History of Buddhism in India

2704: 699: 727: 2512: 715: 1070: 2093: 2810: 1078: 3265: 3285: 2283: 675: 2116: 1787: 3304: 2482: 1931:, destroyed monasteries and monuments and spread Islam in Bengal. According to Randall Collins, Buddhism was already declining in India before the 12th century, but with the pillage by Muslim invaders it nearly became extinct in India in the 1200s. In the 13th century, states Craig Lockard, Buddhist monks in India escaped to Tibet to escape Islamic persecution; while the monks in western India, states Peter Harvey, escaped persecution by moving to south Indian Hindu kingdoms that were able to resist the Muslim power. 1329: 1317: 2074: 2691:(B. R. Ambedkar's birthday): Ambedkar Jayanti is a major festival in India, celebrated in the memory of B.R. Ambedkar, a champion of class rights in India.. The annual festival is observed on 14 April to commemorate the memory of B. R. Ambedkar. Ambedkar was a champion of class rights in India, He is also credited as being the "Father of the Indian Constitution". Ambedkar Jayanti is celebrated in India as well as other countries. Ambedkar Jayanti processions are undertaken by his Buddhist followers at 2161: 2473:, the head of Nyingma, the ancient school of Tibetan Buddhism re-established a Nyingma monastery in Bylakuppe, Mysore. This is the largest Nyingma monastery today. Monks from Himalayan regions of India, Nepal, Bhutan and from Tibet join this monastery for their higher education. Penor Rinpoche also founded Thubten Lekshey Ling, a dharma center for lay practitioners in Bangalore. Vajrayana Buddhism and Dzogchen (maha-sandhi) meditation again became accessible to aspirants in India after that. 1802:

for the support of monks, and exempting donated property from taxation. Donations were most often made by private persons such as wealthy merchants and female relatives of the royal family, but there were periods when the state also gave its support and protection. In the case of Buddhism, this support was particularly important because of its high level of organization and the reliance of monks on donations from the laity. State patronage of Buddhism took the form of land grant foundations.

2292: 2400: 4075:"During the sixth and fifth centuries B.C.E. (Before Common Era), commerce and cash became increasingly important in an economy previously dominated by self-sufficient production and bartered exchange. Merchants found Buddhist moral and ethical teachings an attractive alternative to the esoteric rituals of the traditional Brahmin priesthood, which seemed to cater exclusively to Brahmin interests while ignoring those of the new and emerging social classes." Jerry Bentley, 50: 9925: 9516: 1517: 9527: 3525: 9935: 2197:, who founded the Maha Bodhi Society in 1891. An important focus of the Maha Bodhi Society's activities in India became the recovery, conservation and restoration of important Buddhist sites, such as Bodh Gaya and its Mahabodhi temple. Dharmapāla and the society promoted the building of Buddhist vihāras and temples in India, including the one at Sarnath, the place of Buddha's first sermon. Dharmapāla died in 1933, the same year he was ordained a 6925: 6912: 1752:. The five monasteries formed a network; "all of them were under state supervision" and there existed "a system of co-ordination among them . . it seems from the evidence that the different seats of Buddhist learning that functioned in eastern India under the Pāla were regarded together as forming a network, an interlinked group of institutions," and it was common for great scholars to move easily from position to position among them. 2499:(1924-2013) who promoted Buddhist Vipassana meditation in a modern and non-sectarian manner. Goenka's network of meditation centers who offered 10 day retreats. Many institutions—both government and private sector—now offer courses for their employees. This form is mainly practiced by elite and middle class Indians. This movement has spread to many other countries in Europe, America and Asia. In November 2008, the construction of the 683: 631: 6902: 2153: 1908: 3539: 3911:(London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, 1931) pg 1. "Put away the word "Buddhism" and think of your subject as "Sakya." This will at once place you for your perspective at a true point . . You are now concerned to learn less about 'Buddha' and 'Buddhism,' and more about him whom India has ever known as Sakya-muni, and about his men who, as their records admit, were spoken of as the Sakya-sons, or men of the Sakyas." 1642: 1996:(1575–1634) wrote a history of Indian Buddhism, which mentions Buddhism as having survived in some pockets of India during his time. He mentions the Buddhist sangha as having survived in Konkana, Kalinga, Mewad, Chittor, Abu, Saurastra, Vindhya mountains, Ratnagiri, Karnataka etc. The Jain author Gunakirti (1450-1470) wrote a Marathi text, Dhamramrita, where he gives the names of 16 Buddhist orders. 1058: 1806:

