]], the Buddhist community split into two branches: the [[Mahāsāṃghika]] and the [[Sthaviravāda]], each of which spread throughout India and split into numerous sub-sects.<ref>Akira Hirakawa, Paul Groner, ''A history of Indian Buddhism: from Śākyamuni to early Mahāyāna''. Reprint published by Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 1993, page 2.</ref> In modern times, two major branches of Buddhism exist: the [[Theravāda]] in [[Sri Lanka]] and [[Southeast Asia]], and the [[Mahāyāna]] throughout the [[Himalayas]] and [[East Asia]]. The practice of [[Buddhism]] as a distinct and organized religion lost influence after the Gupta reign (c.7th century CE), and declined from the land of its origin in around 13th century, but not without leaving a significant impact. [[Buddhist]] practice is most common in [[Himalaya]]n areas like [[Ladakh]], [[Arunachal Pradesh]] and [[Sikkim]]. Buddhism has been reemerging in India since the past century, due to its adoption by many Indian intellectuals, the migration of Buddhist Tibetan exiles, and the mass conversion of hundreds of thousands of Hindu [[Dalit]]s.<ref>''The New York times guide to essential knowledge: a desk reference for the curious mind''. Macmillan 2004, page 513.</ref> According to the [[2001 Census of India|2001 census]], Buddhists make up 0.8% of India's population, or 7.95 million individuals.<ref>Peter Harvey, ''An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices'', p. 400. Cambridge University Press, 2012, ISBN 978-052185-942-4</ref> ==Siddhārtha Gautama== Buddha was born in [[Lumbini]] in the central Ganges-plain, now in present-day [[Nepal]], to a Vedic chieftain of [[Kapilvastu]]-[[Suddhodana]]. After asceticism and [[meditation]] which was a Samana practice, the Buddha discovered the Buddhist [[Middle Way]]—a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and [[asceticism|self-mortification]]. Siddhārtha Gautama attained enlightenment sitting under a [[Ficus religiosa|pipal]] tree, now known as the [[Bodhi tree]] in [[Bodh Gaya]], India. Gautama, from then on, was known as ''"The Perfectly Self-Awakened One,"'' the [[Three types of Buddha|Samyaksambuddha]]. Buddha found patronage in the ruler of [[Magadha]], emperor [[Bimbisara|Bimbisāra]]. The emperor accepted Buddhism as personal faith and allowed the establishment of many Buddhist "[[Vihara|Vihāra]]s." This eventually led to the renaming of the entire region as [[Bihar]].<ref name=Wolpert>India by [[Stanley Wolpert]] (Page 32)</ref> At the Deer Park Water Reservation near [[Varanasi|{{IAST|Vārāṇasī}}]] in [[northern India]], Buddha set in motion the [[Dharmacakra|Wheel of Dharma]] by delivering his first sermon to the group of five companions with whom he had previously sought enlightenment. They, together with the Buddha, formed the first [[Sangha|{{IAST|Saṅgha}}]], the company of Buddhist monks, and hence, the first formation of [[Triple Gem]] (Buddha, [[Dharma]] and Sangha) was completed. For the remaining years of his life, the Buddha is said to have traveled in the [[Gangetic Plain]] of Northern India and other regions. Buddha attained [[Parinirvana]] in [[Kushinagar|Kuśināra]]. ==Buddhists== Followers of Buddhism, called '''Buddhists''' in English, referred to themselves as ''Saugata''.<ref>P. 178 ''The Vision of Dhamma: Buddhist Writings of Nyanaponika Thera'' By Nyanaponika (Thera), Erich Fromm</ref> Other terms were ''Sakyan''s or ''Sakyabhiksu'' in ancient India.<ref>''Beyond Enlightenment: Buddhism, Religion, Modernity'' by Richard Cohen. Routledge 1999. ISBN 0-415-54444-0. pg 33. "Donors adopted Sakyamuni Buddha’s family name to assert their legitimacy as his heirs, both institutionally and ideologically. To take the name of Sakya was to define oneself by one’s affiliation with the Buddha, somewhat like calling oneself a Buddhist today.</ref><ref>''Sakya or Buddhist Origins'' by Caroline Rhys Davids (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, 1931) pg 1. "Put away the word “Buddhism” and think of your subject as “Sakya.” This will at once place you for your perspective at a true point . . You are now concered to learn less about 'Buddha' and 'Buddhism,' and more about him whom India has ever known as Sakya-muni, and about his men who, as their records admit, were spoken of as the Sakya-sons, or men of the Sakyas."</ref> ''Sakyaputto'' was another term used by Buddhists, as well as ''Ariyasavako''<ref>P. 56 ''A Dictionary of the Pali Language'' By Robert Cæsar Childers</ref> and ''Jinaputto''.<ref>P. 171 ''A Dictionary of the Pali Language'' By Robert Cæsar Childers</ref> Buddhist scholar [[Donald S. Lopez, Jr.|Donald S. Lopez]] asserts they also used the term ''Bauddha'',<ref>''Curators of the Buddha'' By Donald S. Lopez. University of Chicago Press. pg 7</ref> although scholar Richard Cohen asserts that that term was used only by outsiders to describe Buddhists.