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Buddhism is a religion and philosophy focusing on the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni (Siddhārtha Gautama), who probably lived in the 5th century BCE. Buddhism spread throughout the ancient Indian sub-continent in the five centuries following the Buddha's death, and propagated into Central, Southeast, and East Asia over the next two millennia. Today, Buddhism is divided primarily into three traditions: Theravāda (Sanskrit: Sthaviravāda), Mahāyāna, and Vajrayāna. Buddhism continues to attract followers worldwide, and, with around 350 million followers, it is considered a major world religion. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The cultural elements of Buddhism vary by region and include: Buddhist cuisine Buddhist art Buddharupa Art and architecture of Japan Greco-Buddhism Tibetan Buddhist sacred art Buddhist music Buddhist chant Shomyo Categories: Buddhism-related stubs ... The history of Buddhism spans from the 6th century BCE to the present, starting with the birth of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. ... Contents: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z The following is a List of Buddhist topics: A Abhidharma Ahimsa Ajahn Ajahn Chah Ajanta Aksobhya Alexandra David-Néel... Buddhist beliefs and practices vary according to region. ... The percentage of Buddhist population of each country was taken from the US State Departments International Religious Freedom Report 2004 [1]. Other sources used were CIA Factbook [2] and adherents. ... There are many divisions and subdivisions of the schools of Buddhism. ... The Buddhist temple Wat Chiang Man, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, which dates from the late 13th century Buddhist temples and monasteries, sorted by location. ... Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term. ... There are a great variety of Buddhist texts. ... 563 BCE: Siddhārtha Gautama, Buddha-to-be, is born in Lumbini, Ancient India. ... Standing Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, northern Pakistan, 1st century CE, Musée Guimet. ... (6th century BC - 5th century BC - 4th century BC - other centuries) (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) Events Demotic becomes the dominant script of ancient Egypt Persians invade Greece twice (Persian Wars) Battle of Marathon (490) Battle of Salamis (480) Athenian empire formed and falls Peloponnesian War... 563 BCE: Siddhārtha Gautama, Buddha-to-be, is born in Lumbini, Ancient India. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... Geographic scope of East Asia East Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms. ... 563 BCE: Siddhārtha Gautama, Buddha-to-be, is born in Lumbini, Ancient India. ... Theravada (Pali; Sanskrit: Sthaviravada) is one of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikāya schools that formed early in the history of Buddhism. ... Relief image of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin from Mt. ... A mandala used in Vajrayana Buddhist practices. ... Major religious groups as a percentage of the world population in 2005. ...

A Buddha is considered to be a person who discovers the true nature of reality through years of study, investigation of the various religious practices of his time, and meditation. This transformational discovery is called bodhi or "enlightenment". Any person who has, without the instruction of others, become awakened to the principles of the Dharma, is called a Buddha. Śākyamuni is said to have been only the latest of many of these; there were other Buddhas before him and there will be others in the future. According to the Buddha, any person can follow his example and become enlightened through the study of his words and putting them into practice, by leading a virtuous, moral life, and purifying his mind. In general, the aim of Buddhist practice is to end all kinds of suffering in life. To achieve this state, adherents seek to purify and train the mind by following the Noble Eightfold Path, or the Middle Way, and eventually to gain true knowledge of reality and thus attain liberation: nirodha or nirvāṇa (Pāli nibbāna). A stone image of the Buddha. ... In Buddhism the perceived reality is considered unreal (according to the Buddha: Mañjushri, dreams appear but do not exist. ... Bodhi is a past tense of bodhati meaning awake, become aware, notice, know or understand in both Pāli and Sanskrit. ... In East Asia, the character for Dharma is 法, pronounced fÇŽ in Mandarin and hō in Japanese. ... The Noble Eightfold Path (Sanskrit Ä€ryo ṣṭāṅgo mārgaḥ , Pāli Ariyo aá¹­á¹­haá¹…giko maggo) of Buddhism, as as taught by the Buddha Śākyamuni, is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. ... The Middle Way or Middle Path is the Buddhist philosophy expounded by Gautama Buddha. ... The Four Noble Truths ( Pali, cattari ariya saccani) are taught in Buddhism as the fundamental insight or enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha), which led to the formulation of the Buddhist philosophy. ... This article is about a Buddhist philosophy concept. ...

Gautama the Buddha

A stone image of the Buddha.

Main article: Gautama Buddha

According to all Buddhist traditions, the Buddha of the present age, called Siddhārtha (Sanskrit) or Siddhattha (Pāli) of the Gautama (Pāli: Gotama) gotra or clan, was born in the grove of Lumbinī near the town of Kapilavastu (Pāli: Kapilavatthu), the capital of the kingdom (mahājanapada) of the Śākyas (Pāli: Sakyas). Lumbinī and the Śākya realm were known to have been in the north, adjacent to the kingdom of Kośala and the republic of the Koliyas along the Ganges, separated from Koliya by the river Rohiṇī. The exact location of Lumbinī is fixed in what is now south central Nepal by a pillar inscription of King Aśoka from the 3rd century BCE commemorating the Buddha's birth. Despite weighty evidence for this location, Mr. Chandrabhanu Patel of the Orissa Museum has claimed that the birthplace was actually in Orissa state, hundreds of miles to the southeast. Image File history File links Buddha_image_-_white_stone. ... Image File history File links Buddha_image_-_white_stone. ... Standing Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, northern Pakistan, 1st century CE, Musée Guimet. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation: ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... For the town and district in Rajasthan, see Pali, Rajasthan For the Ganapati temple of pali and place in Maharastra, see Ballaleshwar Pali Pāli (Devanagari पालि) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... A gotra (lit. ... Lumbini (Sanskrit for the lovely) is a Buddhist pilgrimage site located in Rupandehi District, Lumbini Zone of Nepal near the Indian border. ... Kapilavastu (or, Kapilvastu) is a small city in Nepal, the birth place of Siddhartha Gautama(Buddha). ... Mahajanapadas (महाजनपद) literally means Great kingdoms (from Sanskrit Maha = great, Janapada = foothold of tribe = country). ... Silver coin of the Shakyas (600-500 BC) The Shakya (or Sakya) were a clan of Hindu kshatriyas. ... Kosala was an ancient Indian kingdom, corresponding roughly in area with the region of Oudh. ... Early morning on the Ganges The River Ganges (Ganga in Indian languages) (Devanagiri गंगा) is a major river in northern India. ... The pillars of Ashoka are a series of columns dispersed throughout the northern Indian subcontinent, and erected by the Mauryan king Ashoka during his reign in the 3rd century BCE. SAlMAN Ashish Many of the pillars are carved with proclamations reflecting Buddhist teachings: the Edicts of Ashoka. ... Emperor Ashoka (a possible picturisation) Ashoka the Great (Devanagari: अशोक; IAST transliteration: ) was the emperor of the Mauryan Empire from 273 BCE to 232 BCE. After a number of military conquests, Ashoka reigned over most of South Asia and beyond, from present-day Afghanistan to Bengal and as far south as... Orissa (2001 provisional pop. ...

Siddhārtha's father was Śuddhodana (Pāli: Suddhodana), then the chieftain (rājā) of the Śākyas. Traditions state that the Buddha's mother died at his birth or a few days later. The legend says that the seer Asita predicted shortly after his birth that Siddhārtha would become either a great king or a great holy man; because of this, the king tried to make sure that Siddhārtha never had any cause for dissatisfaction with his life, as that might drive him away from a spiritual path. Nevertheless, at the age of 29, he came across what has become known as the Four Passing Sights: an old crippled man, a sick man, a decaying corpse, and finally a wandering holy man. These four sights led him to the realization that birth, old age, sickness and death come to everyone. He decided to abandon his worldly life, leaving behind his privileges, rank, caste, and his wife and child, to take up the life of a wandering holy man in search of the answer to the problems of birth, old age, pain, sickness, and death. Suddhodana was the father of Siddhartha Gautama, later known as the Buddha. ... According to accounts of Gautama Buddhas life, the four sights were his inspiration to become a monk at the age of 29: an old crippled man (old age), a diseased man (illness), a decaying corpse (death), and finally an ascetic (A person who seeks the end to suffering). ... Caste systems are traditional, hereditary systems of social stratification, such as clans, gentes, or the Indian caste system. ...

Siddhārtha pursued the path of the śramaṇa and meditation with two Brahmin hermits, and, although he quickly achieved high levels of meditative consciousness (dhyāna, Pāli jhāna), he was still not satisfied with the results. Siddhārtha then began his training in the ascetic life and practicing vigorous techniques of physical and mental austerity. Siddhārtha proved quite adept at these practices, and was able to surpass his teachers. However, he found no answer to his questions. Leaving behind established teachers, he and a small group of close companions set out to take their austerities even further. After six years of ascetism, and nearly starving himself to death without any profit, Siddhārtha began to reconsider his path. He then remembered a moment in childhood in which he had been watching his father start the season's plowing; he had fallen into a naturally concentrated and focused state in which he felt a blissful and refreshing feeling and time seemed to stand still. A Shramana (Sanskrit) is a wandering monk in Indians shramana traditions, which include Jainism Buddhism Ajivikas, now extinct Mahavira, the 24th Jina, and Gautam Buddha were leaders of their shramana orders. ... Meditation is the practice of focusing the mind, often formalized into a specific routine. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Dhyāna is a term in Sanskrit which refers to a type or aspect of meditation. ... The word ascetic derives from the ancient Greek term askesis (practice, training or exercise). ...

After discarding asceticism and concentrating on meditation, Siddhārtha discovered what Buddhists call the Middle Way – a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification. To strengthen his body, he accepted a little buttermilk from a passing goatherd. Then, sitting under a pipal tree, now known as the Bodhi tree, he vowed never to arise until he had found the Truth. At the age of 35, he attained Enlightenment and became a Buddha. He preached his first sermon in Sarnath a place very near Vārāṇasī (Benares) in North India. Meditation is the practice of focusing the mind, often formalized into a specific routine. ... The Middle Way or Middle Path is the Buddhist philosophy expounded by Gautama Buddha. ... Hedonism (Greek: hÄ“donÄ“ pleasure + –ism) describes any way of thinking that gives pleasure a central role. ... Asceticism denotes a life which is characterized by refraining from worldly pleasures (austerity). ... Binomial name Ficus religiosa L. The Sacred Fig Ficus religiosa, also known as Bo, Pipal (Peepul) or Ashwattha tree, is a species of banyan fig native to India, southwest China and Indochina east to Vietnam. ... A direct clone descendant of the Bodhi tree, planted at Foster Botanical Garden in Honolulu, Hawaii The Bodhi tree was a large and very old specimen of the Sacred Fig, located at the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya (about 100 km from Patna in the Indian state of Bihar) under... Bodhi is a past tense of bodhati meaning awake, become aware, notice, know or understand in both Pāli and Sanskrit. ... A stone image of the Buddha. ... Sarnath (formerly also Mrigadava, Rishipattana, Isipatana), located 13 kilometres from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, is the deer park where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha was founded. ... Varanasi (Hindi: वाराणसी , pronunciation / /), also known as Benares, Banaras, or Benaras (Hindi: बनारस , pronunciation / /), or Kashi or Kasi (Hindi: काशी ), is a famous Hindu holy city situated on the banks of the river Ganges (Ganga) in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ...

The Buddha venerated by Indra and Brahmā, Kaniṣka casket, dated to 127 CE, British Museum.

For the remaining 45 years of his life, Buddha Gautama traveled in the Gangetic Plain of northeastern India, teaching his doctrine and discipline to all – from nobles to outcaste street sweepers, including adherents of many different schools and teachers. The Buddha founded the two saṅghas (monastic communities) of monks and of nuns, which continued to expound his teaching after his death. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1446x1171, 472 KB) Detail of the Kanishka Casket. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1446x1171, 472 KB) Detail of the Kanishka Casket. ... A stone image of the Buddha. ... Indra is also the name of a song by the Thievery Corporation. ... Brahma carving at a temple in Halebid. ... The Kanishka casket, dated to 127, with the Buddha surrounded by Brahma and Indra, and Kanishka standing at the center of the lower part, British Museum (drawing). ... Events Births Deaths Categories: 127 ... The centre of the museum was redeveloped in 2000 to become the Great Court, with a tessellated glass roof by Foster and Partners surrounding the original Reading Room. ... The Indo-Gangetic Plain is a rich, fertile and ancient land encompassing most of northern and eastern India and parts of Pakistan. ... It has been suggested that bhikkhu be merged into this article or section. ...

Doctrines

Numerous distinct groups have developed since the passing of Gautama Buddha, with diverse teachings that vary widely in practice, philosophical emphasis, and culture. However, there are certain doctrines which are common to the majority of schools and traditions in Buddhism.