early 2nd millennium CE. Modern scholarship and recent translations of Tibetan and Sanskrit Buddhist text archives, preserved in Tibetan monasteries, suggest that through much of the 1st millennium CE in medieval India (and Tibet as well as other parts of China), Buddhist monks owned property and were actively involved in trade and other economic activity, after joining a Buddhist monastery.

694:, is one of the four holy sites related to the life of the Buddha, and particularly to the attainment of Enlightenment. The first temple was built by the Indian Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC, and the present temple dates from the 5th century or 6th century AD. It is one of the earliest Buddhist temples built entirely in brick, still standing in India, from the late Gupta period. 1900:

and the economic foundations of Buddhist monasteries declined, on which the survival and growth of Buddhism was based. The arrival of Islam removed the royal patronage to the monastic tradition of Buddhism, and the replacement of Buddhists in long-distance trade by the Muslims eroded the related sources of patronage.

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new relationship with the state. As the system grew, Buddhist monasteries gradually lost control of land revenue. In parallel, the Gupta kings built Buddhist temples such as the one at Kushinagara, and monastic universities such as those at Nalanda, as evidenced by records left by three Chinese visitors to India.

5288:, Quote: "From 986 CE, the Muslim Turks started raiding northwest India from Afghanistan, plundering western India early in the eleventh century. Forced conversions to Islam were made, and Buddhist art, iconography and holy sites were destroyed. Indeed, in India, the Islamic term for an 'idol' became 'budd'." 2964:

According to the 2011 census there are 8.4 million Buddhists in India. Maharashtra has the highest number of Buddhists in India, with 5.81% of the total population. Almost 90 per cent of Navayana or Neo-Buddhists live in this state. Marathi Buddhists, who live in Maharashtra, are the largest Buddhist

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noted that among them, the names Sataghare, Dongare, Navaghare, Kavishvar, Vasanik and Ichchhabhojanik still survive in Maharashtra as family names. The mahavihara at Ratnagiri, Odisha seems to have continued with a reduced community, and some renovation of buildings, until the 16th century, perhaps

1805:

Numerous copper plate inscriptions from India as well as Tibetan and Chinese texts suggest that the patronage of Buddhism and Buddhist monasteries in medieval India was interrupted in periods of war and political change, but broadly continued in Hindu kingdoms from the start of the common era through

1801:

The decline of Buddhism has been attributed to various factors. Regardless of the religious beliefs of their kings, states usually treated all the important sects relatively even-handedly. This consisted of building monasteries and religious monuments, donating property such as the income of villages

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in the second and third centuries CE. These images generally depicted scenes from the life of the Buddha and were more linked with the early schools of Buddhism than with Mahayana. Inscriptions on these images show that they were sculpted by a small group of monks who were all known to each other. It

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In the sixth and fifth centuries BC, economic development made the merchant class increasingly important. Merchants were attracted to Buddhist teachings, which contrasted with existing Brahmin religious practices. The latter focussed on the social position of the Brahmin caste to the exclusion of the

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and the states have continued to promote the development of Buddhist pilgrimage sites ("the Buddhist Circuit"), both as a source of tourism and as a promotion of India's Buddhist heritage which is an important cultural resource for India's foreign diplomatic ties. In 2010, the Nalanda University was