<ref>''Beyond Enlightenment: Buddhism, Religion, Modernity'' by Richard Cohen. Routledge 1999. ISBN 0-415-54444-0. pg 33. Bauddha is "a secondary derivative of buddha, in which the vowel’s lengthening indicates connection or relation. Things that are bauddha pertain to the buddha, just as things Saiva relato to Siva and things Vaisnava belong to Visnu. . . baudda can be both adjectival and nominal; it can be used for doctrines spoken by the buddha, obejects enjoyed by him, texts attributed to him, as well as individuals, communities, and societies that offer him reverence or accept ideologies certified through his name. Strictly speaking, Sakya is preferable to bauddha since the latter is not attested at Ajanta. In fact, as a collective noun, bauddha is an outsider’s term. The bauddha did not call themselves this in India, though they did sometimes use the word adjectivally (e.g., as a possessive, the buddha’s)."</ref> ==Buddhist movements== [[File:sattapanni.jpg|thumb|The Sattapanni caves of Rajgir served as the location for the First Buddhist Council.]] [[File:Sanchi.jpg|thumb|The Northern gateway to the great Stupa of Sanchi.]] [[File:Shanti Stupa Dhauli.JPG|thumb|Shanti stupas at [[Dhauli]]giri, [[Orissa]]]] [[File:Gurubhaktulakonda Buddhist Monastery Remnants at Ramatheertham.jpg|thumb|Gurubhaktulakonda [[Buddhist]] [[Monastery]] Remnants at [[Ramatheertham]]]] The Buddha did not appoint any successor, and asked his followers to work toward liberation. The teachings of the Buddha existed only in [[oral tradition]]s. The Sangha held a number of [[Buddhist councils]] in order to reach consenseus on matters of Buddhist doctrine and practice. # [[Mahākāśyapa]], a disciple of the Buddha, presided over the [[first Buddhist council]] held at [[Rajgir|Rājagṛha]]. Its purpose was to recite and agree on the Buddha's actual teachings and on monastic discipline. Some scholars consider this council fictitious.<ref>Williams, ''Mahayana Buddhism'', Routledge, 1989, page 6</ref> # [[The Second Buddhist Council]] is said to have taken place at [[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaiśālī]]. Its purpose was to deal with questionable monastic practices like the use of money, the drinking of palm wine, and other irregularities; the council declared these practices unlawful. # What is commonly called the [[Third Buddhist Council]] was held at [[Pataliputra|Pāṭaliputra]], and was allegedly called by Emperor [[Ashoka|Aśoka]] in the 3rd century BCE. Organized by the monk [[Moggaliputta Tissa]], it was held in order to rid the sangha of the large number of monks who had joined the order because of its royal patronage. Most scholars now believe this council was exclusively Theravada, and that the dispatch of missionaries to various countries at about this time was nothing to do with it. # What is often called the [[Fourth Buddhist council]] is generally believed to have been held under the patronage of Emperor [[Kanishka|Kaniṣka]] at [[Jalandhar|Jālandhar]] in [[Kashmir]], though the late Monseigneur Professor Lamotte considered it fictitious.<ref>''the Teaching of Vimalakīrti'', Pali Text Society, page XCIII</ref> It is generally believed to have been a council of the [[Sarvastivāda]] school. ===Early Buddhism Schools=== {{Main|Early Buddhist Schools}} The Early Buddhist Schools were the various schools in which [[pre-sectarian Buddhism]] split in the first few centuries after the passing away of the Buddha (in about the 5th century BCE). The earliest division was between the majority [[Mahāsāṃghika]] and the minority [[Sthaviravāda]]. Some existing Buddhist traditions follow the vinayas of early Buddhist schools. * [[Theravāda]]: practiced mainly in [[Sri Lanka]], [[Myanmar]], [[Thailand]], [[Cambodia]], [[Laos]] and [[Bangladesh]]. * [[Dharmaguptaka]]: followed in [[China]], [[Korea]], [[Vietnam]], and [[Taiwan]]. * [[Mulasarvastivada|Mūlasarvāstivāda]]: followed in [[Tibetan Buddhism]]. The Dharmaguptakas made more efforts than any other sect to spread Buddhism outside India, to areas such as [[Afghanistan]], [[Central Asia]], and China, and they had great success in doing so.<ref>Warder, A.K. ''Indian Buddhism''. 2000. p. 278</ref> Therefore, most countries which adopted Buddhism from China, also adopted the Dharmaguptaka vinaya and ordination lineage for [[bhikkhu|bhikṣu]]s and [[bhikkhuni|bhikṣuṇī]]s. During the early period of [[Chinese Buddhism]], the Indian Buddhist sects recognized as important, and whose texts were studied, were the Dharmaguptakas, [[Mahīśāsaka]]s, [[Kāśyapīya]]s, Sarvāstivādins, and the Mahāsāṃghikas.<ref>Warder, A.K. ''Indian Buddhism.'' 2000. p. 281</ref> Complete vinayas preserved in the [[Chinese Buddhist canon]] include the ''Mahīśāsaka Vinaya'' (T. 1421), ''Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya'' (T. 1425), ''Dharmaguptaka Vinaya'' (T. 1428), ''Sarvāstivāda Vinaya'' (T. 1435), and the ''Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya'' (T. 1442). Also preserved are a set of [[Āgama (Buddhism)|Āgamas]] ([[Sutta Pitaka|Sūtra Piṭaka]]), a complete Sarvāstivāda Abhidharma Piṭaka, and many other texts of the early Buddhist schools. Early Buddhist schools in India often divided modes of Buddhist practice into several "vehicles" (''[[Yana (Buddhism)|yāna]]''). For example, the [[Vaibhāṣika]] Sarvāstivādins are known to have employed the outlook of Buddhist practice as consisting of the Three Vehicles:<ref name="Nakamura, Hajime 1999. p. 189">Nakamura, Hajime. ''Indian Buddhism: A Survey With Bibliographical Notes.'' 