Dependent Origination

Main article: Pratitya-samutpada

The enlightenment (Bodhi) of the Buddha was simultaneously his liberation from suffering and his insight into the nature of reality. The widely accepted doctrine of dependent origination states that any phenomenon ‘exists’ only because of the ‘existence’ of other phenomena in a complex web of cause and effect. For sentient beings, this amounts to a never-ending cycle of rebirth (saṃsāra) according to the law of karma (Pāli: kamma) and vipāka. Because all things are thus conditioned and transient (anitya, Pāli anicca), they have no real, independent identity (anātman, Pāli anatta) and so do not truly ‘exist’, although to ordinary minds they do appear to exist. All phenomena are thus fundamentally insubstantial and empty (śūnya'). Wise human beings, who possess "insight into the knowledge of how things are" (yathā-bhūta-ñāṇa-dassana, Sanskrit yathābhūtajñanadarśana), renounce attachment and clinging which cause suffering (duḥkha, Pāli dukkha), transform the energy of desire into awareness and understanding, and eventually attain nirvāṇa. The doctrine of Pratitya-samutpada (Sanskrit: pratÄ«tya-samutpāda, Pali: paticca samuppada Tibetan: rten cing brel bar byung ba) is Buddhisms primary contribution to metaphysics. ... Bodhi is a past tense of bodhati meaning awake, become aware, notice, know or understand in both Pāli and Sanskrit. ... Standing Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, northern Pakistan, 1st century CE, Musée Guimet. ... In Buddhism the perceived reality is considered unreal (according to the Buddha: Mañjushri, dreams appear but do not exist. ... The doctrine of Pratitya-samutpada (Sanskrit: pratÄ«tya-samutpāda, Pali: paticca samuppada Tibetan: rten cing brel bar byung ba) is Buddhisms primary contribution to metaphysics. ... According to Buddhism, there is a cycle of death and rebirth that can be transcended by the practice of the Eightfold Path. ... Saṃsāra, the Sanskrit and Pāli term for continous movement or continuous flowing refers in Buddhism to the concept of a cycle of birth (jāti) and consequent decay and death (jarāmaraṇa), in which all beings in the universe participate and which can only be escaped... Karma (Sanskrit karman) or Kamma (Pāli) means action or doing; whatever one does, says, or thinks is a karma. ... Vipaka is the metabolised part of drug, the after taste of food in the body in Ayurvedic Medicine Vipaka (Pali) is the result of karma (intentional actions). ... Impermanence (Sanskrit: anitya; Pali anicca; Tibetan: mi rtag pa; Chinese: 無常, wúcháng; Japanese: mujō) is one of the essential doctrines or the three marks of Buddhism. ... The Buddhist term Anātman (Sanskrit) or Anatta (Pali) is an adjective that specifies the absence of a supposedly permanent and unchanging self or soul in any one of the psycho-physical (namo-rupa) constituents of empirical existence; eg. ... Śūnyatā, शून्यता (Sanskrit, Pali: suññatā), or Emptiness, is a term for a concept or set of concepts playing an important role in some versions of the Buddhist metaphysical critique, but also having important implications for Buddhist epistemology and phenomenology. ... The Sanskrit word Upadana has the following meanings: Buddhism Upadana tranlated from Sanskrit means clinging or grasping and refers to the ninth link in the twelve-linked chain of Dependent Origination (Pratitya-samutpada). ... Dukkha (Pāli; Sanskrit: duḥkha) is a central concept in Buddhism, the word roughly corresponding to a number of terms in English including sorrow, suffering, affliction, pain, anxiety, dissatisfaction, discomfort, anguish, stress, misery, and aversion. ... This article is about a Buddhist philosophy concept. ...

The Four Noble Truths

Main article: The Four Noble Truths

The Buddha taught that life was dissatisfactory because of craving, but that this condition was curable by following the Noble Eightfold Path (Sanskrit: Āryo 'ṣṭāṅgo Mārgaḥ , Pāli: Ariyo Aṭṭhaṅgiko Maggo). This teaching is called the Catvāry Āryasatyāni (Pali: Cattāri Ariyasaccāni), the "Four Noble Truths". The Four Noble Truths (Pali, cattari ariya saccani) are taught in Buddhism as the fundamental insight or enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha), which led to the formulation of the Buddhist philosophy. ... The Noble Eightfold Path (Sanskrit Ä€ryo ṣṭāṅgo mārgaḥ , Pāli Ariyo aá¹­á¹­haá¹…giko maggo) of Buddhism, as as taught by the Buddha Śākyamuni, is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. ... The Four Noble Truths (Pali, cattari ariya saccani) are taught in Buddhism as the fundamental insight or enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha), which led to the formulation of the Buddhist philosophy. ...

1. duḥkha (Pāli: dukkha) "suffering": All worldly life is unsatisfactory, disjointed, containing suffering.
2. samudaya "arising (of suffering)": There is a cause of suffering, which is attachment or desire (tṛṣṇā, Pāli taṇhā) rooted in ignorance (avidyā).
3. nirodha "cessation (of suffering)": There is an end of suffering, which is nirvāṇa (Pāli: nibbāna).
4. mārga (Pāli: magga) "path (to cessation)": There is a path that leads out of suffering, known as the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Four Noble Truths was the topic of the first sermon given by the Buddha after his enlightenment, which was given to the ascetics with whom he had practiced austerities. Dukkha (Pāli; Sanskrit: duḥkha) is a central concept in Buddhism, the word roughly corresponding to a number of terms in English including sorrow, suffering, affliction, pain, anxiety, dissatisfaction, discomfort, anguish, stress, misery, and aversion. ... Tanha (Sanskrit: Trsna), translates as desire, craving, thirst, want, longing, yearning. ... Avidyā (Sanskrit) or Avijjā (Pāli) means ignorance or delusion. It is used extensively in Buddhist texts. ... This article is about a Buddhist philosophy concept. ... The Noble Eightfold Path (Sanskrit Āryo ṣṭāṅgo mārgaḥ , Pāli Ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo) of Buddhism, as as taught by the Buddha Śākyamuni, is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. ...

The Noble Eightfold Path

Main article: Noble Eightfold Path

The Noble Eightfold Path is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. In order to fully understand the noble truths and investigate whether they were in fact true, Buddha recommended that a certain path be followed which consists of: The Noble Eightfold Path (Sanskrit Āryo ṣṭāṅgo mārgaḥ , Pāli Ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo) of Buddhism, as as taught by the Buddha Śākyamuni, is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. ...

1. Right View - samyag-dṛṣṭi, sammā-diṭṭhi
2. Right Resolve - samyak-saṃkalpa, sammā-saṅkappa
3. Right Speech - samyag-vāc, sammā-vācā
4. Right Conduct - samyak-karmānta, sammā-kammanta
5. Right Livelihood - samyag-ājīva, sammā-ājīva
6. Right Effort - samyag-vyāyāma, sammā-vāyāma
7. Right Mindfulness - samyak-smṛti, sammā-sati
8. Right Concentration - samyak-samādhi, sammā-samādhi

The word samyak means "turned to one point or against each other, universus or adversus; whole, entire, all; correct, right, true." [1] There are a number of ways to interpret the Eightfold Path. On one hand, the Noble Eightfold Path is spoken of as being a progressive series of stages through which the practitioner moves, the culmination of one leading to the beginning of another, whereas others see it as the states of the 'Path' as requiring simultaneous development. It is also common to categorise into prajñā (Pāli paññā, wisdom), śīla (Pāli sīla, virtuous behaviour) and samādhi (concentration). Prajñā (Sanskrit; Pali: paññā; Tibetan: shes rab, Chinese: 般若, banruo) meaning wisdom, cognitive acuity; or know-how -- but especially the Buddhist wisdom that is based on a realization of dependent origination, not-self, emptiness, etc. ... In Sanskrit, śīla is a term in Indian-derived systems such as Hinduism and Buddhism which is usually rendered into English as behavioral discipline, morality, or ethics (Tibetan tshul khrims). ... Samadhi of Meher Baba, Photo by Win Coates Samadhi is a term used in Hindu and Buddhist yogic meditation. ...

Bodhi

Main article: Bodhi

Bodhi (Pāli and Sanskrit. Lit. awakening) is a title given in Buddhism to the specific awakening experience attained by Buddha. Bodhi is most commonly translated into English as enlightenment, however, a more accurate translation is awakening or understanding. After attainment of Bodhi, it is believed one is freed from the cycle of saṃsāra: birth, suffering, death and rebirth. Bodhi is attained only by the accomplishment of the pāramitās (perfections), when the Four Noble Truths are fully grasped, and when all karma has reached cessation. At this moment, all greed (lobha), hatred (doṣa, Pāli dosa), delusion (moha), ignorance (avidyā, Pāli avijjā)), craving (tṛṣṇā, Pāli taṇhā) and false belief in self (ātman, Pāli attā) are extinguished. Bodhi thus includes anātman (Pāli anatta), the absence of ego-centeredness. All schools of Buddhism recognise three types of Bodhi. They are Śrāvakabodhi (Pāli: Sāvakabodhi), Pratyekabodhi (Pāli: Paccekabodhi) and Samyaksambodhi (Pāli: Sammāsambodhi), the perfect enlightenment by which a Bodhisattva becomes a fully enlightened Buddha. The aspiration to attain the state of samyaksambodhi, known as the Bodhisattva ideal is considered as the highest ideal of Buddhism. Bodhi is a past tense of bodhati meaning awake, become aware, notice, know or understand in both Pāli and Sanskrit. ... For the town and district in Rajasthan, see Pali, Rajasthan For the Ganapati temple of pali and place in Maharastra, see Ballaleshwar Pali Pāli (Devanagari पालि) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation: ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... A stone image of the Buddha. ... Illustration depicting the transmigration of the soul. ... Pāramitā (Sanskrit) or Parami (Pāli): Perfection or Transcendent. In Buddhism, the Paramitas refer to the perfection or culmination of certain practices. ... The Four Noble Truths (Pali, cattari ariya saccani) are taught in Buddhism as the fundamental insight or enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha), which led to the formulation of the Buddhist philosophy. ... Karma (Sanskrit karman) or Kamma (Pāli) means action or doing; whatever one does, says, or thinks is a karma. ... Avidyā (Sanskrit) or Avijjā (Pāli) means ignorance or delusion. It is used extensively in Buddhist texts. ... Tanha (Sanskrit: Trsna), translates as desire, craving, thirst, want, longing, yearning. ... Atman is a Sanskrit word, normally translated as soul or self (also ego). ... The Buddhist term Anātman (Sanskrit) or Anatta (Pali) is an adjective that specifies the absence of a supposedly permanent and unchanging self or soul in any one of the psycho-physical (namo-rupa) constituents of empirical existence; eg. ... Many Buddhists in Nikaya, Mahayana, and Vajrayana traditions consider that there are three type of Buddha, and generally accept their definitions as follows: Samyaksam-Buddhas (Pali:Samma-Sambuddha): (also known in the Mahayana as Bodhisattva-Buddhas) gain Nirvana by their own efforts, without a teacher of the entire path. ... Statues of the 500 arhats in the Longhua temple in Shanghai, P.R. China Åšrāvakabuddhas (Sanskrit) or Sāvakabuddhas (Pāli) are those enlightened individuals who gain Nirvāṇa, but do so by hearing the Dharma as initially taught by a Samyaksambuddha. ... A Pratyeka Buddha (Sanskrit pratyekabuddha; Pali pacceka-buddha) is one of three types of enlightened beings according to some schools of Buddhism (the others being the śrāvakas and Samyaksam-Buddhas). ... Prince Siddhartha Gautama as a bodhisattva, before becoming a Buddha. ... A stone image of the Buddha. ...

Middle Way

The primarily guiding principle of Buddhist practice is the Middle Way which was discovered by Gautama Buddha prior to his enlightenment (bodhi). The Middle Way or Middle Path is often described as the practice of non-extremism; a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and opposing self-mortification. It is also another name for the Noble Eightfold Path, which is often divided into prajñā (Pāli: paññā, "wisdom"), śīla (Pāli: sīla, "morality") and samādhi ("meditative mind"). The Middle Way or Middle Path is the Buddhist philosophy expounded by Gautama Buddha. ... Bodhi is a past tense of bodhati meaning awake, become aware, notice, know or understand in both Pāli and Sanskrit. ... The Noble Eightfold Path (Sanskrit Ä€ryo ṣṭāṅgo mārgaḥ , Pāli Ariyo aá¹­á¹­haá¹…giko maggo) of Buddhism, as as taught by the Buddha Śākyamuni, is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. ... Prajñā (Sanskrit; Pali: paññā; Tibetan: shes rab, Chinese: 般若, banruo) meaning wisdom, cognitive acuity; or know-how -- but especially the Buddhist wisdom that is based on a realization of dependent origination, not-self, emptiness, etc. ... In Sanskrit, śīla is a term in Indian-derived systems such as Hinduism and Buddhism which is usually rendered into English as behavioral discipline, morality, or ethics (Tibetan tshul khrims). ... Samadhi of Meher Baba, Photo by Win Coates Samadhi is a term used in Hindu and Buddhist yogic meditation. ...

Refuge in The Three Jewels

Footprint of the Buddha with the triratna, the symbolic depiction of the Three Jewels, and the Dharma wheel, 1st century CE, Gandhāra.

Main articles: Refuge (Buddhism) and Three Jewels

Acknowledging the Four Noble Truths and making the first step in The Noble Eightfold Path requires taking of refuge in the Three Jewels of Buddhism – the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha^[2] – as the foundation of one's religious practice. Buddhists believe that there is no otherworldly salvation from one's karma. The suffering caused by the karmic effects of previous thoughts, words and deeds can be alleviated by following the Noble Eightfold Path. Download high resolution version (459x800, 242 KB) Footprint of the Buddha. ... Download high resolution version (459x800, 242 KB) Footprint of the Buddha. ... A stone image of the Buddha. ... The Triratna or Three Jewels symbol, on a Buddha footprint. ... The eight-spoked dharma wheel is a common symbol in Buddhist iconography, representing the collective teachings of Buddha, known as the dharma. ... Gandhāra (also Ghandara, Ghandahra, Chandahara, and Persian Gandara) is the name of an ancient kingdom in eastern Afghanistan and north-west province of Pakistan. ... Taking Refuge makes the difference between Buddhists and non-Buddhists. ... The Triratna or Three Jewels symbol, on a Buddha footprint. ... Taking Refuge makes the difference between Buddhists and non-Buddhists. ... The Triratna or Three Jewels symbol, on a Buddha footprint. ... A stone image of the Buddha. ... In East Asia, the character for Dharma is 法, pronounced fÇŽ in Mandarin and hō in Japanese. ... It has been suggested that bhikkhu be merged into this article or section. ... Karma (Sanskrit karman) or Kamma (Pāli) means action or doing; whatever one does, says, or thinks is a karma. ... The Noble Eightfold Path (Sanskrit Ä€ryo ṣṭāṅgo mārgaḥ , Pāli Ariyo aá¹­á¹­haá¹…giko maggo) of Buddhism, as as taught by the Buddha Śākyamuni, is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. ...

The Buddha presented himself as a model and beseeched his followers to have faith (śraddhā, Pāli saddhā) in his example of a human who escaped the pain and danger of existence. The Dharma, that is, the teaching of Buddha, offers a refuge by providing guidelines for the alleviation of suffering and the attainment of enlightenment. The Saṅgha, in this sense meaning the group of Buddhists possessing at least some degree of enlightenment, provides a refuge by preserving the authentic teachings of the Buddha and providing further examples that the truth of the Buddha's teachings is attainable. Standing Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, northern Pakistan, 1st century CE, Musée Guimet. ... Faith (saddha/ sraddha) is an important constituent element of the teachings of the Buddha - both in the Theravada tradition as in the Mahayana. ... In East Asia, the character for Dharma is 法, pronounced fÇŽ in Mandarin and hō in Japanese. ... It has been suggested that bhikkhu be merged into this article or section. ...

