Buddhism Rise, Spread, Teachings and Decline

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Buddhism was founded by Gautama Buddha, originally named Siddhartha, born in 566 BCE in Lumbini (modern-day Nepal).

Siddhartha’s father, Suddhodana, ruled Kapilavastu and headed the Sakya republican clan, while his mother, Maya, was a princess from the Koliya clan.
From a young age, Siddhartha displayed a meditative disposition. Despite being married, domestic life did not interest him.
Profoundly moved by the sight of an elderly man, a sick individual, a corpse, and an ascetic, Siddhartha left his home at the age of 29 to seek a solution to human suffering.
For six years, he practiced extreme austerities and learned meditation techniques from sages like Alara Kalama. However, these methods did not lead him to enlightenment.
Siddhartha eventually abandoned self-torture and meditated under a Bodhi tree at Uruvela (modern Bodh Gaya), attaining enlightenment on the 49th day. He then became the Buddha, meaning “The Enlightened One.”

First Sermon: At Sarnath near Varanasi, Buddha delivered his first sermon, “Dharmachakra Pravartana” (Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dharma).
Disciples: His first five disciples included Asvajit, Upali, Mogallana, Sariputra, and Ananda.
Mahaparinirvana: Buddha passed away at the age of 80 in Kushinagar. His last rites were conducted by the Mallas, and his death is referred to as “Mahaparinirvana.”

- - The world is full of suffering.
  - Suffering arises from desire, ignorance, and attachment.
  - Suffering can be ended by eliminating its causes.
  - The path to ending suffering is the Eight-Fold Path.

- The law of karma emphasizes that actions determine a person’s present and future conditions.
- Nirvana, the ultimate goal, involves eliminating desires and achieving freedom from the cycle of birth and rebirth.
- Buddha rejected ritualistic practices and emphasized moral living and the “Middle Path,” avoiding extreme austerity and indulgence.

- - The Sangha was a religious order that played a pivotal role in spreading Buddhism.
  - Governed by democratic principles, the Sangha enforced discipline among its members.
  - Initially, Buddha was reluctant to admit women but later allowed them entry, influenced by Ananda and Mahapajapati Gotami.

First Council (483 BCE):
- Held in the Saptapami cave near Rajagriha, presided over by Mahakassapa and patronized by King Ajatshatru.
- Teachings were compiled into two Pitakas: Vinaya Pitaka (by Upali) and Sutta Pitaka (by Ananda).
Second Council (383 BCE):
- Convened at Vaishali under King Kalasoka and chaired by Sabakami.
- Conflicts arose between monks of Vaishali and Pataliputra versus those from Kaushambi and Avanti, leading to a split into Sthaviravadins and Mahasangikas.
Third Council:
- Held at Pataliputra under Emperor Ashoka, chaired by Moggaliputta Tissa.
- The Abhidhamma Pitaka, a collection of philosophical doctrines, was compiled.
Fourth Council:
- Conducted in Kashmir during Kanishka’s reign, presided over by Vasumitra with Asvaghosa’s assistance.
- This council marked the rise of the Mahayana sect, which worshipped Buddha as a deity and created his images.

Early Buddhism’s practical and non-philosophical nature made it accessible to the masses.

Women’s admission to the Sangha promoted gender equality.
Compared to Brahmanism, Buddhism was more liberal and democratic.
Its emphasis on moral living and social equality attracted merchants like Anathapindika and courtesans like Amrapali.
The use of Pali, the language of common people, contrasted with Brahmanical reliance on Sanskrit.
The Sangha’s organized structure ensured efficient dissemination of Buddhist teachings.
Royal patronage, especially by Emperor Ashoka, boosted Buddhism’s spread. Ashoka sent missionaries like Mahendra and Sanghamitra to regions such as Sri Lanka.

Over time, Buddhism became ritualistic, akin to the Brahmanism it opposed.

Accumulation of wealth in monasteries led to corruption and complacency among monks.
By the 7th century, monasteries were dominated by indulgent practices.
Inclusion of women in the Sangha sometimes led to controversies, diminishing its appeal.
Hostile rulers like Pushyamitra Sunga and Sasanka persecuted Buddhists and destroyed sacred sites like the Bodhi Tree.
The adoption of Sanskrit by Buddhist scholars alienated the masses who spoke Pali.
The Turkish invasion under Bakhtiyar Khalji destroyed key Buddhist centers like Nalanda, leading to the religion’s decline in India by the 12th century.