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In the north-western parts of medieval India, the Himalayan regions, as well as regions bordering central Asia, Buddhism had facilitated trade relations, states Lars Fogelin. With the Islamic invasion and expansion, and central Asians adopting Islam, the trade route-derived financial support sources

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With the Gupta dynasty (~4th to 6th century), the growth in ritualistic Mahayana Buddhism, mutual influence between Hinduism and Buddhism, The differences between Buddhism and Hinduism blurred, and Vaishnavism, Shaivism and other Hindu traditions became increasingly popular, and Brahmins developed a

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can be both adjectival and nominal; it can be used for doctrines spoken by the Buddha, objects enjoyed by him, texts attributed to him, as well as individuals, communities, and societies that offer him reverence or accept ideologies certified through his name. Strictly speaking, Sakya is preferable

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In the Gangetic plains, Odisha, northeast and the southern regions of India, Buddhism survived through the early centuries of the 2nd millennium. The Islamic invasion plundered wealth and destroyed Buddhist images, and consequent take over of land holdings of Buddhist monasteries removed one source

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There is an ongoing debate as to the exact geographic origins of Mahayana Buddhism ranging from the Gangetic plains or among small monastic communities on the fringes of the subcontinent in the South and the North East. The number of monasteries that supported Mahayana Buddhism gradually started to

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Is celebrated by both Buddhists and non-Buddhists in India. It is believed to be a festival celebrating the adoption of the teachings of Siddharata Gautama. On this day Indian Buddhists wear white clothes and meditate, and are supposed to only consume vegetarian food. Mahabodhi Temple is a popular

1133:, it was held in order to rid the sangha of the large number of monks who had joined the order because of its royal patronage. Most scholars now believe this council was exclusively Theravada, and that the dispatch of missionaries to various countries at about this time had nothing to do with it. 1374:

Emperor Ashoka the Great (304 BC–232 BC) was the ruler of the Mauryan Empire from 273 BC to 232 BC. Ashoka reigned over most of India after a series of military campaigns. Emperor Ashoka's kingdom stretched from South Asia and beyond, from present-day parts of Afghanistan in the north and

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Sanderson, Alexis. "The Shaiva Age: The Rise and Dominance of Shaivism during the Early Medieval Period." In: Genesis and Development of Tantrism, edited by Shingo Einoo. Tokyo: Institute of Oriental Culture, University of Tokyo, 2009. Institute of Oriental Culture Special Series, 23, pp.

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4101:"Merchants proved to be an efficient vector of the Buddhist faith, as they established diaspora communities in the string of oasis towns-Merv, Bukhara, Samarkand, Kashgar, Khotan, Kuqa, Turpan, Dunhuang – that served as lifeline of the silk roads through central Asia." Jerry Bentley, 1666:

was only by the fifth century that Mahayana elements began to appear in Buddha images although it is speculated that there were earlier Mahayana images in the third-century CE. These Mahayana sculptures didn't just depict the Buddha but also Bodhisattvas and other deities.

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split in the first few centuries after the passing away of the Buddha (in about the 5th century BC). The earliest division was between the majority Mahāsāṃghika and the minority Sthaviravāda. Some existing Buddhist traditions follow the vinayas of early Buddhist schools.

823:—fell in the 12th century. By the end of the 12th century, Buddhism had largely disappeared from India with the exception of the Himalayan region and isolated remnants in parts of south India. However, since the 19th century, modern revivals of Buddhism have included the 3895:. pg 33. "Donors adopted Sakyamuni Buddha's family name to assert their legitimacy as his heirs, both institutionally and ideologically. To take the name of Sakya was to define oneself by one's affiliation with the Buddha, somewhat like calling oneself a Buddhist today." 2138:

Some scholars suggest that a part of the decline of Buddhist monasteries was because it was detached from everyday life in India and did not participate in the ritual social aspects such as the rites of passage (marriage, funeral, birth of child) like other religions.