Prajñā (Wisdom)

Main articles: Prajñā, and Paramita Prajñā (Sanskrit; Pali: paññā; Tibetan: shes rab, Chinese: 般若, banruo) meaning wisdom, cognitive acuity; or know-how -- but especially the Buddhist wisdom that is based on a realization of dependent origination, not-self, emptiness, etc. ... Pāramitā (Sanskrit) or Parami (Pāli): Perfection or Transcendent. In Buddhism, the Paramitas refer to the perfection or culmination of certain practices. ...

Prajñā (Sanskrit) or paññā (Pāli) means wisdom that is based on a realization of dependent origination, The Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path. Prajñā is the wisdom that is able to extinguish afflictions and bring about bodhi. It is spoken of as the principal means, by its enlightenment, of attaining nirvāṇa, through its revelation of the true nature of all things. Prajñā is also listed as the sixth of the six pāramitās. Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation: ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... For the town and district in Rajasthan, see Pali, Rajasthan For the Ganapati temple of pali and place in Maharastra, see Ballaleshwar Pali Pāli (Devanagari पालि) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... The doctrine of Pratitya-samutpada (Sanskrit: pratÄ«tya-samutpāda, Pali: paticca samuppada Tibetan: rten cing brel bar byung ba) is Buddhisms primary contribution to metaphysics. ... The Four Noble Truths (Pali, cattari ariya saccani) are taught in Buddhism as the fundamental insight or enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha), which led to the formulation of the Buddhist philosophy. ... The Noble Eightfold Path (Sanskrit Ä€ryo ṣṭāṅgo mārgaḥ , Pāli Ariyo aá¹­á¹­haá¹…giko maggo) of Buddhism, as as taught by the Buddha Śākyamuni, is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. ... Bodhi is a past tense of bodhati meaning awake, become aware, notice, know or understand in both Pāli and Sanskrit. ... This article is about a Buddhist philosophy concept. ... Pāramitā (Sanskrit) or Parami (Pāli): Perfection or Transcendent. In Buddhism, the Paramitas refer to the perfection or culmination of certain practices. ...

In initial stage, prajñā is attained at a conceptual level by means of listening to sermons (dharma talks), reading and sometimes reciting Buddhist texts and engaging in discourse. Gautama Buddha taught dharma to his disciples mainly through the mean of discourse or sermon, many attaining bodhi upon hearing Buddha's discourse. Once the conceptual understanding is attained, it is applied to daily life so that each Buddhist can verify the truth of the Buddha's teaching at a practical level. Lastly, one engages in insight (vipassanā, Sanskrit vipaśyanā) meditation to attain such wisdom at intuitive level. It should be noted that one could theoretically attain bodhi at any point of practice, while listening to a sermon, while conducting business of daily life or while in meditation. Vipassanā is a Pali word meaning insight. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation: ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ...

Śīla (Virtuous Behaviour)

Main articles: Sila, Karma in Buddhism and Paramita In Sanskrit, śīla is a term in Indian-derived systems such as Hinduism and Buddhism which is usually rendered into English as behavioral discipline, morality, or ethics (Tibetan tshul khrims). ... Karma (Sanskrit karman) or Kamma (Pāli) means action or doing; whatever one does, says, or thinks is a karma. ... Pāramitā (Sanskrit) or Parami (Pāli): Perfection or Transcendent. In Buddhism, the Paramitas refer to the perfection or culmination of certain practices. ...

Śīla (Sanskrit) or sīla (Pāli) is usually rendered into English as "behavioral discipline", "morality", or ethics. It is often translated as "precept". It is an action that is an intentional effort. It is one of the three practices and the second pāramitā: moral purity of thought, word, and deed. The four conditions of śīla are chastity, calmness, quiet, and extinguishment, i.e. no longer being susceptible to perturbation by the passions. In Sanskrit, śīla is a term in Indian-derived systems such as Hinduism and Buddhism which is usually rendered into English as behavioral discipline, morality, or ethics (Tibetan tshul khrims). ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation: ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... For the town and district in Rajasthan, see Pali, Rajasthan For the Ganapati temple of pali and place in Maharastra, see Ballaleshwar Pali Pāli (Devanagari पालि) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... Pāramitā (Sanskrit) or Parami (Pāli): Perfection or Transcendent. In Buddhism, the Paramitas refer to the perfection or culmination of certain practices. ...

In Buddhism, the 'Law of karma' is used as an ethical principle, rather than a cosmological explanation for the world. Buddhism distinguishes saṃsāric happiness (birth in the high realms), from the final state of enlightenment: nirvāṇa; so likewise there is saṃsāric good karma, which leads to the high realms (such as the human realm), and then there is liberating karma - which is supremely good. Karma (Sanskrit karman) or Kamma (Pāli) means action or doing; whatever one does, says, or thinks is a karma. ... This article is about a Buddhist philosophy concept. ...

Therefore the major dichotomy is saṃsāric karma and liberating karma, of which the former is typically divided into the three: good, neutral, and bad (in accordance with the degree of samsaric happiness or suffering that will mature as a consequence). Likewise, liberating karma is divided into three, as there are three types of Buddha into which it may mature. Many Buddhists in Nikaya, Mahayana, and Vajrayana traditions consider that there are three type of Buddha, and generally accept their definitions as follows: Samyaksam-Buddhas (Pali:Samma-Sambuddha): (also known in the Mahayana as Bodhisattva-Buddhas) gain Nirvana by their own efforts, without a teacher of the entire path. ...

It is important to distinguish between śīla (precept) and Vinaya (monastic code). Śīla refers to overall principles of ethical behaviour while vinaya is a collection of monastic code. For this reason, vinaya is applicable to monks and nuns while śīla is applicable to all Buddhists, both laypeople and saṅgha members. Lay Buddhists generally undertake at least one of the five precepts (pañcaśīla) which are common to all Buddhist schools. The Five Precepts are not given in the form of commands such as "thou shalt not ...", but rather are promises to oneself: "I will ..." The Vinaya (a word in Pali as well as in Sanskrit, with literal meaning discipline) is the textual framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha. ... It has been suggested that bhikkhu be merged into this article or section. ... Pancasila or pañca-sila is the fundamental code of Buddhist ethics, willingly undertaken by lay followers of Gautama Buddha. ...

1. To refrain from harming living creatures (ahiṃsā).
2. To refrain from taking that which is not freely given (stealing).
3. To refrain from sexual misconduct.
4. To refrain from incorrect speech (lying, harsh language, slander, idle chit-chat).
5. To refrain from intoxicants which lead to loss of mindfulness.

The content of vinaya differs slightly according to different scriptures. And different schools set different standards for the degree of adherence to vinaya. Serious lay people or aspiring monks take an additional three to five ethical precepts. In Vinaya, some of the five precepts are strengthened for monks. For example, the precept pertaining to sexual misconduct becomes a precept of celibacy. Ahimsa is a religious concept which advocates non-violence and a respect for all life. ...

Samādhi (Meditative Mind)

Main article Samadhi, Vipassana and Buddhist meditation Samadhi of Meher Baba, Photo by Win Coates Samadhi is a term used in Hindu and Buddhist yogic meditation. ... Vipassanā is a Pali word meaning insight. ... // Buddhist meditation, meditation used in the practice of Buddhism, includes any method of meditation that has Enlightenment as its ultimate aim. The closest word for meditation in the classical languages of Buddhism is bhavana or mental development. The main methods of Buddhist meditation are divided into samatha (tranquility meditations) and...

In the language of the Noble Eightfold Path, samyaksamādhi is "right concentration". The primary means of cultivating samādhi is meditation. Almost all Buddhist schools agree that the Buddha taught two types of meditation, viz. samatha meditation (Sanskrit: śamatha) and vipassanā meditation (Sanskrit: vipaśyanā). Upon development of samādhi, one's mind becomes purified of defilement, calm, tranquil, and luminous. Once the meditator achieves a strong and powerful concentration (jhāna, Sanskrit dhyāna), his mind is ready to penetrate and gain insight (vipassanā) into the ultimate nature of reality, eventually obtaining release from all suffering. The cultivation of mindfulness is essential to mental concentration, which is needed to achieve insight. The Noble Eightfold Path (Sanskrit Ä€ryo ṣṭāṅgo mārgaḥ , Pāli Ariyo aá¹­á¹­haá¹…giko maggo) of Buddhism, as as taught by the Buddha Śākyamuni, is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. ... Samatha (Pāli; Sanskrit: Å›amatha) meditation refers to the practice of Tranquility or concentration meditation. ... Vipassanā is a Pali word meaning insight. ... Dhyāna is a term in Sanskrit which refers to a type or aspect of meditation. ... Vipassanā is a Pali word meaning insight. ... Mindfulness is the practice whereby a person is intentionally aware of his or her thoughts and actions in the present moment, non-judgmentally. ...

Samatha Meditation starts from being mindful to an object or idea, which is expanded to one's body, mind and entire surroundings, leading to a state of total concentration and tranquility (jhāna) There are many variations in the style of meditation, from sitting cross-legged or kneeling to chanting or walking. The most common method of meditation is to concentrate on one's breath, because this practice can lead to both samatha and vipassana. In Buddhist practice, it is said that while samatha meditation can calm the mind, only vipassanā meditation can reveal how the mind was disturbed to start with, which is what leads to jñāna (Pāli ñāṇa knowledge) vijñāna (Pāli viññāṇa awareness), prajñā (Pāli paññā pure understanding) and thus can lead to nirvāṇa (Pāli nibbāna). Samatha (Pāli; Sanskrit: Å›amatha) meditation refers to the practice of Tranquility or concentration meditation. ... Jnana is the Sanskrit term for knowledge. ... Vijnana is Sanskrit for consciousness. ... Prajñā (Sanskrit; Pali: paññā; Tibetan: shes rab, Chinese: 般若, banruo) meaning wisdom, cognitive acuity; or know-how -- but especially the Buddhist wisdom that is based on a realization of dependent origination, not-self, emptiness, etc. ... This article is about a Buddhist philosophy concept. ...

Buddhism after the Buddha

Main articles: History of Buddhism and Buddhist councils

During his lifetime, Buddha specifically refused to answer certain questions known as avyākṛta (Pāli: avyākata, "unexplained"). These are (1) Whether the world is eternal or not; (2) Whether the world is infinite or not; (3) Whether the body and the soul are one and the same or not; (4) Whether the tathāgata exists after death, or not, or both does and does not, or neither does nor does not. In the Culla-Māluṅkyovāda-sutta, the Buddha, using an analogy of being shot by a poisoned arrow and asking about its origin and construction, indicated to Māluṅkyāputta that such speculative questions are ultimately unprofitable. [3] The history of Buddhism spans from the 6th century BCE to the present, starting with the birth of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. ... // 1st Buddhist council (5th century BC) The first Buddhist council was held soon after the death of the Buddha under the patronage of king Ajatasatru, and presided by a monk named Mahakasyapa, at Rajagaha (todays Rajgir). ... Avyāká¹›ta (Sanskrit) or Avyākata (Pāli), meaning undetermined or unexplained, refers to indeterminate questions which Śākyamuni Buddha refused to answer. ... Tathāgata (Sanskrit; Pali The one thus-come or The one thus-gone; Chinese: 如來; Pinyin: Rú lái; Japanese: nyorai) This is traditionally interpreted as one who comes and goes in the same way (as the previous Buddhas). Tathāgata is the name which the historical Buddha Sakyamuni (Siddhattha Gotama...

In another occasion, the Buddha, without giving specific elaboration, stated that minor Vinaya rules can be amended by the Saṅgha. He further diverged from ancient Brahmin tradition by allowing monks and nuns not just to preach in the language of the area they happened to be in, but to recite the Dharma in the local language as well. The Vinaya (a word in Pali as well as in Sanskrit, with literal meaning discipline) is the textual framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha. ... It has been suggested that bhikkhu be merged into this article or section. ... In East Asia, the character for Dharma is 法, pronounced fÇŽ in Mandarin and hō in Japanese. ...

Soon after the parinirvāṇa (Pāli: parinibbāna, "complete extinguishment") of the Buddha, the first Buddhist council was held. As with any ancient Indian tradition, transmission of teaching was done orally. The primary purpose of the assembly was to collectively recite the teaching to ensure that no errors occur in oral transmission. In the first council, Ānanda, the Buddha's personal attendant was called upon to recite the discourses (sūtras, Pāli suttas) of the Buddha. Upāli, another disciple, recited the monastic rules (Vinaya). In Buddhism, parinirvana (Sanskrit -- Pali: Parinibbana -- Chinese: 般涅槃; Pinyin: bō niè pán) is the final nirvana, traditionally understood to be within reach only upon the death of someone who attained complete enlightenment. ... Ananda(Ch:阿難) was one of many principal disciples of the Buddha, a devout attendant and was renowned as the Ananda was the first cousin of the Buddha, and was devotedly attached to him. ... Sutra (सूत्र) in Sanskrit is derived from the verb siv-, meaning to sew (these words, including English to sew and Latinate suture, all derive from PIE *syÅ«-). It literally means a rope or thread, and more metaphorically refers to an aphorism (or line, rule, formula), or a collection of such aphorisms... Upali was a monk in the order of Siddhartha. ...