1999. p. 189</ref> # [[Śrāvakayāna]] # [[Pratyekabuddhayāna]] # [[Bodhisattvayāna]] ===Mahāyāna=== {{Main|Mahāyāna}} The Mahāyāna tradition of Buddhism, developed in India, popularized the concept of a ''[[bodhisattva]]'' ("enlightenment being") and the worship of the bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas such as [[Manjushri|Mañjuśrī]], [[Avalokiteshvara|Avalokiteśvara]], and [[Maitreya]] were highly esteemed in Indian Mahāyāna practice. Mahāyāna Buddhism advocates the path of a bodhisattva practicing the ''[[pāramitā]]s'', or "perfections," culminating with [[Prajñāpāramitā]], the perfection of wisdom. . Paul Williams has also noted that the Mahāyāna never had nor ever attempted to have a separate Vinaya or ordination lineage from the early Buddhist schools, and therefore each bhikṣu or bhikṣuṇī adhering to the Mahāyāna formally belonged to one of the early Buddhist schools. Membership in these ''nikāyas'', or monastic sects, continues today with the Dharmaguptaka nikāya in East Asia, and the Mūlasarvāstivāda nikāya in Tibetan Buddhism. Paul Harrison clarifies that while monastic Mahāyānists belonged to a nikāya, not all members of a nikāya were Mahāyānists.<ref>Guang Xing. The Concept of the Buddha: Its Evolution from Early Buddhism to the Trikaya Theory. 2004. p. 115</ref> From Chinese monks visiting India, we now know that both Mahāyāna and non-Mahāyāna monks in India often lived in the same monasteries side by side.<ref>Williams, Paul (2000) ''Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition'': p. 97</ref> The Chinese monk [[Yijing (monk)|Yijing]] who visited India in the 7th century CE, distinguishes Mahāyāna as follows:<ref>Williams, Paul (2008) ''Mahāyāna Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations'': p. 5</ref> {{quote|Both adopt one and the same Vinaya, and they have in common the prohibitions of the five offences, and also the practice of the [[Four Noble Truths]]. Those who venerate the bodhisattvas and read the Mahāyāna sūtras are called the Mahāyānists, while those who do not perform these are called the [[Hinayana|Hīnayānists]].}} Mahāyāna Buddhism includes the following Indian schools: *[[Mādhyamaka]] (''Middle Way''), a Mahāyāna tradition popularized by [[Nāgārjuna]] and [[Aśvaghoṣa]]. *[[Yogācāra]] (''Consciousness Only''), founded by [[Asanga|Asaṅga]] and [[Vasubandhu]]. ===Vajrayāna=== {{main|Vajrayāna}} A form of Indian Buddhism that emerged in the 4th century and later spread to China ([[Tangmi]]), Japan ([[Shingon]]), [[Tibet]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Indonesia]], and other countries. It remains widespread in Tibetan Buddhism, and in Nepal, Bhutan, and Mongolia.<ref>Fisher, Mary Pat (2008). "Living Religions," pp.164. Pearson Education, Inc., New Jersey. ISBN 978-0-13-614105-1.</ref> This school emerged from forest meditation traditions in northern India, in which the entire emphasis of teachings was on practice, using skillful means to attain the goal of enlightenment in one's present lifetime.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}} This form is also known as Vajrayāna (''The Diamond Vehicle''). [[Tantrism]] is an [[esoteric]] tradition. Its initiation ceremonies involve entry into a [[mandala]], a mystic circle or symbolic map of the spiritual universe. Also central to Tantrism is the use of [[mudras]] and [[mantras]]. A lesser known route of transmission is that which went through the valley of Kathmandu, situated in present-day Nepal. The valley, forms the cradle of the Nepali state today, and since the farthest point in historical time, has found itself under the cultural influence of the South Asian Hindu (and also Buddhist) civilization. However, being a distant outpost of Hinduism (and Buddhism), it was spared from the ravages of later Muslim conquests and social upheavals. Even after Buddhism died in the heartland, it survived in Kathmandu valley. Monastic records in the numerous monasteries show that until the mid-medieval period in Nepalese history, Tibetan students regularly came there for learning Buddhism from the local spiritual masters. The Tibetan religious scripts Lantsha and Vartu are variants of the [[Ranjana script|Rañjanā]] system used by the [[Newar people|Newars]] of Kathmandu. However, due to numerous social, economic and political factors, Buddhist monasticism in the valley died. By then Tibetan Buddhism had already gained prominence in the region. Today, in the urban centres of Kathmandu valley, we still find Indian Mahayana Buddhism, modified through mixing with Vajrayāna, practiced by the local Buddhist Newar population.<ref>[http://www.kheper.net/topics/Buddhism/Vajrayana.htm Vajrayana]. Kheper.net. Retrieved on 2013-07-12.