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According to some scholars such as Lars Fogelin, the decline of Buddhism may be related to economic reasons, wherein the Buddhist monasteries with large land grants focused on non-material pursuits, self-isolation of the monasteries, loss in internal discipline in the

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Monasteries and institutions such as Nalanda were abandoned by Buddhist monks or destroyed from the 8th through 15th centuries, who were forced to flee to escape the invading Muslim army, after which the site decayed over the Islamic rule in India that followed.

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who had travelled to India in the fifth century noted that Mahayana Buddhists lived in the same monasteries as early Buddhists and they were present to varying extents in most regions. An important early philosopher of the Mahayana school was the philosopher

2716:. Every year on Ashoka Vijayadashami, millions of Buddhists gather at Deekshabhoomi to celebrate the mass conversion. Many Buddhists also visit local Buddhist sites there to celebrate the festival. Every year on that day thousands of people embrace Buddhism. 2019:

In Bihar and Bengal, many Buddhist shrines and temples have remained intact with the Buddha or Bodhisattva inside, being appropriated and worshipped as a Brahmanical deity. Around the neighbourhood of Nalanda, the remains of votive stupas are worshipped as

12175: 3303: 11465: 2186:(1892) and the Young Men's Buddhist Association (1898). These institutions were influenced by modernist South Asian Buddhist currents such as Sri Lankan Buddhist modernism as well as Western Oriental scholarship and spiritual movements like 1605:

emerged and gradually became a centre of Mahayana Buddhism receiving patronisation not just from Indian rulers but also from foreign monarchs and monks. Within Nalanda, numerous scholars of note have been associated with it including

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During this period Mahayana Buddhism reached its zenith of sophistication, while tantric Buddhism flourished throughout India and surrounding lands. This was also a key period for the consolidation of the epistemological-logical

1977:. Other names of later Indian Buddhist figures include Vanaratna and Buddhaguptanatha. Many Indian Buddhists fled south. It is known that Buddhists continued to exist in India even after the 14th century from texts such as the 2456:

also arrived in India in 2000 and continues education and has taken traditional role to head Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism and every year leads the Kagyu Monlam in Bodh Gaya attended by thousands of monks and followers.

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interests of other classes. Buddhism became prominent in merchant communities and then spread throughout the Mauryan empire through commercial connections and along trade routes. In this way, Buddhism also spread through the

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The Buddha did not appoint any successor and asked his followers to work toward liberation following the instructions he had left. The teachings of the Buddha existed only in oral traditions. The Sangha held a number of

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and other scholars, Buddhism's rise or decline is not linked to Brahmins or the caste system, since Buddhism was "not a reaction to the caste system", but aimed at the salvation of those who joined its monastic order.

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in 1597, he met with a few old men professing Buddhism, however he 'saw none among the learned'. This is can also be seen from the fact that Buddhist priests were not present amidst learned divines that came to the

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invasion into South Asia. By the end of the twelfth century, Buddhism had mostly disappeared, with the destruction of monasteries and stupas in medieval northwest and western India (now Pakistan and north India).

3780: 9890: 3711: 6737: 4220: 4088:"Furthermore, Buddhism was prominent in communities of merchants, who found it well suited to their needs and who increasingly established commercial links throughout the Mauryan empire". Jerry Bentley, 3080:) community. According to the 2011 census, Scheduled Castes Buddhists grew by 38 percent in the country. According to the 2011 census, 5.76 million (69%) Indian Buddhists belong to the Scheduled Caste. 6308: 6150: 1398:, following which he accepted Buddhism as a personal faith with the help of his Brahmin mentors Radhasvami and Manjushri. Ashoka established monuments marking several significant sites in the life of 4194:"Fa-hsien: A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms: Chapter XXVII: Patalipttra or Patna, in Magadha. King Ashoka's Spirit Built Palace and Halls. The Buddhist Brahman, Radha-Sami. Dispensaries and Hospitals" 6121: 9900: 3284: 11065: 2115: 1568:

Mahayana Buddhism began to gain prominence in India around the fifth century CE. Mahayana innovated on early Buddhism by adding several incarnations to the life of the Buddha while also revering

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Achary Tsultsem Gyatso; Mullard, Saul & Tsewang Paljor (Transl.): A Short Biography of Four Tibetan Lamas and Their Activities in Sikkim, in: Bulletin of Tibetology Nr. 49, 2/2005, p. 57.