Early Buddhism

Main articles: The Second Buddhist Council and Early Buddhist schools

As the Saṅgha gradually grew over the next century disputes arose upon subtle points of discipline, e.g., the right to carry salt in a container. A second council (traditionally 100 years after the Buddha's death) was held to resolve the points at dispute. The result was not a resolution but a schism (saṅghabheda): on the one side the Sthaviras, or "Elders", whose name implies an authoritative elite group, and on the other side the Mahāsāṅghikas, the party "of the Great Saṅgha", implying a majority position. The fortunate survival of accounts from both sides of the dispute reveals disparate traditions; the Sthaviras claimed that the Mahāsāṅghikas were trying to dilute the Vinaya by ignoring certain rules; the Mahāsāṅghikas argued that the Sthaviras were trying to expand the Vinaya by illegitimately introducing new rules not sanctioned by the Buddha; they may also have challenged what they perceived to be excessive claims or inhumanly high criteria for Arhatship. Both parties, therefore, appealed to tradition.^[1] The Sthaviras gave rise to several schools, one of which was the Theravāda school. About a century since the passing of the Buddah, the Second Buddhist Council was held to resolve a dispute which arose within Sangha. ... Divisions among the early Buddhist schools came about due to doctrinal or practical differences in the views of the Buddhist Sangha following the death of the Buddha. ... Sthaviravāda (Sanskrit. ... The Mahāsaṃghika (Majority) sect of Buddhism was formed in the first Buddhist schism around 320 BCE. It split from the Sthaviravāda (Elders) school. ... A garden featuring depictions of various arhats (Hsi Lai Temple, California) An arhat (Sanskrit, also arahat or arahant (Pali); Chinese: 阿羅漢, āluóhàn, luóhàn, lohan; Tibetan: dgra-bcom-pa; Jp. ... Theravada (Pali; Sanskrit: Sthaviravada) is one of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikāya schools that formed early in the history of Buddhism. ...

This split occurred wholly within the traditions of Early Buddhism, at a time when the Mahāyāna movement either did not exist at all, or only existed as a current of thought not yet identified with a separate school. It was also solely concerned with questions of discipline, and foreshadowed the later splintering of both the Sthavira and Mahāsāṅghika Saṅghas into as many as thirty different "schools". Each "school" was characterized by a slightly different Vinaya; doctrinal differences among these schools only developed subsequent to the arising of differences in discipline.

The Sthavira-Mahāsāṅghika split has, therefore, nothing at all to do with the constrasts, posited by scholars, between "Northern and Southern Buddhism", or between "Mahāyāna and Theravāda", or even the traditional Mahāyāna contrast between Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna. Other than as an adumbration of schisms within the Saṅgha in general, it has no relevance for present-day Buddhism. Of the approximately thirty Vinayas that existed in the ancient and medieval Saṅgha, three have survived to the present day: the Vibhajyavāda Vinaya, used by the Theravādins; the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya, used by Mahāyāna Buddhists in China, Vietnam, and Korea (Vinaya is not generally observed in Japan); and the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, used by Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna Buddhists in Tibet. All three of these Vinayas descend directly from the Sthavira Vinaya, not from the Mahāsāṅghika Vinaya, which although partially extant, is not actually followed by any living bhikṣus. Theravada (Pali; Sanskrit: Sthaviravada) is one of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikāya schools that formed early in the history of Buddhism. ... A Buddhist Monk in Sri Lanka In Pāli, a bhikkhu (male) or bhikkhuni (female) is a fully ordained Buddhist monk. ...

Following the schisms, each Saṅgha started to accumulate an Abhidharma, a collection of philosophical commentaries on the discourse of the Buddha. It is not known whether such commentaries existed from the time of the Buddha. However, as Buddhism spread and came in contact with different religious orders, it became increasingly necessary to engage and debate the Dharma and formalize the teachings of the Buddha in a more systematic manner. As each sect developed different collections of Abhidharma, what began as disciplinary differences between the Saṅghas evolved into doctrinal differences as well. These sects of Buddhism are referred to as Nikāya (section) in the modern Theravāda tradition and Hīnayāna (lesser vehicle) sects in the Mahāyāna tradition. Some modern academics also refer it as Abhidhamma Buddhism. Abhidharma (Sanskrit; Pāli Abhidhamma) is a category of Buddhist scriptures that attempts to use Buddhist teachings to create a systematic, abstract description of all worldly phenomena. ... In East Asia, the character for Dharma is 法, pronounced fÇŽ in Mandarin and hō in Japanese. ...

Buddhist proselytism at the time of king Aśoka (260–218 BCE).

Buddhism spread slowly in India until the time of the Maurya king Aśoka, who was a public supporter of the religion. The support of Aśoka and his descendants led to the construction of Buddhist religious memorials (stūpas) and to efforts to spread Buddhism throughout the enlarged Maurya empire and even into neighboring lands – particularly to the Iranian-speaking regions of Afghanistan and Central Asia, beyond the Mauryas' northwest border, and to the island of Śrī Laṅkā south of India. These two missions, in opposite directions, would ultimately lead, in the first case to the spread of Buddhism into China, and in the second case, to the emergence of Theravāda Buddhism and its spread from Laṅkā to the coastal lands of Southeast Asia. Download high resolution version (959x577, 19 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (959x577, 19 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... The English language word proselytism is derived ultimately from the Greek language prefix pros (towards) and the verb erchomai (to come). ... Emperor Ashoka (a possible picturisation) Ashoka the Great (Devanagari: अशोक; IAST transliteration: ) was the emperor of the Mauryan Empire from 273 BCE to 232 BCE. After a number of military conquests, Ashoka reigned over most of South Asia and beyond, from present-day Afghanistan to Bengal and as far south as... (Redirected from 260 BCE) Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC - 260s BC - 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC Years: 265 BC 264 BC 263 BC 262 BC 261 BC - 260 BC... (Redirected from 218 BCE) Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 260s BC 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC - 210s BC - 200s BC 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC Years: 223 BC 222 BC 221 BC 220 BC 219 BC - 218 BC... Chandragupta Maurya (ruled 322–298 BC), known to the Greeks as Sandracottus, was the first emperor of the Mauryan empire. ... Emperor Ashoka (a possible picturisation) Ashoka the Great (Devanagari: अशोक; IAST transliteration: ) was the emperor of the Mauryan Empire from 273 BCE to 232 BCE. After a number of military conquests, Ashoka reigned over most of South Asia and beyond, from present-day Afghanistan to Bengal and as far south as... A stupa in Tibet A stupa (from the Sanskrit) is a type of Buddhist structure found across the Indian subcontinent, Asia and increasingly in the Western World. ...

This period marks the first spread of Buddhism beyond India. According to the edicts of Aśoka, emissaries were sent to various countries west of India in order to spread "Dhamma". particularly in eastern provinces of the neighboring Seleucid Empire, and possibly even farther to Hellenistic kingdoms of the Mediterranean. This led, centuries later, to the emergence of Greek-speaking Buddhist monarchs in the Greco-Bactrian Kingdoms, and to the development of the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhāra. During this period Buddhism was exposed to a variety of influences, from Persian and Greek civilization, and from changing trends in non-Buddhist Indian religions – themselves influenced by Buddhism. The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls, made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan dynasty during his reign from 272 to 231 BCE. These inscriptions are dispersed throughout the areas of modern-day Pakistan... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The term Hellenistic (derived from HéllÄ“n, the Greeks traditional self-described ethnic name) was established by the German historian Johann Gustav Droysen to refer to the spreading of Greek culture over the non-Greek peoples that were conquered by Alexander the Great. ... Approximate extent of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom circa 220 BCE. The Greco-Bactrians were a dynasty of Greek kings who controlled Bactria and Sogdiana, an area comprising todays northern Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia, the easternmost area of the Hellenistic world, from 250 to 125 BCE. Their expansion... Gandhara Buddha, 1st-2nd century CE. Greco-Buddhist art is the artistic manifestation of Greco-Buddhism, a cultural syncretism between the Classical Greek culture and Buddhism, which developed over a period of close to 1000 years in Central Asia, between the conquests of Alexander the Great in the 4th century... Gandhāra (also Ghandara, Ghandahra, Chandahara, and Persian Gandara) is the name of an ancient kingdom in eastern Afghanistan and north-west province of Pakistan. ...

Establishment of Theravāda Buddhism (Southern Tradition)

Main article: Theravada

In addition to the Edicts of Aśoka, Buddhist annals compiled at a later date offer a history of the Aśokan and post-Aśokan period. Among these annals are the Dīpavaṃsa, the Mahāvaṃsa, and the Samantapāsādika of the south Indian Vibhajjavāda (Sanskrit: Vibhajyavāda) saṅgha, beside the Divyāvadāna and the Avadānaśataka from the northern Sarvāstivāda (Pāli: Sabbatthivāda) saṅgha. According to the accounts of the Vibhajjavāda, Aśoka convened a third Buddhist council (c. 250 BCE), whose purpose was to produce a definitive text of the Buddha's words. The result, according to the Vibhajjavādins, was the compilation of the version of the Tripiṭaka (Pāli: Tipiṭaka) found in the Pāli Canon. Theravada (Pali; Sanskrit: Sthaviravada) is one of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikāya schools that formed early in the history of Buddhism. ... Capital of one of the inscription-bearing pillars erected by Emperor Ashoka (272-231 BCE), at Sarnath around 250 BCE. The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls, made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan... The Dipavamsa (Island Chronicle in Pali) is the oldest historical record of Sri Lanka, believed to be compiled in the 4th century. ... The Mahavamsa, also Mahawamsa, (Pāli: great chronicle) is a historical record, written in the Pāli language, of the Buddhist kings of Sri Lanka. ... Samantapasadika refers to a collection of Pali commentaries on Theravada Tipitaka Vinaya. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation: ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... Divyavadana, Devine Deeds (Avadana) is a Sarvastivadin anthology consisting 38 ledends including emperor Asoka. ... Avadanasataka, Century of Noble Deeds (Avadana) in Sanskrit is a Sarvastivadin anthology of ledends, mostly consist of Gautama Buddah as well as emperor Asoka. ... The Sarvastivada (roughly, Proclaiming that all exist) --a reference to one of the distinguishing doctrines of the school, the existence of dharmas in all of the three times (past, present, and future). ... For the town and district in Rajasthan, see Pali, Rajasthan For the Ganapati temple of pali and place in Maharastra, see Ballaleshwar Pali Pāli (Devanagari पालि) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... Emperor Ashoka (a possible picturisation) Ashoka the Great (Devanagari: अशोक; IAST transliteration: ) was the emperor of the Mauryan Empire from 273 BCE to 232 BCE. After a number of military conquests, Ashoka reigned over most of South Asia and beyond, from present-day Afghanistan to Bengal and as far south as... The Tripitaka (Sanskrit, lit. ... Standard edition of the Thai Pali Canon The Pali Canon is one the earliest existing scripture collections of the Buddhist tradition. ...

The council also saw the formation of the saṅgha of the Vibhajjavāda ("school of analytical discourse") out of various schools of the Sthaviravāda lineage. Vibhajjavādins claim that the first step to insight has to be achieved by the aspirant's experience, critical investigation, and reasoning instead of by blind faith. The Theravāda school claims that the Sarvāstivada and the Dharmaguptaka schools were rejected by the council, although according to other sources the Dharmaguptaka school is classified as one of the Vibhajyavādin schools. However, these schools became influential in northwestern India and Central Asia and, since their teaching is found among the scriptures preserved by the Mahāyāna schools, they may have had some formative influence on the Mahāyāna. The Sarvāstivadins have not preserved an independent tradition about the Third Council. Sthaviravāda (Sanskrit. ... The Dharmaguptaka are one of the eighteen schools of early Buddhism. ...

It was long believed in Theravāda tradition that the Pāli language is equivalent to Māgadhī, the eastern dialect of the kingdom of Magadha spoken by the Buddha. However, linguistic comparisons of the Edicts of Aśoka and the language of the Pāli canon show strong differences between the Māgadhī of the Edicts (characterized by such changes as r → l, masculine nominative singular of a-stems in -e, etc.) and Pāli. The greatest similarity to Pāli is found in a dialectal variant of the Edicts written on a rock near Girnar in Gujarat. For the town and district in Rajasthan, see Pali, Rajasthan For the Ganapati temple of pali and place in Maharastra, see Ballaleshwar Pali Pāli (Devanagari पालि) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... Magadha was an ancient kingdom of India, mentioned in both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. ... The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls, made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan dynasty during his reign from 272 to 231 BCE. These inscriptions are dispersed throughout the areas of modern-day Pakistan... Girnar, a scenic mountain range in Gujarat, India, rises to above 6000 meters, the highest peaks in Gujarat. ...

According to Theravāda accounts, the Vibhajjavāda version of the Tripiṭaka was introduced to Śrī Laṅkā by Mahinda (Sanskrit: Mahendra), one of the sons of Aśoka. The Tripitaka (Sanskrit, lit. ... Ceylon redirects here. ... Mahinda was the son of Emperor Ashoka. ... Emperor Ashoka (a possible picturisation) Ashoka the Great (Devanagari: अशोक; IAST transliteration: ) was the emperor of the Mauryan Empire from 273 BCE to 232 BCE. After a number of military conquests, Ashoka reigned over most of South Asia and beyond, from present-day Afghanistan to Bengal and as far south as...

Rise of Mahāyāna Buddhism (Northern Tradition)

Expansion of Mahāyāna Buddhism between the 1st – 10th century CE.

Main article: Mahayana

The Mahāyāna as a distinct movement began around the 1st century BCE in the area around the Kuṣāṇa Empire (now an area within Pākistān) before it was transmitted in a highly evolved form to China in the 2nd century CE. On one side, Mahāyāna was a movement of lay Buddhists focused around stūpa devotion. Pictures within the wall of a stūpa representing the story of the Buddha and his previous reincarnation as a bodisattva were used to preach Buddhism to the masses.^[2] The Saṅgha, at the same time, became increasingly fragmented both in terms of Abhidharma and Vinaya practice. This led to a widening distance between the laity and Saṅgha. The Mahāyāna movement, on the other hand, was ecumenical, reflecting a wide range of influence from various sects. Monks representing different philosophical orientations could live in the same Saṅgha as long as they practiced the same Vinaya. Still, in terms of Abhidharma, the Sarvāstivāda school (which had been rejected by the 3rd council, according to the Theravāda tradition) and the Dharmaguptaka school, both of which were widespread in the Kuṣāṇa Empire, seem to have had major influence. Moreover, those who believe that Mahāyāna sūtras were composed during this period speculate that the process of reshuffling of sūtras according to various Abhidharma eventually led to editing which made the composition of new Mahāyāna sūtras possible. Download high resolution version (958x659, 20 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (958x659, 20 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Relief image of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin from Mt. ... Relief image of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin from Mt. ... Boundary of the Kushan empire, c. ... A stupa in Tibet A stupa (from the Sanskrit) is a type of Buddhist structure found across the Indian subcontinent, Asia and increasingly in the Western World. ... The abhidhamma is the name of one of the three pitakas, or baskets of tradition, into which the Tipitaka (Pali; Sanskrit: Tripitaka), the canon of early Buddhism, is divided. ... The Vinaya (a word in Pali as well as in Sanskrit, with literal meaning discipline) is the textual framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha. ... Divisions among the early Buddhist schools came about due to doctrinal or practical differences in the views of the Buddhist Sangha following the death of the Buddha. ... The Sarvastivada (roughly, Proclaiming that all exist) --a reference to one of the distinguishing doctrines of the school, the existence of dharmas in all of the three times (past, present, and future). ... The Dharmaguptaka are one of the eighteen schools of early Buddhism. ...

