The History of Buddhism spans the 6th century BC to the present, starting with t

he birth of Buddha Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini, Nepal. This makes it one of th

e oldest religions practiced today. The religion evolved as it spread from the n
ortheastern region of the Indian subcontinent through Central, East, and Southea
st Asia. At one time or another, it influenced most of the Asian continent. The
history of Buddhism is also characterized by the development of numerous movemen
ts, schisms, and schools, among them the Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana tradi
tions, with contrasting periods of expansion and retreat.
Contents [hide]
1 Siddhartha Gautama
2 Early Buddhism
2.1 1st Buddhist council (5th century BC)
2.2 2nd Buddhist council (4th century BC)
3 Asokan proselytism (c. 261 BC)
3.1 3rd Buddhist council (c. 250 BC)
3.2 Hellenistic world
3.3 Expansion to Sri Lanka and Burma
4 Rise of the Sunga (2nd 1st century BC)
5 Greco-Buddhist interaction (2nd century BC 1st century AD)
5.1 Central Asian expansion
6 Rise of Mahayana (1st century BC 2nd century AD)
6.1 The Two Fourth Councils
7 Mahayana expansion (AD 1st 10th century)
7.1 India
7.2 Central and Northern Asia
7.2.1 Central Asia
7.2.2 Parthia
7.2.3 Tarim Basin
7.2.4 China
7.2.5 Korea
7.2.6 Japan
7.2.7 Tibet
7.3 Southeast Asia
7.3.1 Srivijayan Empire (7th 13th century)
7.3.2 Khmer Empire (9th 13th centuries)
7.3.3 Vietnam
8 Emergence of the Vajrayana (5th century)
9 Theravada Renaissance (starting in the 11th century)
10 Expansion of Buddhism to the West
11 See also
12 Notes
13 References
14 External links
Siddhartha Gautama[edit]
Main article: Siddhartha Gautama
The Asoka Chakra, an ancient Indian depiction of the Dharmachakra and depicted o
n the national flag of India.
Siddhartha Gautama was the historical founder of Buddhism. He was born a Kshatri
ya warrior prince in ancient India which is now located in present day Lumbini,N
epal. The dates of his birth and death are still a point of controversy[1] but m
ost scholars "suggested that the Buddha died within approximately a few decades
on either side of 400 B.C.".[2] His particular family of Sakya Kshatriyas were o
f Brahmin lineage (Sanskrit: gotra), as indicated by the family name "Gautama".
19th-century scholars, such as Eitel, connected it to the Brahmin Rishi Gautama.
[3] In many Buddhist texts, Buddha is said to be a descendant of the Brahmin Sag
e Angirasa.[4] For example, "In the Pali Mahavagga "Angirasa" (in Pali Angirasa)
occurs as a name of Buddha Gautama who evidently belonged to the Angirasa tribe
...".[5] Scholar Edward J. Thomas too connected Buddha with sages Gautama and An

girasa.[6]
After asceticism and meditation, Siddhartha Gautama discovered the Buddhist Midd
le Way a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mor
tification.
Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment sitting under a peepal tree, now known
as the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India. Gautama, from then on, was known as "The
Enlightened One ," the Samyaksambuddha.
Buddha found patronage in the ruler of Magadha, emperor Bimbisara. The emperor a
ccepted Buddhism as his personal faith and allowed the establishment of many Bud
dhist viharas. This eventually led to the renaming of the entire region as Bihar
.[7]
At the Deer Park near Vara?asi in northern India, Buddha set in motion Wheel of
Dharma by delivering his first sermon to a group of five companions with whom he
had previously sought enlightenment. Together with the Buddha they formed the f
irst Sa?gha, the company of Buddhist monks, and hence, the first formation of th
e Triple Gem (Buddha, Dharma and Sa?gha) was completed.
For the remaining years of his life, the Buddha is said to have traveled in the
Gangetic Plain of Northeastern India and other regions.