1940: 2380:. Although they have renounced Hinduism in practice, a community survey showed adherence to many practices of the old faith including endogamy, worshipping the traditional family deity etc. 9859: 5759: 6095: 1425:

in Odisha, Buddhist history as discovered in Lalitagiri is also shared. A museum has been made to preserve the ancient history and was inaugurated in December of 2018 by Prime Minister

1118:. Its purpose was to deal with questionable monastic practices like the use of money, the drinking of palm wine, and other irregularities; the council declared these practices unlawful. 1761:) school of Buddhist philosophy. Apart from the many foreign pilgrims who came to India at this time, especially from China and Tibet, there was a smaller but important flow of Indian 6476: 6333: 1200:, and China, and they had great success in doing so. Therefore, most countries which adopted Buddhism from China, also adopted the Dharmaguptaka vinaya and ordination lineage for 9649: 6062: 2016:, in particular Bodh Gaya, continued to receive pilgrims from outside India throughout the medieval and modern periods, which are now greatly increased with easier air travel. 9895: 992:, India. Modern historians place his death, according to tradition at the age of 80, in the decades around 400 BC, several decades later than the date in Buddhist tradition. 11929: 9854: 1540:

looked to become more self-sufficient. A new development was also the use of Buddha images with the compounds of monasteries. Politically much of North India was under the

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The Buddhist percentage has decreased from 0.74% in 1961 to 0.70% in 2011. Between 2001 and 2011, the Buddhist population declined in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Delhi, and

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Recent evidence has uncovered the existence of many late Indian Buddhist travellers and scholars who were active into the 15th and 16th centuries. The last abbot of the

1493:. Kushan rulers were supporters of Buddhist institutions and built numerous stupas and monasteries. Some of their coins showed an image of Buddha. During this period, 3682: 769:" ("Awakened One"). However, Buddhist doctrine holds that there were other Buddhas before him. Buddhism spread outside of Magadha starting in the Buddha's lifetime. 5960: 3312:

lived during the 11th century and was one of the major figures in the spread of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism in Asia and inspired Buddhist thought from Tibet to

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adopted Navayana Buddhism with his millions of followers in 1956, showed an increase to 3.25 million (0.74%). Buddhism is growing rapidly in the Scheduled Caste (

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invasion from central Asia. Xuanzang, the most famous of Chinese travellers, found "millions of monasteries" in north-western India reduced to ruins by the Huns.

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According to Hazra, Buddhism declined in part because of the rise of the Brahmins and their influence in socio-political process. According to Randall Collins,

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by delivering his first sermon to the group of five companions with whom he had previously sought liberation. They, together with the Buddha, formed the first

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is a modern tradition of Buddhist meditation practice. In India, the most influential Vipassana organization is the Vipassana Research Institute founded by

1692:, states that mantras taught in the Shaiva, Garuda and Vaishnava tantras will be effective if applied by Buddhists since they were all taught originally by 9684: 9634: 6117: 7666: 6859: 5006:

Alberuni's India: An Account of the Religion, Philosophy, Literature, Geography, Chronology, Astronomy, Customs, Laws and Astrology of India about AD 1030

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and argued that Buddhist morality could be used to "reconstruct society and to build up a modern, progressive society of justice, equality, and freedom".