Around 100 AD, the Kuṣāṇa emperor Kaniṣka convened the fourth Buddhist council and is usually associated with the formal rise of Mahāyāna Buddhism. This council is not recognised by Theravāda line of Buddhism. This council did not simply rely on the original Tripiṭaka in the third council. Instead, a set of new scriptures, mostly notably, the Lotus Sūtra, an early version of the Heart Sūtra and the Amitābha Sūtra were approved, as well as fundamental principles of doctrine based around the concept of salvation for the masses (hence Mahāyāna "great vehicle") and the concept of Buddhas and bodhisattva who embody transcendent Buddha-nature who strive to achieve such goal. The new scriptures were written in Sanskrit. From that point on, and in the space of a few centuries, Mahāyāna would flourish and spread in the East from India to Southeast Asia, and towards the north to Central Asia, China, Korea, and finally to Japan in 538 CE. (Redirected from 100 AD) For other uses, see number 100. ... Gold coin of Kanishka I with a representation of the Buddha (c. ... The Tripitaka (Sanskrit, lit. ... The Lotus Sutra or Sutra on the White Lotus of the Sublime Dharma (Sanskrit: SaddharmapundarÄ«ka-sÅ«tra; 妙法蓮華經 Cn: MiàofÇŽ Liánhuā JÄ«ng; Jp: Myōhō Renge Kyō; Kr: Myobeop Yeonhwa Kyong) is one of the most popular and influential Mahāyāna sutras in East Asia and... The Heart of Perfect Wisdom Sutra or Heart Sutra (Sanskrit: प्रज्ञापारमिताहृदयसूत्र Prajñāpāramitā Hridaya SÅ«tra; Chinese: 般若波羅蜜多心經, Buōrèbuōluómìtuó xÄ«njÄ«ng; Japanese: Hannya Shingyo;Korean: Pannya shimgyŏng) is a well known Mahāyāna Buddhist sutra. ... The Amitabha Sutra, or Shorter Sukhavativyuha Sutra, is a Mahayana Buddhist text associated with Pure Land Buddhism. ... Buddha-nature (originally in Sanskrit, Buddha-dhatu - Buddha Element, Buddha-Principle) is a doctrine important for many schools of Mahayana Buddhism. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation: ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Korea (Korean:한국, Hanguk, or ì¡°ì„ , Chosun or Joseon) is a civilization and geographical area situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia, bordering China (PRC) to the northwest and Russia to the northeast, with Japan situated to the southeast across the Korea Strait. ... Events End of the Kofun era and beginning of the Asuka period, the second part of the Yamato period in Japan. ...

Emergence of the Vajrayāna

Wheel of Life, Bhutan. In the Indian Mahāyāna Buddhism scriptural language of Sanskrit, the Wheel of Life is called Bhavacakra.

Main article: Vajrayana

Mahāyāna Buddhism received significant theoretical grounding from Nāgārjuna (c.150 - 250 CE), arguably the most influential scholar within the Mahāyāna tradition. From studying his writings, it is clear that Nāgārjuna was conversant with both the Nikāya (Hīnayāna) philosophies and the emerging Mahāyāna tradition. He made explicit references to Mahāyāna texts, but his philosophy was argued within the parameters set out by the Tripiṭaka sūtras. Completely repudiating the then-dominant Sarvāstivāda school, which argued for the existence of dharmas (factors of existence) in past, present, and future, Nāgārjuna asserted that the nature of the dharmas (hence the enlightenment) to be śūnya (void or empty), bringing together other key Buddhist doctrines, particularly anātman (no-self) and pratītyasamutpāda (dependent origination). His school of thought is known as the Madhyamaka. Download high resolution version (1072x1504, 721 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1072x1504, 721 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... In the dharmic religions (Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism), the wheel of life or dharmachakra (Sanskrit धर्मचक्र; Tibetan chos kyi khor lo; see also the Names section below) is a mandala or symbolic representation of samsara, the continuous cycle of birth, life, death. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation: ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... A mandala used in Vajrayana Buddhist practices. ... 150 - 250 CE) was an Indian philosopher, the founder of the Madhyamaka (Middle Path) school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, and arguably the most influential Indian Buddhist thinker after the Gautama Buddha himself. ... Divisions among the early Buddhist schools came about due to doctrinal or practical differences in the views of the Buddhist Sangha following the death of the Buddha. ... The Tripitaka (Sanskrit, lit. ... The Sarvastivada (roughly, Proclaiming that all exist) --a reference to one of the distinguishing doctrines of the school, the existence of dharmas in all of the three times (past, present, and future). ... In East Asia, the character for Dharma is 法, pronounced fÇŽ in Mandarin and hō in Japanese. ... Śūnyatā, शून्यता (Sanskrit, Pali: suññatā), or Emptiness, is a term for an aspect of the Buddhist metaphysical critique as well as Buddhist epistemology and phenomenology. ... The Buddhist term Anātman (Sanskrit) or Anatta (Pali) is an adjective that specifies the absence of a supposedly permanent and unchanging self or soul in any one of the psycho-physical (namo-rupa) constituents of empirical existence; eg. ... The doctrine of Pratitya-samutpada (Sanskrit: pratÄ«tya-samutpāda, Pali: paticca samuppada Tibetan: rten cing brel bar byung ba) is Buddhisms primary contribution to metaphysics. ... Madhyamaka is a Buddhist philosophical tradition that asserts that all phenomena are empty of self-nature or essence (Sanskrit: Svabhāva), that they have no intrinsic, independent reality apart from the causes and conditions from which they arise. ...

After the end of the Kuṣāṇas, Buddhism flourished in India during the dynasty of the Guptas (4th – 6th century). Mahāyāna centres of learning were established, the most important one being the Nālandā University in north-eastern India. Sarvāstivāda teaching, which was criticized by Nāgārjuna was reformulated by scholars such as Vasubandhu and Asaṅga and were incorporated into the Yogācāra (Sanskrit: yoga practice) school. While the Madhyamaka school asserted that there is no ultimately real thing, the Yogācāra school asserts that only the mind is ultimately existent. These two schools of thought, in opposition or synthesis, form the basis of subsequent Mahāyāna theology. Boundary of the Kushan empire, c. ... Silver coin of the Gupta King Kumara Gupta I (414-455 CE). ... Remains at Nalanda Nalanda is a historical place in central Bihar, India, 90 km south-east of the state capital of Patna. ... Vasubandhu (Sanskrit. ... Asanga (also called Aryasanga), born around 300 C.E., was a great exponent of the Yogacara. ... Yogācāra (Sanskrit: yoga practice), also spelled yogāchāra, is an influential school of philosophy and psychology that developed in Indian Mahayana Buddhism starting sometime in the fourth to fifth centuries C.E., also commonly known as Consciousness-only (Sanskrit: Cittamātra). ...

There are differing views as to just when Vajrayāna and its tantric practice started. In the Tibetan tradition, it is claimed that the historical Śākyamuni Buddha taught tantra, but as these are esoteric teachings, they were written down long after the Buddha's other teachings. The earliest texts appeared around the early 4th century. Nālandā University became a center for the development of Vajrayāna theory and continued as the source of leading-edge Vajrayāna practices up through the 11th century. These practices, scriptures and theory were transmitted to China, Tibet, Indochina and Southeast Asia. China generally received Indian transmission up to the 11th century including tantric practice, while a vast amount of what is considered to be Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayāna) stems from the late (9th-12th century) Nālandā tradition. Tantra (Sanskrit: weave), tantric yoga or tantrism is any of several esoteric traditions rooted in the religions of India. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 4th century was that century which lasted from 301 to 400. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... Tibetan Buddhism is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet, the Himalayan region, Mongolia, Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia (Russia), and northeastern China (Manchuria: Heilongjiang, Jilin). ... As a means of recording the passage of time the 9th century was that century that lasted from 801 to 900. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ...

Decline of Buddhism in India

Main article: Decline of Buddhism in India

Buddhism was established in the northern regions of India and Central Asian, and kingdoms with Buddhist rulers such as Menander I and Kanishka. Under the rule of tolerant or even sympathetic Greek and Iranian kings, Buddhism flourished. The rulers of the Kushan Empire adopted Buddhism, and it continued to thrive in the region under the rule of the Turk-Shāhīs. Buddhism was initially established in India and it flourished there during the early phases of its history. ... Central Asia is a region of Asia. ... Tetradrachm of Menander I in Greco-Bactrian style (Alexandria-Kapisa mint). ... Gold coin of Kanishka I with a representation of the Buddha (c. ... Boundary of the Kushan empire, c. ... Coin of the Shahi king Spalapati Deva, circa 750-900. ...

However, from the 1st Century BCE on, Hindu dynasties had achieved preeminence elsewhere in India. Even in regions of Buddhist predominance, such as the northwest (Punjab region) and the lower Gangetic plain (Uttar Pradesh and Bengal), the Indian caste system and other characteristics of Hinduism were found. In political contests between Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms, Buddhist rulers were gradually replaced by Hindu ones. By the 4th to 5th century Buddhism was already in decline in northern India, even though it was achieving multiple successes in Central Asia and along the Silk Road as far as China. Hinduism {Sanskrit/Hindi - Hindū Dharma, also known as Sanātana (eternal) Dharma, and Vaidika (of the Vedas) Dharma} is a religion originating in the Indian subcontinent, based on the Vedas and the beliefs of other people of India. ... Punjab, 1903 Punjab Province, 1909 The Punjab (meaning: Land of five Rivers; also Panjab, Gurmukhi: ਪੰਜਾਬ, Shahmukhi: پنجاب) is a region straddling the border between India and Pakistan. ... Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: उत्तर प्रदेश, Urdu: اتر پردیش), also popularly known by its abbreviation UP, is the most populous and fifth largest state in the Union of India. ... Bengal, known as Bôngo (Bengali: বঙ্গ), Bangla (বাংলা), Bôngodesh (বঙ্গদেশ), or Bangladesh (বাংলাদেশ) in Bangla, is a region in the northeast of South Asia. ...

The independent Buddhist states of Central Asia were weakened in the 6th century following the invasion of the White Huns. Subsequently, Buddhist regions in Central Asia came either under the sway of the Persian Sassanid Empire or the Hindō-Shāhī dynasty. When the Muslim Arabs overthrew the Sassanids they encountered Buddhists in the eastern provinces of the Persian Empire. They called them by the Persian name of butparast, literally meaning "buddha-worshipper", although the term has come to be used generally for any religion in which cult images play a role. Several high officials of the Abbāsid Caliphate, notably the Barmakids, were descended from these East Iranian Buddhists. This Buddhist stela from China, Northern Wei period, was built in the early 6th century. ... The Hephthalites, also known as White Huns, were a nomadic people who lived across northern China, Central Asia, and northern India in the fourth through sixth centuries. ... The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Empire (in Persian: Sasanian) is the name used for the third Persian Empire (226 - 651). ... Coin of the Shahi king Spalapati Deva, circa 750-900. ... In the practice of religion, a cult image is a man-made object that is venerated for the spirit or daemon that it embodies. ... Abbasid provinces during the caliphate of Harun al-Rashid Abbasid (Arabic: العبّاسيّون AbbāsÄ«yÅ«n) was the dynastic name generally given to the caliphs of Baghdad, the second of the two great Sunni dynasties of the Islamic empire, that overthrew the Umayyad caliphs. ... The Barmakids, also called Barmecides, of Persian extraction, had originally been Buddhists, but shortly before the arrival of the Arabs, they had converted to Zoroastrianism. ...

When Muhammad bin Qasim led the invasion of Sindh at the mouth of the Indus river, he was aided by some Buddhists in his campaign against their Hindu overlord, Raja Dahir. Relations with later Arab rulers were more difficult; Buddhist monasteries and stūpas were not exempt from looting under Arab rule. Buddhist commentators would remark upon these events as a comeuppance for the Brahmins while lamenting the effects of Muslim military expeditions. ^{[citation needed]} To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Sindh (Sind) (Sindhi: سنڌ ;Urdu: سندھ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and is home to the Sindhis, Muhajirs and various other groups. ... The Indus is a river; the Indus River. ... Raja Dahir was the brahmin ruler of Deol State situated in Sindh and parts of Punjab during the beggining of what would come to be known as the Islamic conquest of South Asia under the banner of Muhammad bin Qasim for the Umayyad Caliphate. ...

Western Central Asia was under the control of first Arab and then Persian Muslims from the 8th century CE on. The originally pagan Turkic tribes who lived in this area converted to Islam as they came to be increasingly influenced by Persian culture. Buddhism persisted, together with Christianity, Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism, and shamanism in areas to the east (modern Xinjiang) for several centuries, which did not become overwhelmingly Muslim until the 15th century CE. Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recounted in the New Testament. ... Manichean priests, writing at their desk, with panel inscription in Sogdian. ... Zoroastrianism (Persian: آيين زرتشتی) also known as Mazdaism by some followers and Zarathustrianism by others, is a monotheistic religion. ... A shaman doctor of Kyzyl. ... Xinjiang (Uyghur: (Shinjang); Chinese: 新疆; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hsin1-chiang1; Postal Pinyin: Sinkiang), full name Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Uyghur: شىنجاڭ ئۇيغۇر ئاپتونوم رايونى (Shinjang Uyghur Aptonom Rayoni); Simplified Chinese: 新疆维吾尔自治区; Traditional Chinese: 新疆維吾爾自治區; Pinyin: Xīnjiāng Wéiwúěr Zìzhìqū), is an autonomous region of the Peoples Republic of China. ...