</ref> ==Strengthening of Buddhism in India== ===The Early Spread of Buddhism=== "During the sixth and fifth centuries B.C.E., commerce and cash became increasingly important in an economy previously dominated by self-sufficient production and bartered exchange. Merchants found Buddhist moral and ethical teachings an attractive alternative to the esoteric rituals of the traditional Brahmin priesthood, which seemed to cater exclusively to Brahmin interests while ignoring those of the new and emerging social classes." <ref name="test">Jerry Bentley, ''Old World Encounters: Cross-Cultural Contacts and Exchanges in Pre-Modern Times'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), 43.</ref> "Furthermore, Buddhism was prominent in communities of merchants, who found it well suited to their needs and who increasingly established commercial links throughout the Mauryan empire."<ref>Jerry Bentley, ''Old World Encounters: Cross-Cultural Contacts and Exchanges in Pre-Modern Times'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), 46.</ref> "Merchants proved to be an efficient vector of the Buddhist faith, as they established diaspora communities in the string of oasis towns-Merv, Bukhara, Samarkand, Kashgar, Khotan, Kuqa, Turpan, Dunhuang - that served as lifeline of the silk roads through central Asia."<ref>Jerry Bentley, ''Old World Encounters: Cross-Cultural Contacts and Exchanges in Pre-Modern Times'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), 47-48.</ref> ===Aśoka and the Mauryan Empire=== {{further|Ashoka the great|Mauryan empire}} The [[Maurya empire]] reached its peak at the time of emperor Aśoka, who converted to Buddhism under the influence of his Buddhist wife and Empress consort Devi after the [[Kalinga War|Battle of Kaliṅga]]. This heralded a long period of stability under the Buddhist emperor. The power of the empire was vast—ambassadors were sent to other countries to propagate Buddhism. Greek envoy [[Megasthenes]] describes the wealth of the Mauryan capital. Stupas, pillars and edicts on stone remain at [[Sanchi]], [[Sarnath]] and [[Mathura, Uttar Pradesh|Mathura]], indicating the extent of the empire. Emperor Aśoka the Great (304 BCE&ndash;232 BCE) was the ruler of the Maurya Empire from 273 BCE to 232 BCE. [[File:Asoka Kaart.gif|thumb|Buddhist [[proselytism]] at the time of king Asoka (260-218 BCE), according to his [[Edicts of Aśoka|Edicts]].]] Aśoka reigned over most of India after a series of military campaigns. Emperor Aśoka's kingdom stretched from [[South Asia]] and beyond, from present-day parts of [[Afghanistan]] in the north and [[Balochistan]] in the west,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.nl/books?id=YgAp2MuMR84C&pg=PA25&dq=mauryan+empire+balochistan&hl=nl&sa=X&ei=IufwVIaPOILAOb3BgWg&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAg|title=The Truth of Babri Mosque|accessdate=6 May 2015}}</ref> to [[Bengal]] and [[Assam]] in the east, and as far south as [[Mysore]]. According to legend, emperor Aśoka was overwhelmed by guilt after the conquest of [[Kalinga|Kaliṅga]], following which he accepted Buddhism as personal faith with the help of his Brahmin mentors Rādhāsvāmī and Mañjūśrī. Aśoka established monuments marking several significant sites in the life of [[Śakyamuni Buddha]], and according to Buddhist tradition was closely involved in the preservation and transmission of Buddhism.<ref>[http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/f/fa-hien/f15l/chapter27.html Fa-hsien: A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms: Chapter XXVII: Patalipttra or Patna, in Magadha. King Aśoka's Spirit Built Palace and Halls. The Buddhist Brahman, Radha-Sami. Dispensaries and Hospitals.]</ref> He used his position to propagate the relatively new philosophy to new heights, as far as ancient [[Rome]] and [[Egypt]]. ===Graeco-Bactrians, Sakas and Indo-Parthians=== [[Menander I|Menander]] was the most famous [[Bactria]]n king. He ruled from Taxila and later from [[Sagala]] (Sialkot). He rebuilt Taxila ([[Sirkap]]) and Puṣkalavatī. He became Buddhist and is remembered in Buddhists records due to his discussions with a great Buddhist philosopher in the book ''[[Milinda Pañha]]''. [[File:PharroAndArdoxsho.jpg|thumb|The Buddhist gods [[Pancika]] (left) and [[Hārītī]] (right), 3rd century AD, Takht-i Bahi, [[Gandhāra]], [[British Museum]].]] By 90 BC, [[Parthians]] took control of eastern Iran and around 50 BC put an end to last remnants of Greek rule in Afghanistan. By around 7 AD, an [[Indo-Parthian]] dynasty succeeded in taking control of [[Gandhāra]]. Parthians continued to support Greek artistic traditions in Gandhara. The start of the Gandhāran [[Greco-Buddhist art]] is dated to the period between 50 BC and 75 AD. ===Kuṣāna Empire=== [[Kushan Empire|Kuṣāna]] under emperor [[Kanishka|Kaniṣka]] was known as the Kingdom of [[Gandhāra]]. The Buddhist art spread outward from Gandhāra to other parts of Asia. He greatly encouraged Buddhism. Before Kaniṣka, Buddha was not represented in human form. In Gandhāra Mahāyāna Buddhism flourished and Buddha was represented in human form. ===The Pāla and Sena era=== Under the rule of the [[Pala Empire|Pāla]] and [[Sena]]{{dn|date=March 2015}} kings, large mahāvihāras flourished in what is now [[Bihar]] and [[Bengal]]. According to Tibetan sources, five great Mahāvihāras stood out: [[Vikramaśīla]], the premier university of the era; [[Nālanda]], past its prime but still illustrious, [[Somapura]], [[Odantapuri|Odantapurā]], and [[Jaggadala]].