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ruled large parts of north India from about 60 to 270 AD, as well as the strongly Buddhist region of Gandhara, including much of modern Afghanistan and

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practices in a specific way, denouncing extreme asceticism and sole concentration-meditation, which were sramanic practices. Instead, he propagated a

12322: 12160: 11616: 6183: 3592: 2566:: The Beda people are a Buddhist community of the Indian union territory of Ladakh, where they practise their traditional occupation of musicianship. 6022: 1343:. This heralded a long period of stability under the Buddhist emperor. The power of the empire was vast—ambassadors were sent to other countries to 10071: 10061: 2712:

Dhammachakra Pravartan Day is celebrated to mark the conversion to Buddhism of Ambedkar and approximately 600,000 followers on 14 October 1956 at

2703: 2350:, which saw large scale conversions. Ambedkar's "Neo Buddhism" included a strong element of social and political protest against Hinduism and the 1825:

writes that there was 'cordial hatred' between the Brahmins and Sramana Buddhists. Buddhism was also weakened by rival Hindu philosophies such as

8585: 4193: 1452:) and Puṣkalavatī. He became Buddhist and is remembered in Buddhist records due to his discussions with a great Buddhist philosopher in the book 1417:

revealed four monasteries along with ancient seals and inscriptions which show cultural continuity from post-Mauryan period to 13 century AD. In

6716: 6695: 6674: 6223: 2073: 12117: 11538: 10026: 8809: 6431: 5769: 1781: 1508:, with its peak c. 319 to 467, were Hindus, and the decline of Buddhism, especially in the west of north India, probably began in this period. 1108:. Its purpose was to recite and agree on the Buddha's actual teachings and monastic discipline. Some scholars consider this council fictitious. 112: 6085: 5174:

Levy, Robert I. (1990). Mesocosm: Hinduism and the Organization of a Traditional Newar City in Nepal. Berkeley: University of California Press

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According to an IndiaSpend analysis of 2011 Census data, there are more than 8.4 million Buddhists in India of whom 87% are neo-Buddhists or

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with over 85,000 Tibetan refugees in 1959 had a significant impact on the revival of Buddhism in India. Large numbers of Tibetans settled in

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held in 1956, as well as providing rent-free land in several pilgrimage centres for Asian Buddhist groups to build temples and rest houses.

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school of Hinduism over Buddhism and Buddhism had vanished from Afghanistan and north India by the early 11th century as a result of the

4942: 12089: 11641: 10076: 7134: 3969:. pg 33. Quote: "a secondary derivative of Buddha, in which the vowel's lengthening indicates connection or relation. Things that are 3754: 3572: 1904:

of necessary support for the Buddhists, while the economic upheaval and new taxes on laity sapped the laity support of Buddhist monks.

1888: 6869: 788:, each of which spread throughout India and split into numerous sub-sects. In modern times, two major branches of Buddhism exist: the 11694: 11511: 11395: 11175: 10867: 6891: 6052: 5892: 2407:

Tibetan Buddhism has also grown in India during the modern era, mainly due to the growth of the Tibetan diaspora. The arrival of the

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movement. This rivalry undercut Buddhist patronage and popular support. The period between 400 CE and 1000 CE thus saw gains by the

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In time, Indian Buddhism became so much like Hinduism that it was looked upon as a sect of Hinduism. This caused a steady decline.

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did not call themselves this in India, though they did sometimes use the word adjectivally (e.g., as a possessive, the Buddha's)."

12153: 10129: 9839: 9401: 8853: 1148:, though the late Monseigneur Professor Lamotte considered it fictitious. It is generally believed to have been a council of the 6385: 2439:. Tibetan Buddhists have also contributed to the building of temples and institutions in the Buddhist sites and ruins of India. 11415: 10522: 10299: 9971: 9056: 7036: 6005: 1465:

took control of eastern Iran and around 50 BC put an end to the last remnants of Greek rule in Afghanistan. By around 7 AD, an

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World Civilizations: The Decline of Buddhism in India. Publisher: Washington State University. Last accessed on 10 April 2007