After the disintegration of the Abbāsid Caliphate, the Muslim Turks rose to prominence among the Persian emirates that emerged in Central Asia and Afghanistan. In the 10th century CE, one of them, Mahmud of Ghazni, defeated the Hindō-Shāhīs and imposed Islam throughout Afghanistan and the Punjab region. Mahmud and Ayaz The Sultan is to the right, shaking the hand of the sheykh, with Ayaz standing behind him. ... Coin of the Shahi king Spalapati Deva, circa 750-900. ... Punjab, 1903 Punjab Province, 1909 The Punjab (meaning: Land of five Rivers; also Panjab, Gurmukhi: ਪੰਜਾਬ, Shahmukhi: پنجاب) is a region straddling the border between India and Pakistan. ...

Buddhists retained power in parts of northern India, in Kashmir and especially in Bengal, where the Buddhist Pāla kings ruled from the 8th-12th centuries CE. These last Buddhist strongholds played an important role in the evolution of the Vajrayāna and the transmission of that form of Buddhism to Tibet. Shown in green is the Kashmiri region under Pakistani control. ... Buddha and Bodhisattvas, 11th century, Pala Empire. ... A mandala used in Vajrayana Buddhist practices. ... Tibet (older spelling Thibet; Tibetan: བོད་, Bod, pronounced pö in Lhasa dialect; Chinese: 西藏, Pinyin: XÄ«zàng or Chinese: 藏区, Pinyin: ZàngqÅ« [the two names are used with different connotations; see Name section below]) is a region in Central Asia and the home of the Tibetan people. ...

Elsewhere in India, Buddhism suffered from pressure by Hindu dynasties, such as the increasingly powerful Rajputs, as well competition from a Hinduism that had gained ideological coherence and emotional vigor from such movements as Vedānta philosophy and Bhakti devotionalism. One symptom of increased Hindu confidence with regard to Buddhism was the identification of the Buddha as an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu – an identification which contradicted basic Buddhist understandings about the nature of a Buddha and of nirvana. Rajputs (anonymous, c. ... Vedanta (Vedānta, वेदान्त, pronounced as ) means the anta or culmination or essence of the Vedas. ... Bhakti movements are Hindu religious movements in which the main spiritual practice is the fostering of loving devotion to God, called bhakti. ... The 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu In Hinduism, an avatar or avatara or avataram (Sanskrit अवतार), is the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of an Immortal Being, or of the Ultimate Supreme Being. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... This article is about a Buddhist philosophy concept. ...

In 1193, only a few decades after the fall of the Pāla kingdom, Muhammad Khilji destroyed Nalanda University, the great Buddhist university. Khilji was one of the generals of Qutb-ud-din Aybak, a subject of the Afghān Ghurids but soon to become the monarch of a Muslim sultanate at Delhi. Khilji's march across northern India caused a precipitous decline in the fortunes of Indian Buddhism, as he destroyed Buddhist walled monasteries (which he thought were cities), killed the monks and burned their libraries. By the 13th century CE, Buddhism had become a marginal religion in central India; without a monastic infrastructure, Buddhism could not easily maintain its identity, and many Buddhists, especially in Bengal, were converted to Islam. In Kashmir, Buddhism remained a significant religion down to the early 15th century, when it was displaced by Islam and Hinduism, except among the Tibetan peoples of Ladakh. Events Saladin dies, and the lands of the Kurdish Ayyubid dynasty of Egypt and Syria are split among his descendants. ... Muhammad Khilji (12th century CE) was one of the military generals of Qutab-ud-din. ... Remains at Nalanda Nalanda is a historical place in central Bihar, India, 90 km south-east of the state capital of Patna. ... Qutb-ud-din Aybak was a ruler of Medieval India, the first Sultan of Delhi and founder of the Slave dynasty (also known as the Mamluk dynasty). ... Ghorids are people from Ghor province of Afghanistan. ... The Delhi Sultanate (دلی سلطنت), or Sulthanath-e-Hind(سلطنتِ ہند)/Sulthanath-e-Dilli(سلطنتِ دلی) refers to the various Afghan dynasties that ruled in India from 1210 to 1526. ... Tikse monastery, Ladakh Ladakh is the largest district of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, covering more than half the area of the state (of which it is the eastern part). ...

Elements of Buddhism have remained within India to the current day: the Bauls of Bengal have a syncretic set of practices with strong emphasis on many Buddhist concepts. Other areas of India have never parted from Buddhism, including Ladakh and other Himalayan regions with a primarily Tibetan population. The Newars of Nepal also retain a form of Buddhism that differs from the Buddhism of Tibet. Bengal, known as Bôngo (Bengali: বঙ্গ), Bangla (বাংলা), Bôngodesh (বঙ্গদেশ), or Bangladesh (বাংলাদেশ) in Bangla, is a region in the northeast of South Asia. ... The Newar are the indigenous ethnolinguistic group of Nepals Kathmandu valley. ...

Major sects

Stone carvings at Dazu near Chongqing, China.

Buddhist schools are usually divided into two main branches: Theravāda Buddhism and Mahāyāna Buddhism. Vajrayāna is sometimes named as a third, but is more commonly considered a form of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Dazu Stone Carvings on Mount Baoding, Dazu County, near Chongqing, China - Photo taken 25 December 2004 by User: Calton. ... Dazu Stone Carvings on Mount Baoding, Dazu County, near Chongqing, China - Photo taken 25 December 2004 by User: Calton. ... Dazu Stone Carvings on Mount Baoding The Dazu Stone Carvings are a series of Chinese religious sculptures and carvings, dating back as far as the 7th century A.D., depicting and influenced by Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist beliefs. ... Chongqing (Simplified Chinese: 重庆; Traditional Chinese: 重慶; Pinyin: Chóngqìng; Wade-Giles: Chung-ching; Postal System Pinyin: Chungking) is the largest and most populous of the Peoples Republic of Chinas four provincial-level municipalities, and the only one in the less densely populated western half of China. ... Theravada (Pali; Sanskrit: Sthaviravada) is one of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikāya schools that formed early in the history of Buddhism. ... Relief image of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin from Mt. ... A mandala used in Vajrayana Buddhist practices. ...

Mahāyāna Buddhists sometimes refer to all forms of non-Mahāyāna Buddhism, past and present, including the Theravāda school, as members of the Hīnayāna grouping. This term, which literally means "the inferior vehicle", is now widely regarded as both inaccurate and derogatory. However, it does accurately label a polemical category that existed in the minds of Maāyāna Buddhists, and all attempts to find a less derogatory label have had their difficulty. Among the terms that have been used as substitutes for "Hīnayāna" are the following: Hinayana (Sanskrit: inferior vehicle; Chinese:小乘, Xiǎoshèng; Japanese: Shōjō) is a term coined by the Mahayana, which appeared publicly around the 1st century CE. There are differing views on the use and meaning of the term, both among scholars and within Buddhism. ...

• Theravāda – This term properly refers to only one school among many non-Mahāyāna schools that once existed, many of which espoused philosophical notions contrary to those of the Theravādins. It would be altogether inaccurate to refer to such Buddhists as the Sarvāstivādins as Theravādins. Some scholars, such as Dr. Walpola Rahula, have pointed out that there was small contact between early Mahāyānists and Theravādins, and have suggested that the term "Hīnayāna" was never intended to include the Theravāda. Judging by the content of Mahāyāna polemic, it seems certain that other sects of northern India were the primary targets of the "Hīnayāna" critique.

• Early Buddhism – This term properly covers all the schools, primarily distinguished by Vinaya, that existed before the emergence of the Mahāyāna. Although all of these schools would be regarded by Mahāyānists as "Hīnayāna", it suggests the restriction of these schools to a certain "early" period of time, and is not appropriately used as a term for contemporary schools.

• Eighteen Schools (or Twenty Schools) – This term faces the same objections as "Early Buddhism", being historically oriented and furthermore numerically inexact.

• Southern Buddhism – This geographical designation is appropriately applied to the Theravāda, whose centers in Śrī Laṅkā and Southeast Asia are south of the original centers of Buddhist activity in the Gangetic plain. However, most of the schools critiqued as "Hīnayāna" existed in northern India and in parts of Central Asia northwest of India.

• Pāli Buddhism – This term only applies to the Theravāda, whose scriptures (the Pāli canon) are in the Pāli language. The other "Hīnayāna" schools wrote either in Sanskrit, in other Prakrits (notably Gāndhārī) or in Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit, a mixed language with both Sanskrit and Prakrit elements.

• Śrāvakayāna Buddhism – This term, referring to the "śrāvakas" or hearers who followed the Buddha and sought arhatship, originates from within Mahāyāna Buddhism. It faces some of the same objections as "Hīnayāna", though it is less obviously derogatory. However, it does not refer to any actual school but to a hypothetical tendency or intention to be found in the individual; one might be a member of a Mahāyāna school, but be personally following a Śravakayāna path. Furthermore, it contrasts with "Bodhisattvayāna" and, if used for the Theravāda school, would incorrectly imply that the Theravādins did not teach a Bodhisattva path. Such a path is indeed taught in the Pāli canon, though it may be less emphasized than in Mahāyāna writings.

• Nikāya Buddhism – This recently invented term was intended to cover the same ground as Hīnayāna, referring to the nikāyas or "schools" into which Buddhism was split by the beginning of the Common Era. As such it may be critiqued in the same manner as "Early Buddhism" or "Eighteen Schools". It also may be interpreted as "Buddhism following the Nikāyas", the five primary divisions of the Tipiṭaka. However, this term is only used among the Theravāda; other schools used the term Āgamas. Four out of five of the Pāli Nikāyas have corresponding Āgamas in the Chinese Tripiṭaka, while parts of the fifth are scattered in other places, making it possible that Chinese Buddhism might be unintentionally classed as "Nikāya Buddhism".

Another way of categorizing Buddhist schools follows the major languages of the extant Buddhist canons, which exist in Pāli, Tibetan (also found in Mongollian translation, and Chinese collections, along with some texts that still exist in Sanskrit and Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit. This is a useful division for practical purposes, but does not necessarily correspond to philosophical or doctrinal divisions. The Sarvastivada (roughly, Proclaiming that all exist) --a reference to one of the distinguishing doctrines of the school, the existence of dharmas in all of the three times (past, present, and future). ... The Rev. ... Divisions among the early Buddhist schools came about due to doctrinal or practical differences in the views of the Buddhist Sangha following the death of the Buddha. ... Ceylon redirects here. ... Standard edition of the Thai Pali Canon The Pali Canon is one the earliest existing scripture collections of the Buddhist tradition. ... For the town and district in Rajasthan, see Pali, Rajasthan For the Ganapati temple of pali and place in Maharastra, see Ballaleshwar Pali Pāli (Devanagari पालि) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation: ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... Prakrit (Sanskrit prāká¹›ta प्राकृत (from pra-ká¹›ti प्रकृति), original, natural, artless, normal, ordinary, usual, i. ... GāndhārÄ« was a north-western prakrit spoken in Gāndhāra. ... Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit (BHS) is a modern linguistic category applied to some of the Mahāyāna Buddhist Sutras, such as the Perfection of Wisdom. ... Śravakayāna is a term used by some Mahayana Buddhists to describe one hypothetical path to enlightenment: the vehicle of hearers [i. ... A garden featuring depictions of various arhats (Hsi Lai Temple, California) An arhat (Sanskrit, also arahat or arahant (Pali); Chinese: 阿羅漢, āluóhàn, luóhàn, lohan; Tibetan: dgra-bcom-pa; Jp. ... Nikaya Buddhism is a general term for those schools of Buddhism that accept only the class of sutras collected in the Pāli Canon as authentic. ... There are many divisions and subdivisions of the schools of Buddhism. ... The Common Era (CE), sometimes known as the Christian Era or Current Era, is the period of measured time beginning with the year 1 (the traditional birthdate of Jesus) to the present. ... Nikaya is a word of Pali origin and Sanskrit usage which was adopted into English in reference to Buddhist texts. ... The Tripitaka (Sanskrit, lit. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Shakyamuni Buddha teaching. ... For the town and district in Rajasthan, see Pali, Rajasthan For the Ganapati temple of pali and place in Maharastra, see Ballaleshwar Pali Pāli (Devanagari पालि) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... The Tibetan language is typically classified as member of the Tibeto-Burman which in turn is thought by some to be a branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. ... The Mongolic languages are a group of languages spoken in Central Asia. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation: ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit (BHS) is a modern linguistic category applied to some of the Mahāyāna Buddhist Sutras, such as the Perfection of Wisdom. ...

Despite the differences, there are common threads to almost all Buddhist branches: The Basic Points Unifying the Theravada and the Mahayana is a very important Buddhist Ecumenical statement created in 1967 during the First Congress of the World Buddhist Sangha Council (WBSC), where its founder Secretary-General, the late Venerable Pandita Pimbure Sorata Thera, requested the Ven. ...

• All accept Śākyamuni Buddha as their teacher.
• All accept the Middle Way, Dependent origination, the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.
• All accept that both the members of the laity and of the saṅgha can pursue the path toward enlightenment (bodhi).
• All accept three types of Buddha and consider the Bodhisattva ideal as the highest {This is disputed by a few scholars of the Theravādin tradition}.

Standing Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, northern Pakistan, 1st century CE, Musée Guimet. ... The Middle Way or Middle Path is the Buddhist philosophy expounded by Gautama Buddha. ... Dependent Origination (Sanskrit: pratītya-samutpāda, Pali: paticca samuppada) The doctrine of pratitya-samutpada is Buddhisms primary contribution to metaphysics. ... The Four Noble Truths (Pali, cattari ariya saccani) are taught in Buddhism as the fundamental insight or enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha), which led to the formulation of the Buddhist philosophy. ... The Noble Eightfold Path (Sanskrit Ä€ryo ṣṭāṅgo mārgaḥ , Pāli Ariyo aá¹­á¹­haá¹…giko maggo) of Buddhism, as as taught by the Buddha Śākyamuni, is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. ... Bodhi is a past tense of bodhati meaning awake, become aware, notice, know or understand in both Pāli and Sanskrit. ... Many Buddhists in Nikaya, Mahayana, and Vajrayana traditions consider that there are three type of Buddha, and generally accept their definitions as follows: Samyaksam-Buddhas (Pali:Samma-Sambuddha): (also known in the Mahayana as Bodhisattva-Buddhas) gain Nirvana by their own efforts, without a teacher of the entire path. ...