<ref>''Vajrayoginī: Her Visualization, Rituals, and Forms'' by Elizabeth English. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-329-X pg 15</ref> The five monasteries formed a network; "all of them were under state supervision" and their existed "a system of co-ordination among them . . it seems from the evidence that the different seats of Buddhist learning that functioned in eastern India under the Pāla were regarded together as forming a network, an interlinked group of institutions," and it was common for great scholars to move easily from position to position among them.<ref>''Buddhist Monks And Monasteries Of India: Their History And Contribution To Indian Culture.'' by Dutt, Sukumar. George Allen and Unwin Ltd, London 1962. pg 352-3</ref> ==Dharma masters== [[File:BodhidharmaYoshitoshi1887.jpg|thumb|Bodhidharma, [[woodcut|woodblock]] print by [[Yoshitoshi]], 1887]] Indian ascetics (Skt. ''śramaṇa'') propagated Buddhism in various regions, including [[East Asia]] and [[Central Asia]]. In the Edicts of Aśoka, Aśoka mentions the Hellenistic kings of the period as a recipient of his Buddhist proselytism.<ref>"The conquest by Dharma has been won here, on the borders, and even six hundred [[yojana]]s (5,400-9,600 km) away, where the Greek king [[Antiochus II Theos|Antiochos]] rules, beyond there where the four kings named [[Ptolemy II Philadelphus|Ptolemy]], [[Antigonus Gonatas|Antigonos]], [[Magas of Cyrene|Magas]] and [[Alexander II of Epirus|Alexander]] rule, likewise in the south among the [[Cola dynasty|Cholas]], the [[Pāṇḍya]]s, and as far as [[Tāmraparṇi]]." (Edicts of Ashoka, 13th Rock Edict, S. Dhammika)</ref> Emissaries of Ashoka, such as [[Dharmaraksita]], are described in [[Pāli|Pali]] sources as leading Greek ("[[Yona]]") Buddhist monks, active in Buddhist proselytism (the [[Mahavamsa]], XII<ref>Full text of the Mahāvaṃsa [http://lakdiva.org/mahavamsa/chapters.html Click chapter XII]</ref>). [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] Historical accounts describe an embassy sent by the "Indian king Pandion ([[Pandya]]?), also named Porus," to [[Caesar Augustus]] around the 1st century. The embassy was travelling with a diplomatic letter in [[Ancient Greek|Greek]], and one of its members was a [[sramana]] who burned himself alive in [[Athens]], to demonstrate his faith. The event made a sensation and was described by [[Nicolaus of Damascus]], who met the embassy at [[Antioch]], and related by [[Strabo]] (XV,1,73)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0239&layout=&loc=15.1.73|title=Strabo, Geography, NOTICE.|publisher=|accessdate=27 February 2015}}</ref> and [[Dio Cassius]] (liv, 9). A tomb was made to the sramana, still visible in the time of [[Plutarch]], which bore the mention: :("The [[sramana]] master from [[Bharuch|Barygaza]] in India") [[Lokaksema (Buddhist monk)|Lokaksema]] is the earliest known Buddhist monk to have translated Mahayana Buddhist scriptures into the Chinese language. Gandharan monks [[Jnanagupta]] and [[Prajna (Buddhist Monk)|Prajna]] contributed through several important translations of Sanskrit sutras into Chinese language. The Indian [[Dhyāna in Buddhism|dhyana]] master [[Buddhabhadra (Shaolin abbot)|Buddhabhadra]] was the founding abbot and patriarch<ref>Faure, Bernard. [http://books.google.com/books?id=DWbFajDicgYC&dq=%22Faure%22+%22Chan+Insights+and+Oversights:+An+Epistemological+...%22+&psp=9 ''Chan Insights and Oversights: an [[epistemological]] critique of the Chan tradition''], Princeton University Press, 1993. ISBN 0-691-02902-4</ref> of the [[Shaolin Temple]].<ref>[http://www.shaolin.cn.com/site/list/C7/ The Founder Of Shaolinsi (Official Shaolin Monastery Portal in English)]{{dead link|date=April 2015}}</ref> [[Buddhist]] [[monk]] and [[esoteric]] master from SouthIndia (6th century), [[Kanchipuram]] is regarded as the [[patriarch]] of the Ti-Lun school. [[Bodhidharma]] (c. 6th century) was the Buddhist Bhikkhu traditionally credited as the founder of Zen Buddhism in China.