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In the Edicts of Ashoka, Ashoka mentions the Hellenistic kings of the period as a recipient of his Buddhist proselytism. The

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dominated in this region and period, and was spread to Tibet. According to Tibetan sources, five great Mahavihars stood out:

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Archaeology of Religion in South Asia: Buddhist, Brahmanical and Jaina Religious Centres in Bihar and Bengal, c. AD 600–1200

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According to tradition, as recorded in the Pali Canon and the Agamas, Siddhārtha Gautama attained awakening sitting under a

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and although most details of his life are uncertain, most biographies agree that he lived in the first/second centuries in

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is sometimes classified as a part of Mahayana Buddhism, but some scholars consider it to be a different branch altogether.

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Bones, Stones, and Buddhist Monks: Collected Papers on the Archaeology, Epigraphy, and Texts of Monastic Buddhism in India

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The Dharmaguptakas made more efforts than any other sect to spread Buddhism outside India, to areas such as Afghanistan,

1069: 714: 6455: 5518: 12559: 11440: 11435: 11294: 10412: 10372: 9293: 8843: 6938: 5917:(1970). "Theravada Buddhist Sangha: Some General Observations on Historical and Political Factors in its Development". 5868: 4806: 3567: 3084: 2539:) constitute the most populous Buddhist community in India. Various indigenous ethnic Buddhist communities such as the 2125: 2013: 661: 107: 64: 12290: 11410: 11200: 11127: 10813: 10751: 10387: 7139: 6778: 6747: 6726: 6705: 6684: 6508: 5664: 5585: 5528: 5475: 5254: 5227: 4779: 4480: 3966: 3892: 1044:

is not attested therein, and was used by outsiders to describe Buddhists, except for occasional use as an adjective.

17: 9386: 2054:, states, "For a long time past scarce any trace of them (the Buddhists) has existed in Hindustan." When he visited 12554: 12015: 12010: 12003: 11626: 11596: 10701: 10666: 10443: 9071: 8816: 2419:, which became the headquarters of the Tibetan Government in Exile. Another large Tibetan refugee settlement is in 3653: 2809: 2427:. Tibetan refugees also contributed to the revitalization of the Buddhist traditions in Himalayan regions such as 12390: 12200: 12025: 11961: 11934: 11180: 10872: 10671: 10615: 9463: 9453: 7282: 5712: 5004: 3678:

The Early History of India from 600 B.C. to the Muhammadan Conquest Including the Invasion of Alexander the Great

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Sarvāstivādins are known to have employed the outlook of Buddhist practice as consisting of the Three Vehicles:

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in 1950. According to the 2011 Census there are 8.4 million Buddhists in India (0.70% of the total population).

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In the 1951 census of India, 180,823 (0.05%) respondents said they were Buddhist. The 1961 census, taken after

1728:(c. 730-1130), large mahavihars flourished in what is now Bihar and Bengal, with considerable royal patronage. 1414: 5575: 2212:

looked to the Mauryan empire for symbols of pan-Indian unity which were neither Hindu nor Muslim, such as the

12285: 12148: 11910: 11704: 11621: 11460: 11210: 10886: 10846: 10590: 9378: 9076: 8759: 7051: 6884: 5966:. Government of India: Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions. 19 March 2015. Archived from 4135: 1954: 1924: 1791: 1685: 1402:, and according to Buddhist tradition was closely involved in the preservation and transmission of Buddhism. 590: 285: 5184: 5145: 5045: 1215:, the Indian Buddhist sects recognized as important, and whose texts were studied, were the Dharmaguptakas, 12569: 12295: 12190: 11870: 11762: 11662: 11581: 11132: 10580: 10336: 8961: 8833: 3552: 3388: 2205: 1680:

Various classes of Vajrayana literature developed as a result of royal courts sponsoring both Buddhism and

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into Central Asia. Gandharan Buddhist art styles also spread outward from Gandhara to other parts of Asia.