Theravāda

Main article: Theravada

Theravāda is Pāli for "the Doctrine of the Elders" (from Sanskrit sthavira, Pāli thera, "old person"). The Theravāda school bases its practice and doctrine exclusively on the Pāli canon. The sutta (Sanskrit: sūtra) collections and Vinaya texts of the Pāli canon (and the corresponding texts in other versions of the Tripiṭaka), are generally considered by modern scholars to be the earliest written Buddhist literature, and they are accepted as authentic in every branch of Buddhism. Theravāda is the only surviving representative of the historical Nikāya branch of Buddhism. Nikāya Buddhism and consequently Theravāda are referred, especially in polemical contexts, by some Mahāyāna Buddhists as Hīnayāna or "inferior vehicle". This non-neutral usage is now considered unacceptable in scholarly writing. Theravāda is primarily practiced today in Śrī Laṅkā, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia as well as portions of China, Vietnam, and Malaysia. The aim of Theravāda Buddhism is to achieve nibbāna (Sanskrit: nirvāṇa) or liberation from rebirth. Theravada (Pali; Sanskrit: Sthaviravada) is one of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikāya schools that formed early in the history of Buddhism. ... Theravada (Pali; Sanskrit: Sthaviravada) is one of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikāya schools that formed early in the history of Buddhism. ... For the town and district in Rajasthan, see Pali, Rajasthan For the Ganapati temple of pali and place in Maharastra, see Ballaleshwar Pali Pāli (Devanagari पालि) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation: ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... Standard edition of the Thai Pali Canon The Pali Canon is one the earliest existing scripture collections of the Buddhist tradition. ... Sutra (सूत्र) in Sanskrit is derived from the verb siv-, meaning to sew (these words, including English to sew and Latinate suture, all derive from PIE *syÅ«-). It literally means a rope or thread, and more metaphorically refers to an aphorism (or line, rule, formula), or a collection of such aphorisms... The Vinaya (a word in Pali as well as in Sanskrit, with literal meaning discipline) is the textual framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha. ... The Tripitaka (Sanskrit, lit. ... Nikaya Buddhism is a general term for those schools of Buddhism that accept only the class of sutras collected in the Pāli Canon as authentic. ... H is the eighth letter of the Latin alphabet. ... Ceylon redirects here. ... This article is about a Buddhist philosophy concept. ...

Mahāyāna

Relief image of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin from Mt. Jiuhua.

Main article: Mahayana

The Mahāyāna (Sanskrit: "Great Vehicle") branch emphasizes universal compassion, or bodhicitta, and the selfless ideal of the bodhisattva, whose goal is to achieve Buddhahood in order to be of greatest benefit to other sentient beings. In addition to the Nikāya scriptures, Mahāyāna schools recognize all or part of a genre of scriptures that were first put in writing around 1 CE. These scriptures were written in some form of Sanskrit, except for a few manuscripts in certain Prakrits, and are concerned with the purpose of achieving Buddhahood by following the path of the bodhisattva over the course of what is often described as countless eons of time. Because of this immense timeframe, some Mahāyāna schools accept the idea of working towards rebirth in a Pure Land. Generally, the Pure Land is conceived of as a state which is not enlightenment in itself but which is a highly conducive environment for working toward enlightenment. Native Mahāyāna Buddhism is practiced today in China, Japan, Korea, and most of Vietnam. The Buddhism practiced in Tibet, the Himalayan regions, and Mongolia is also Mahāyāna in origin, but will be discussed below under the heading of Vajrayāna. Download high resolution version (489x744, 159 KB)Image of a bodhisattva, relief, from Jiuhuashan in Chinas Anhui province. ... Download high resolution version (489x744, 159 KB)Image of a bodhisattva, relief, from Jiuhuashan in Chinas Anhui province. ... Kuan Yin (觀音; Pinyin: Guān YÄ«n) is the bodhisattva of compassion as venerated by East Asian Buddhists, usually as a female. ... Jiuhuashan is one amongst the four holiest mountains of China associated with Buddha. ... Relief image of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin from Mt. ... Relief image of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin from Mt. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation: ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... In Buddhist thought, bodhicitta (Ch. ... Prince Siddhartha Gautama as a bodhisattva, before becoming a Buddha. ... Nikaya is a word of Pali origin and Sanskrit usage which was adopted into English in reference to Buddhist texts. ... (Redirected from 1 CE) For other uses, see One (disambiguation), for the number, see Number 1. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation: ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... Prakrit (Sanskrit prāká¹›ta प्राकृत (from pra-ká¹›ti प्रकृति), original, natural, artless, normal, ordinary, usual, i. ... Kalpa is one of the six disciplines of Vedanga, treating ritual. ... The Buddha Amitabha, 13th century, Kamakura, Japan. ...

Some of the sects of the Mahāyāna include the various schools and traditions within Chan/Zen and Pure Land, two of the major forms of present-day Mahāyāna. Another way to look at the variation within the Mahāyāna is from the perspective of local cultural interpretations, viz. Chinese Buddhism, Korean Buddhism, Japanese Buddhism, and Vietnamese Buddhism. Shakyamuni Buddha teaching. ... The grounds of Koreas Buryeongsa Temple. ... The Buddha in Kamakura (1252). ... Buddhism in Vietnam is Buddhism that had been localized to Vietnam from India and later from China. ...

Mahāyāna Buddhism shows a great deal of doctrinal variation and development over time, and even more variation in terms of practice. While there is much agreement on general principles, there is disagreement over which texts are more authoritative and which practices are best suited for the current times.

One of the important aspects of Mahāyāna Buddhism is the concept of Buddha-nature (Sanskrit: buddhatā, "buddha-ness" or buddhadhātu^[3] "essential principle of a buddha"). In Mahāyāna Buddhism, the Buddha, transcending his mere physical form, is viewed as a boundless, beginningless and endless being, present in all times and all places, yet beyond the reach of logic or mundane conceptualisation. He is regarded as the very embodiment of ungraspable and eternal yet realisable Dharma - ultimate Truth or Awakened Mind (bodhi). In essence, all perfect Buddhas are seen by Mahāyāna Buddhism as one in nature - all are salvational channels or vessels of Dharma. Buddha-nature (originally in Sanskrit, Buddha-dhatu - Buddha Element, Buddha-Principle) is a doctrine important for many schools of Mahayana Buddhism. ... Bodhi is a past tense of bodhati meaning awake, become aware, notice, know or understand in both Pāli and Sanskrit. ...

The doctrines of the Buddha in certain Mahāyāna sutras contain a set of explicit (nītārtha) teachings – which are rejected by the Theravādins – on the immanence of a hidden, deep-seated reality within all sentient beings which is linked to the eternality of the Buddha and Nirvāṇa. This immanent yet transcendent essence is variously called, in the key sutras which expound it, the buddhadhātu or the Tathāgatagarbha (Sanskrit: "womb from which a Tathāgata emerges"). This buddhadhātu is empty of all that is contingent, changing, painful, and impermanent. In the Nirvāṇasūtra, the Buddha calls buddhadhātu the "True Self" to distinguish it from the "false" worldly self. It is no less than the unfabricated, uncreated, uncompounded, immaculate, immortal, all-knowing, radiantly shining Principle of blissful Buddhahood: the very Dharmakāya (Chinese: 法身). This buddhadhātu, inherent in all beings, can never be destroyed or harmed, and yet is concealed from view by a mass of obscuring mental and moral taints within the mind-stream of the individual being. Once the buddhadhātu is finally seen and known by the faithful Buddhist practitioner, it has the power to transform that practitioner into a Buddha. The doctrine of the buddhadhātu or tathāgatagarbha is stated by the Buddha of the Nirvāṇasūtra to be the "absolutely final culmination" of his Mahāyāna Dharma. The Tathagatagarbha doctrine says that each sentient being contains the potential to become a Buddha. ... Tathāgata (Sanskrit; Pali The one thus-come or The one thus-gone; Chinese: 如來; Pinyin: Rú lái; Japanese: nyorai) This is traditionally interpreted as one who comes and goes in the same way (as the previous Buddhas). Tathāgata is the name which the historical Buddha Sakyamuni (Siddhattha Gotama... Nirvana Sutra or Mahāparinirvāṇa SÅ«tra (Chinese: Niepan Jing (涅槃經); Japanese: Nehankyō (涅槃経)) is one of the major texts of Mahāyāna Buddhism. ... The Trikaya doctrine (Sanskrit, literally Three bodies or personalities; 三身 Chinese: Sānshén, Japanese: sanjin) is an important Buddhist teaching both on the nature of reality, and what a Buddha is. ...

Vajrayāna

Young Tibetan Buddhist monks of Drepung

Main article: Vajrayana

The Vajrayāna or "Diamond Vehicle" (also referred to as Mantrayāna, Tantrayāna, Tantric Buddhism, or esoteric Buddhism) shares the basic concepts of Mahāyāna, but also includes a vast array of spiritual techniques designed to enhance Buddhist practice. Vajrayāna Buddhism exists today in the form of two major sub-schools: Tibetan Buddhism and Shingon Buddhism. One component of the Vajrayāna is harnessing psycho-physical energy as a means of developing profoundly powerful states of concentration and awareness. These profound states are in turn to be used as an efficient path to Buddhahood. Using these techniques, it is claimed that a practitioner can achieve Buddhahood in one lifetime, or even as little as three years. In addition to the Theravāda and Mahāyāna scriptures, Vajrayāna Buddhists recognise a large body of texts that include the Buddhist Tantras. Native Vajrayāna is practiced today mainly in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia, Kalmykia, Siberia, areas of India, and – in the Shingon (Zhènyān, 真言) and Tendai schools – in China and Japan. Young Buddhist monks in Tibet. ... Young Buddhist monks in Tibet. ... A mandala used in Vajrayana Buddhist practices. ... A mandala used in Vajrayana Buddhist practices. ... Tantra (Sanskrit: weave), tantric yoga or tantrism is any of several esoteric traditions rooted in the religions of India. ... Esotericism is knowledge suitable only for an inner circle of the initiated, advanced or privileged. ... Tibetan Buddhism is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet, the Himalayan region, Mongolia, Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia (Russia), and northeastern China (Manchuria: Heilongjiang, Jilin). ... Located in Kyoto, Japan, Daigo-ji is the head temple of the Ono branch of Shingon. ... There are a great variety of Buddhist texts. ... The Republic of Kalmykia (Kalmyk: Хальмг Таңһч; Russian: ) is a federal subject of the Russian Federation (a republic). ... Siberia is also an album by Echo & The Bunnymen. ... Shingon (真言宗) is a major school of Japanese Buddhism, and the most important school of Vajrayana Buddhism outside of the Himalayan region. ... Tendai (Japanese: 天台宗, Tendai-shÅ«) is a Japanese school of Vajrayana Buddhism, a descendant of the Chinese Tiantai or Lotus Sutra school. ...

Buddhist texts

Buddhist monk Geshe Konchog Wangdu reads Mahayana sutras from an old woodblock copy of the Tibetan Kanjur.

Main article: Buddhist texts

Buddhist scriptures and other texts exist in great variety. Different schools of Buddhism place varying levels of value on them. Some schools venerate certain texts as religious objects in themselves, while others take a more scholastic approach. The Buddhist canon of scripture is known in Sanskrit as the Tripiṭaka and in Pāli as the Tipiṭaka. These terms literally mean "three baskets" and refer to the three main divisions of the canon, which are: Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... There are a great variety of Buddhist texts. ... Many religions and spiritual movements hold certain written texts (or series of spoken legends not traditionally written down) to be sacred. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation: ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... The Tripitaka (Sanskrit, lit. ... For the town and district in Rajasthan, see Pali, Rajasthan For the Ganapati temple of pali and place in Maharastra, see Ballaleshwar Pali Pāli (Devanagari पालि) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ...

• The Vinaya Piṭaka, containing disciplinary rules for the Saṅghas of Buddhist monks and nuns, as well as a range of other texts including explanations of why and how rules were instituted, supporting material, and doctrinal clarification.
• The Sūtra Piṭaka (Pāli: Sutta Piṭaka), contains the actual discourses of the Buddha.
• The Abhidharma Piṭaka (Pāli: Abhidhamma Piṭaka) contains commentaries or systematic expositions of the Buddha's teachings.

Soon after the death of the Buddha, the first Buddhist council was held; a monk named Mahākāśyapa (Pāli: Mahākassapa) presided. The goal of the council was to record the Buddha's sayings – sūtras (Sanskrit) or suttas (Pāli) – and codify monastic rules (Vinaya). Ānanda, the Buddha's personal attendant, was called upon to recite the discourses of the Buddha, and Upāli, another disciple, recited the rules of the Vinaya. These became the basis of the Tripiṭaka. However, this record was initially transmitted orally in form of chanting, and was committed to text in a much later period. Both the sūtras and the Vinaya of every Buddhist school contain a wide variety of elements including discourses on the Dharma, commentaries on other teachings, cosmological and cosmogonical texts, stories of the Buddha's previous lives, and lists relating to various subjects. The Vinaya (a word in Pali as well as in Sanskrit, with literal meaning discipline) is the textual framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha. ... It has been suggested that bhikkhu be merged into this article or section. ... A “Monk” is a person who practices asceticism, the conditioning of mind and body in favor of the spirit. ... Nun in cloister, 1930; photograph by Doris Ulmann In general, a nun is a female ascetic who chooses to voluntarily leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent. ... The Sutta Pitaka (or Sutra Pitaka) is the second of three divisions of the Tipitaka, the great Pali collection of Buddhist writings. ... Standing Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, northern Pakistan, 1st century CE, Musée Guimet. ... Abhidharma (Sanskrit; Pāli Abhidhamma) is a category of Buddhist scriptures that attempts to use Buddhist teachings to create a systematic, abstract description of all worldly phenomena. ... Mahākāśyapa (摩訶迦葉) or Kāśyapa was a brahman of Magadha, who became one of the principal disciples of Śākyamuni Buddha and who convened and directed the first council. ... Sutra (सूत्र) in Sanskrit is derived from the verb siv-, meaning to sew (these words, including English to sew and Latinate suture, all derive from PIE *syÅ«-). It literally means a rope or thread, and more metaphorically refers to an aphorism (or line, rule, formula), or a collection of such aphorisms... Ananda(Ch:阿難) was one of many principal disciples of the Buddha, a devout attendant and was renowned as the Ananda was the first cousin of the Buddha, and was devotedly attached to him. ... Upali was a monk in the order of Siddhartha. ...