<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/ebc/article-9080361 Concise Encyclopædia Britannica Article on Bodhidharma]{{dead link|date=April 2015}}</ref> In 580, Indian monk Vinītaruci travelled to Vietnam. This, then, would be the first appearance of Vietnamese Zen, or Thien Buddhism. [[File:Gururinpochen.jpg|thumb|Guru Rinpoche, the patron [[saint]] of Sikkim. The 118 foot statue in [[Namchi]], South Sikkim, is the tallest statue of the saint in the world.]] [[Padmasambhava]], in Sanskrit meaning ''"lotus-born"'', is said to have brought [[Tantric Buddhism]] to Tibet in the 8th century. In [[Bhutan]] and Tibet he is better known as "Guru&nbsp;Rinpoche" (''"Precious Master"'') where followers of the [[Nyingma]] school regard him as the second [[Buddhahood|Buddha]]. [[Śāntarakṣita]], abbot of [[Nālanda]] and founder of the [[Yogacara]]-[[Madhyamaka]] is said to have helped Padmasambhava establish [[Buddhism in Tibet]]. Indian monk [[Atiśa]], holder of the ''mind training'' (Tib. [[lojong]]) teachings, is considered an indirect founder of the [[Geluk]] school of [[Tibetan Buddhism]]. Indian monks, such as [[Vajrabodhi]], also travelled to [[Indonesia]] to propagate Buddhism. == Decline of Buddhism in India == {{further|Decline of Buddhism in India}} [[File:Nalanda stucco.jpg|thumb|General [[Ikhtiar Uddin Muhammad Bin Bakhtiyar Khilji]] sacked the great Buddhist shrines at [[Nālanda]].<ref>The Maha-Bodhi By Maha Bodhi Society, Calcutta (page 8)</ref>]] The decline of Buddhism has been attributed to various factors. Regardless of the religious beliefs of their kings, states usually treated all the important sects relatively even-handedly.<ref name="Randall Collins 2000, page 182">Randall Collins, ''The Sociology of Philosophies: A Global Theory of Intellectual Change.'' Harvard University Press, 2000, page 182.</ref> This consisted of building monasteries and religious monuments, donating property such as the income of villages for the support of monks, and exempting donated property from taxation. Donations were most often made by private persons such as wealthy merchants and female relatives of the royal family, but there were periods when the state also gave its support and protection. In the case of Buddhism, this support was particularly important because of its high level of organization and the reliance of monks on donations from the laity. State patronage of Buddhism took the form of massive propertied foundations.<ref>Randall Collins, ''The Sociology of Philosophies: A Global Theory of Intellectual Change.'' Harvard University Press, 2000, pages 180, 182.</ref> The gradual expansion of caste regulations shifted political and economic power to localities, reversing a trend toward centralization.<ref name="Randall Collins 2000, page 209">Randall Collins, ''The Sociology of Philosophies: A Global Theory of Intellectual Change.'' Harvard University Press, 2000, page 209.</ref> The caste system began to dominate secular life as a code for social and economic transactions.<ref name="Randall Collins 2000, page 209" /> Brahmins developed a new relationship with the state that obliged political officials to enforce the caste regulations.<ref name="Randall Collins 2000, page 209" /> As the system grew, states gradually lost control of land revenue. A key transition was the downfall of the [[Gupta]]s. Indian society developed in a manner opposite to that of China or Rome, which were dominated by government officials. Instead, Brahmins became hereditary authorities in a series of weak, ephemeral states.<ref name="Randall Collins 2000, page 211">Randall Collins, ''The Sociology of Philosophies: A Global Theory of Intellectual Change.'' Harvard University Press, 2000, page 211.</ref> Brahmins came to regulate more and more aspects of public life, and collected fees for the performance of rituals.<ref name="Randall Collins 2000, page 209" /> Caste law, administered by Brahmins, was built up to control all local economic production and much of its distribution,<ref>Randall Collins, ''The Sociology of Philosophies: A Global Theory of Intellectual Change.'' Harvard University Press, 2000, page 190.</ref> transforming the property system.<ref name="Randall Collins 2000, page 209" /> Hinduism's displacement of Buddhism came by this indirect route.<ref name="Randall Collins 2000, page 211"/> Orthodox Brahmins could now dictate the flow of resources upon which institutional Buddhism depended. Buddhism was also weakened by rival Hindu temples, an innovation of the [[bhakti]] movement, and the appearance of Hindu monks. These undercut Buddhist patronage and popular support.<ref>Randall Collins, ''The Sociology of Philosophies: A Global Theory of Intellectual Change.'' Harvard University Press, 2000, page 190. The information about temples being an innovation of the bhakti movement is on page 189.</ref> The last empire to support Buddhism, the [[Pala Empire|Pala]] dynasty, fell in the 12th century, and Muslim invaders destroyed monasteries and monuments.<ref name="Merriam155"/> === Influence of Hinduism === It has been asserted, simplistically and without much historical evidence, that Hinduism became a more "intelligible and satisfying road to faith for many ordinary worshippers" than it had been because it now included not only an appeal to a personal god, but had also seen the development of an emotional facet with the composition of devotional hymns.<ref name="BBC"/> The period between the 400 CE and 1000 CE saw gains by Brahmanism and local cults at the expense of Buddhism.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/history/history_2.shtml|title=BBC - Religions - Hinduism: History of Hinduism|publisher=|accessdate=27 February 2015}}</ref> === The White Hun invasions === Chinese scholars traveling through the region between the 5th and 8th centuries, such as [[Faxian]], [[Xuanzang]], [[I Ching (monk)|I-ching]], Hui-sheng, and Sung-Yun, began to speak of a decline of the Buddhist ''[[Sangha]]'', especially in the wake of the [[White Hun]] invasion.<ref name="Merriam155">Merriam-Webster, pg. 155–157</ref> === Turkish Muslim Conquerors === The [[Muslim conquest of the Indian subcontinent]] was the first great [[iconoclasm|iconoclastic]] invasion into [[South Asia]].<ref>Levy, Robert I. Mesocosm: Hinduism and the Organization of a Traditional Newar City in Nepal. Berkeley: University of California Press, c1990 1990.</ref> The resulting occasional and sporadic destruction of temples did not affect Hinduism, but for Buddhism the destruction of the [[stupas]] has been attributed with a rapid and almost total disappearance from North India.<ref name="Mcleod"/> Additionally, more academic forms of Indian Buddhism relied on patronage by kings and merchants and this change in rulership coupled with the economic integration with the Islamic world and thus the growing domination of long-distance trade by the Muslim merchant class eroded these sources of patronage resulting in an absorption into either Hinduism or Islam.<ref name="Mcleod"/> === Causes within the Buddhist tradition of the time === By the time the Muslims began conquering northern India in the 12th century under the [[Ghurid]]s, the number of monasteries had severely declined.<ref name="WSU">[http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/BUDDHISM/DECLINE.HTM World Civilizations: Decline of Buddhism]{{dead link|date=April 2015}}</ref><ref name="Mcleod">''McLeod, John, "The History of India", Greenwood Press (2002), ISBN 0-313-31459-4, pg. 41-42.</ref> Buddhism, which once had spread across the face of India, was a vital force confined to an ever-shrinking number of monasteries in the areas of its origins.<ref name="WSU"/><ref name="Mcleod"/> Scholars believe that the monasteries at the time became detached from everyday life in India and that Indian Buddhism had no rituals or priests with the laymen relying on [[Brahmin]] priests for marriages and funerals.<ref name="WSU"/><ref name="Mcleod"/> == Revival of Buddhism in India == === Anagarika Dharmapala and the Maha Bodhi Society === {{See also|Maha Bodhi Society|Anagarika Dharmapala}} A revival of Buddhism began in India in 1891, when the [[Sri Lanka]]n Buddhist leader [[Anagarika Dharmapala]] founded the [[Maha Bodhi Society]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Ahir |first=D.C. |title=Buddhism in Modern India |year=1991 |publisher=Satguru |isbn=81-7030-254-4 }}</ref> Its activities expanded to involve the promotion of Buddhism in India. In June 1892, a meeting of Buddhists took place at [[Darjeeling]]. Dharmapala spoke to [[Tibet]]an Buddhists and presented a relic of the Buddha to be sent to the [[Dalai Lama]]. Dharmapāla built many vihāras and temples in India, including the one at [[Sarnath]], the place of Buddha's first sermon. He died in 1933, the same year he was ordained a [[bhikkhu]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Ahir |first=D.C. |title=Buddhism in Modern India |year=1991 |publisher=Satguru |isbn=81-7030-254-4 }}</ref> [[File:Mahabodhi-restored.jpg|thumb|Mahabodhi Temple after restoration, [[Bodh Gaya]]]] === Bengal Buddhist Association === In 1892, Kripasaran Mahasthavir founded the Bengal Buddhist Association (Bauddha Dharmankur Sabha) in [[Calcutta]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seek2know.net/kripasaran.html|title=A short biography of Kripasaran Mahathera by Hemendu Bikash Chowdhury. Editor of Jagajjyoti and General Secretary of Bauddha Dharmankur Sabha (Bengal Buddhist Association)|publisher=|accessdate=27 February 2015}}{{dead link|date=April 2015}}</ref> Kripasaran (1865–1926) was instrumental in uniting the Buddhist community of [[Bengal]] and [[North East India]]. He built other branches of the Bengal Buddhist Association at [[Shimla]] (1907), [[Lucknow]] (1907), [[Dibrugarh]] (1908), [[Ranchi]] (1915), [[Shillong]] (1918), [[Darjeeling]] (1919), Tatanagar Jamshedpur (1922), as well as in Sakpura, Satbaria, Noapara, Uninepura, [[Chittagong]] Region in present day [[Bangladesh]]. === Tibetan Buddhism === The [[14th Dalai Lama]] departed Tibet in 1959, when Indian [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] offered to permit him and his followers to establish a "[[Government of Tibet in Exile|government-in-exile]]" in [[Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh|Dharamsala]]. Tibetan exiles have settled in the town, numbering several thousand. Many of these exiles live in Upper Dharamsala, or McLeod Ganj, where they established monasteries, temples and schools. The town is sometimes known as "Little [[Lhasa]]", after the Tibetan