The Theravāda and other Nikāya schools believe that the texts of their canon contain the actual words of the Buddha. The Theravāda canon, also known as the Pāli Canon after the language it was written in, contains some four million words. Other texts, such as the Mahāyāna sūtras, are also considered to be the word of the Buddha, but were transmitted either in secret, via lineages of mythical beings (such as the nāgas), or came directly from other Buddhas or bodhisattvas. Some six hundred Mahāyāna sutras have survived in Sanskrit or in Chinese or Tibetan translations. Theravada (Pali; Sanskrit: Sthaviravada) is one of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikāya schools that formed early in the history of Buddhism. ... Nikaya Buddhism is a general term for those schools of Buddhism that accept only the class of sutras collected in the Pāli Canon as authentic. ... Standard edition of the Thai Pali Canon The Pali Canon is one the earliest existing scripture collections of the Buddhist tradition. ... Mahayana sutras are a very broad genre of Buddhist scriptures that were originally put in writing starting in the first century BCE. They form the basis of the various Mahayana schools. ... The nagas ( snake) are an ancient race of snake-humanoid beings first depicted in ancient Vedic Hindu mythology and oral folklore from at least 5000 B.C.E. Stories involving the Nagas are still very much a part of contemporary cultural traditions in predominantly Hindu (India, Nepal, and the island... A stone image of the Buddha. ... Prince Siddhartha Gautama as a bodhisattva, before becoming a Buddha. ... The Tibetan language is typically classified as member of the Tibeto-Burman which in turn is thought by some to be a branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. ...

The followers of Theravāda Buddhism take the scriptures known as the Pāli Canon as definitive and authoritative, while the followers of Mahāyāna Buddhism base their faith and philosophy primarily on the Mahāyāna sūtras and their own versions of the Vinaya. The Pāli suttas, along with other, closely-related scriptures, are known to the other schools as the āgamas. Whereas the Theravādins adhere solely to the āgamas and their commentaries, the adherents of Mahāyāna accept both the agamas and the Mahāyāna sūtras as authentic and valid teachings of the Buddha, designed for different types of persons and different levels of spiritual penetration. For the Theravādins, however, the Mahayana sūtras are works of poetic fiction, not the words of the Buddha himself. For the Mahāyānists, the āgamas do indeed contain basic, foundational, and, therefore, very precious teachings of the Buddha. In their view, the Mahāyāna sutras articulate the Buddha's higher, advanced and deeper doctrines, reserved for those who follow the bodhisattva path, including the motivation to achieve not only personal liberation, but to attain Buddhahood in order to benefit all living beings. Hence the name Mahāyāna (lit., the Greater Vehicle), which has room for both the general masses of sentient beings and those who are more developed. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Present state of Buddhism

Estimates of the number of Buddhists vary between 230 million and 500 million, with 350 million being the most commonly cited figure. [4] Theravāda Buddhism, using Pāli as its scriptural language, is the dominant form of Buddhism in Southeast Asia, Śrī Laṅkā and India. The forms of Mahāyāna Buddhism that use scriptures in Chinese are dominant in most of China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam as well as the Chinese communities around the world especially within Indochina and Southeast Asia as well as in the West. Vajrayāna Buddhism, using the Tibetan language, is found in Tibet and the surrounding area of India, Mongolia, Nepal, China and Russia. Denmark, Greece and Russia are the first European countries to recognize Buddhism as an official religion. Theravada (Pali; Sanskrit: Sthaviravada) is one of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikāya schools that formed early in the history of Buddhism. ... For the town and district in Rajasthan, see Pali, Rajasthan For the Ganapati temple of pali and place in Maharastra, see Ballaleshwar Pali Pāli (Devanagari पालि) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... Relief image of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin from Mt. ... A mandala used in Vajrayana Buddhist practices. ...

At the present time, the teachings of all three branches of Buddhism have spread throughout the world, and Buddhist texts are increasingly translated into local languages. While in the West, Buddhism is often seen as exotic and progressive, in the East, Buddhism is regarded as familiar and part of the establishment. Buddhists in Asia are frequently well organised and well funded. In a number of countries, it is recognised as an official religion and receives state support. In the West, Buddhism is recognised as one of the growing spiritual influences. (see Buddhism in the West) The Indo-Greek king Menander (155-130 BCE) is the first Western historical figure documented to have converted to Buddhism. ...

See also Buddhism by country The percentage of Buddhist population of each country was taken from the US State Departments International Religious Freedom Report 2004 [1]. Other sources used were CIA Factbook [2] and adherents. ...

Buddhist Culture and Art

Main article: Buddhist Culture and Art

Buddhist art // Buddhist Culture Buddhist cuisine Buddhist Festival Buddhist Art Buddhist art Buddharupa Art and architecture of Japan Greco-Buddhist art Tibetan Buddhist sacred art Buddhist Music Buddhist music Honkyoku Buddhist chant Shomyo Throat singing in Tibetan Buddhist music Buddhist Architecture Buddhist architecture Categories: | ... Buddhist art originated in the Indian subcontinent in the centuries following the life of the historical Gautama Buddha in the 6th to 5th century BCE, before evolving through its contact with other cultures and its diffusion through the rest of Asia and the world. ...

Buddhist architecture Buddhist religious architecture developed in the Indian subcontinent in the third century BCE. Two types of structures are associated with early Buddhism: stupas and viharas. ...

Buddhist music Buddhist music is music created for or inspired by Buddhism and part of Buddhist art. ...

Buddhist cuisine Buddhist cuisine is a kind of cuisine mainly for the believers of Buddhism. ...

Comparative Study

Buddhism is a fertile ground for comparative studies with different beliefs, philosophy, science, history, and various other aspects of Buddhism. In term of doctrine, dependent origination is Buddhism's primary contribution to metaphysics. This has wide-ranging implication in terms of theology, philosophy, and science. On the other hand, Buddhist emphasis on the Middle way not only provides a unique guideline for ethics but it has also allowed Buddhism to peacefully coexist with various local beliefs, customs, and institutions in adopted countries for most of its history. The doctrine of Pratitya-samutpada (Sanskrit: pratītya-samutpāda, Pali: paticca samuppada Tibetan: rten cing brel bar byung ba) is Buddhisms primary contribution to metaphysics. ... The Middle Way or Middle Path is the Buddhist philosophy expounded by Gautama Buddha. ...

List of Buddhism related topics in comparative studies

• Buddhadharma and other Indian Dharmas (Buddhism and other dharma-related brief)
• Buddhism and Eastern teaching (Buddhism and East Asian teaching)
• God in Buddhism (Buddhism and monotheism)
• Buddhist philosophy (Buddhism and Western philosophy)
• Buddhist Ethics (Buddhism and ethics)
• Buddhism and science (Buddhism and science)

For practicing Buddhists, references to dharma or dhamma in the singular, particularly as the Dharma, is used to mean the teachings of the Buddha, and is sometimes referred to as the Buddha-Dharma. ... Taoism Taoism. ... Buddhism is generally regarded as a nontheistic religion. ... Buddhist philosophy is the branch of Eastern philosophy based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha (c. ... Buddhist morality is underpinned by the principles of harmlessness (ahimsa) and moderation (middle way). ... Buddhism has been lauded by scientists such as Albert Einstein, who stated that Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: It transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural and the spiritual, and it is based...

See also

Buddhism Portal

• Basic Points Unifying the Theravada and the Mahayana
• Buddhist terms and concepts
• List of Buddhist topics
• List of Buddhists

Image File history File links Portal. ... The Basic Points Unifying the Theravada and the Mahayana is a very important Buddhist Ecumenical statement created in 1967 during the First Congress of the World Buddhist Sangha Council (WBSC), where its founder Secretary-General, the late Venerable Pandita Pimbure Sorata Thera, requested the Ven. ... Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term. ... Contents: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z The following is a List of Buddhist topics: A Abhidharma Ahimsa Ajahn Ajahn Chah Ajanta Aksobhya Alexandra David-Néel... A number of noted individuals have been Buddhists. ...

References

• Coogan, Michael D. (ed.) (2003). The Illustrated Guide to World Religions. Oxford University Press. ISBN 1-84483-125-6.
• Thom Brooks, 'Better Luck Next Time: A comparative analysis of Socrates and Mahayana Buddhism on reincarnation', Journal of Indian Philosophy and Religion 10 (2005): 1-25.
• K. Sri Dhammananda, What Buddhists Believe. Buddhist Mission Society of Malaysia. (1964) ISBN 9834007127.
• Gethin, Rupert (1998). Foundations of Buddhism. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0192892231.
• Gunaratana, Bhante Henepola (2002). Mindfulness in Plain English. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0861713214. Also available on-line: [5] [6] [7]
• Lowenstein, Tom (1996). The vision of the Buddha. Duncan Baird Publishers. ISBN 1903296919.
• Thich Nhat Hanh. The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching. Broadway Books, 1974. ISBN 0767903692.
• Thurman, Robert A. F. (translator) (1976). Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti: Mahayana Scripture. Pennsylvania State University Press. ISBN 0271006013.
• Walpola Rahula. What the Buddha Taught. Grove Press, 1974. ISBN 0802130313.
• Kenneth White. The Role of Bodhicitta in Buddhist Enlightenment Including a Translation into English of Bodhicitta-sastra, Benkemmitsu-nikyoron, and Sammaya-kaijo. The Edwin Mellen Press, 2005. ISBN 0773459855.
• Yamamoto, Kosho (translation), revised and edited by Dr. Tony Page. The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra. (Nirvana Publications 1999-2000).
• Yin Shun, Yeung H. Wing (translator). The Way to Buddhahood: Instructions from a Modern Chinese Master. Wisdom Publications, 1998. ISBN 0861711335.
• Sinha, H.P. (1993). Bhāratīya Darshan kī rūprekhā (Features of Indian Philosophy). Motilal Banarasidas Publ.. ISBN 8120821440.

Thomas Alan Kieran (Thom) Brooks (born in New Haven, Connecticut on October 14, 1973) is an American philosopher who works in the areas of British Idealism, democratic theory, German Idealism (including Kant), legal and political philosophy, and the philosophy of crime and punishment. ... Dhammananda is a Buddhist monk. ... For the Nintendo 64 emulator, see 1964 (Emulator). ... Thich Nhat Hanh Thích Nhất Hạnh (born 1926) is an expatriate Vietnamese Buddhist monk, peace activist, and prolific author in English. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... Robert Alexander Farrar Thurman (born 1941) is Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University and is the co-founder and president of Tibet House New York. ... The Rev. ... Grove Press is an American publishing imprint that was founded in 1951. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... Kenneth R. White is a professor in the History Department at Brigham Young University. ... Template:Diffgggtgerent calendars 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nirvana Sutra or Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (Chinese: Niepan Jing (涅槃經); Japanese: Nehangyō (涅槃経)) is one of the major texts of Mahāyāna Buddhism. ... Venerable Master Yin Shun (印順導師, Yin Shun Dao Shi) (March 12th, 1906–June 4, 2005) was an important figure in modern Mahayana Buddhism. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ...

Notes

1. ^ Janice J. Nattier and Charles S. Prebish, 1977. Mahāsāṅghika Origins: the beginnings of Buddhist sectarianism in History of Religions, Vol. 16, pp. 237-272
2. ^ This concept, promoted by Hirakawa Akira, has been disputed by other scholars such as Gregory Schopen.
3. ^ Buddhadhātu can also mean "the physical relic of a buddha".

1. ↑  Sarvabuddhavishayavatarajñanalokalamkarasutra as cited by Elías Capriles in The Four Schools of Buddhist Philosophy: Clear Discrimination of Views Pointing at the Definitive Meaning. The Four Philosophical Schools of the Sutrayana Traditionally Taught in Tibet with Reference to the Dzogchen Teachings. Published on the Web.
2. ↑  Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Dream Yoga And The Practice Of Natural Light. Edited and introduced by Michael Katz, Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, NY, ISBN 1−55939−007−7, p. 42
3. ↑  Dr. A. Berzin. Alaya and Impure Appearance-Making
4. ↑  Elías Capriles. Buddhism and Dzogchen: the Doctrine of the Buddha and the Supreme Vehicle of Tibetan Buddhism. Part 1 - Buddhism: a Dzogchen Outlook. Published on the Web.
5. ↑  Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Refuge: An Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha. Third edition, revised, 2001

External links

• About Buddhism - the Teachings of Buddha
• E-Sangha Buddhism Portal
• His Holiness The Dalai Lama teachings on Buddhism
• Hongaku Jodo, a major American movement of Pure Land Buddhism
• Access to Insight Readings in Theravada Buddhism.
• Ashoka the eDharma university Very high-quality online courses.
• BuddhaNet
• BuddhaChat.org - A Buddhist's learning community.
• Buddhism.about.com
• Buddhist Studies WWW Virtual Library: the Internet guide.
• DharmaNet
• Encyclopedia of Religion Buddhism article
• Essentials of Buddhism
• ReligionFacts.com on Buddhism facts, glossary, timeline and articles.
• Tathagatagarbha Buddhism five of the main "tathagatagarbha" sutras in full (or in part)

• "Nirvana Sutra Buddhism": full text and discussion of the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra
• Journal of Global Buddhism by Charles S. Prebish, Pennsylvania State University (USA) and Martin Baumann, University of Lucerne (Switzerland)