capital city, and has become one of the centers of Buddhism in the world. Many settlements for Tibetan refugee communities came up across many parts of India on the lands offered by the Government of India. Some of the biggest Tibetan settlements in exile are in the state of Karnataka. His Holiness [[Penor Rinpoche]], the head of Nyingma, the ancient school of Tibetan Buddhism re-established a Nyingma monastery in Bylakuppe, Mysore. This is the largest Nyingma monastery today. Monks from Himalayan regions of India, Nepal, Bhutan and from Tibet join this monastery for their higher education. HH Penor Rinpoche also founded [http://www.lekshey.org/ Thubten Lekshey Ling], a dharma center for lay practitioners in Bangalore. Vajrayana Buddhism and Dzogchen (maha-sandhi) meditation again became accessible to aspirants in India after that. === Neo Buddhist movement (Conversion of downtrodden) === {{main|Dalit Buddhist movement}} [[File:Minority religions India.png|thumb|Map of minority religions of India, showing Buddhist regions and minorities. The downtrodden who went back to Buddhist becoming Buddhist in 1956 are the Buddhists who are concentrated in the state of [[Maharashtra]].]] A Buddhist revivalist movement among [[Dalit]] Indians was initiated in 1890s by socialist leaders such as [[Iyothee Thass]], [[Bagya Reddy varma of Hyderabad]], and [[Damodar Dharmananda Kosambi]]. In the 1950s, Dr. [[B. R. Ambedkar]] turned his attention to Buddhism and travelled to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) to attend a convention of Buddhist scholars and monks. While dedicating a new Buddhist vihara near Pune, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar announced that he was writing a book on Buddhism, and that as soon as it was finished, he planned to make a formal conversion to Buddhism. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar twice visited Burma in 1954; the second time in order to attend the third conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists in Rangoon. In 1955, he founded the Bharatiya Bauddha Mahasabha, or the Buddhist Society of India. He completed his final work, ''The Buddha and His Dhamma'', in 1956. It was published posthumously. After meetings with the Sri Lankan Buddhist monk Hammalawa Saddhatissa, Ambedkar organised a formal public ceremony for himself and his supporters in Nagpur on 14 October 1956. Accepting the [[Three Refuges]] and [[Five Precepts]] from a Buddhist monk in the traditional manner, Ambedkar completed his own conversion. He then proceeded to convert an estimated 500,000 of his supporters who were gathered around him. Taking the [[22 Vows]], Ambedkar and his supporters explicitly condemned and rejected Hinduism and Hindu philosophy.This was the world's biggest mass religious conversion; it is celebrated by Buddhists every year at Nagpur; 1-1.5&nbsp;million Buddhists gather there every year for the ceremony. He then traveled to [[Kathmandu]] in [[Nepal]] to attend the Fourth World Buddhist Conference. His final manuscript, ''[[The Buddha or Karl Marx]]'', remains unfinished; he died on 6 December 1956. === Vipassana movement === The [[Buddhist meditation]] tradition of [[Vipassana|Vipassana meditation]] is growing in popularity in India. Many institutions—both government and private sector—now offer courses for their employees.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6322237.stm|title=BBC NEWS - South Asia - India's youth hit the web to worship|publisher=|accessdate=27 February 2015}}</ref> This form is mainly practiced by the elite and [[middle class]] Indians. This movement has spread to many other countries in [[Europe]], [[Americas|America]] and [[Asia]]. ==See also== {{Portal|Buddhism|Indian religions|India}} ==Notes== {{reflist|group=note}} ==References== {{Reflist|2}} ==Further reading== {{refbegin}} *{{cite book | last =Doniger | first =Wendy | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of World Religions | publisher =Encyclopædia Britannica |year=2000 | location = | url = | doi = | isbn =0-87779-044-2 | page =1378}} {{refend}} Living Religions, seventh edition, by Mary Pat Fisher *Dutt, N. (1998). Buddhist Sects in India. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. *Lamotte, E. (1976). History of Indian Buddhism. Paris: Peeters Press. ==External links== *[http://ignca.nic.in/ks_41.htm Across the Himalayan Gap: An Indian Quest for Understanding China. Edited by Tan Chung. Assistant Editor : Dr. Ravni Thakur. 1998, xxvi+553pp., col. and b&w illus., ISBN 81-212-0585-9] *[http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/BUDDHISM/DECLINE.HTM World Civilizations: The Decline of Buddhism in India. Publisher: Washington State University. Last accessed on April 10, 2007 ]{{Dead link|date=August 2013}} {{Buddhism topics}} {{Asia topic|Buddhism in}} {{DEFAULTSORT:History Of Buddhism In India}} [[Category:Dalit history]] [[Category:History of Buddhism]] [[Category:Buddhism in India| ]] [[Category:Social history of India]] [[Category:Cultural history of India]]'