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Tharanatha; Chattopadhyaya, Chimpa, Alaka, trans. (2000). History of Buddhism in India, Motilal Books UK,

12352: 12042: 11900: 11757: 11388: 11383: 11195: 10741: 10585: 10565: 10294: 10046: 9759: 8652: 8561: 8031: 7676: 7189: 7084: 6633:"MOGGALIPUTTA TISSA'S POINTS OF DISCUSSION (KATHĀVATTHU): Reasoning and Debate in Early Buddhist Thought" 6030: 3562: 3510: 3418:(c. 6th century) was the Buddhist Bhikkhu traditionally credited as the founder of Zen Buddhism in China. 2388: 2272: 2228: 2183: 1111: 852: 848: 8196: 2208:, India's ancient Buddhist heritage became an important element for nation-building, and prime minister 12549: 12513: 12449: 11986: 11954: 11875: 11354: 11215: 11137: 11006: 10991: 10954: 10841: 10736: 10696: 10453: 10422: 10331: 10009: 9964: 9501: 8981: 8457: 7943: 7066: 6899: 3612: 2673: 1339:

The Mauryan Empire reached its peak at the time of emperor Ashoka, who converted to Buddhism after the

875: 691: 8391: 2105:, was built in the 1600s, is the largest monastery in India and second largest in the world after the 815:

The practice of Buddhism lost influence in India around the 7th century CE, after the collapse of the

12307: 12047: 11885: 11858: 11787: 11722: 11636: 11608: 11405: 11304: 11001: 10826: 10676: 10488: 10392: 10309: 10104: 10066: 10036: 9391: 9204: 9194: 9066: 8049: 7629: 7390: 7365: 6793:

Who is a Hindu? Hindu revivalist views of Animism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and other offshoots of Hinduism

6231: 4197: 3218: 2428: 2384: 2356: 2232: 1941:

Decline of Buddhism in the Indian subcontinent § Survival of Buddhism in the Indian subcontinent

410: 7415: 931:. The emperor accepted Buddhism as a personal faith and allowed the establishment of many Buddhist " 220: 12491: 11976: 11832: 11807: 11576: 11205: 11157: 11147: 11107: 11097: 10731: 10686: 10646: 10620: 10600: 10377: 10326: 10284: 10165: 10149: 9809: 9774: 9729: 9581: 9557: 9496: 8848: 8662: 8640: 8633: 8536: 8069: 7689: 7505: 7450: 7071: 6877: 6651: 6632: 6613: 6594: 6575: 5490:

Amore, Roy C; Developments in Buddhist Thought: Canadian Contributions to Buddhist Studies, page 72

4380: 2282: 1473:. Parthians continued to support Greek artistic traditions in Gandhara. The start of the Gandhāran 415: 365: 6355: 5009:. Translated by Edward C. Sachau. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. Ltd., London. p. 21. 1258:

Early Buddhist schools in India often divided modes of Buddhist practice into several "vehicles" (

1255:), a complete Sarvāstivāda Abhidharma Piṭaka, and many other texts of the early Buddhist schools. 12486: 12079: 12067: 12037: 11699: 11646: 11420: 11190: 11142: 11033: 10996: 10986: 10981: 10726: 10651: 10575: 10051: 9699: 9694: 9589: 9433: 9413: 8744: 8724: 8481: 8211: 7455: 6415: 6057: 5613: 2520: 2500: 2485: 2343: 2264: 1705: 1137: 1115: 832: 674: 575: 12564: 12434: 12074: 12030: 11905: 11837: 11827: 11792: 11430: 11425: 11274: 11087: 11082: 11028: 10949: 10719: 10714: 10691: 10527: 10014: 9819: 9794: 9709: 9689: 9609: 9443: 9283: 8951: 8921: 8694: 8645: 8486: 8434: 8429: 8191: 8012: 7909: 7661: 7656: 7405: 6427: 3482: 2372:

The conversion movement has generally been limited to certain social demographics, such as the

2216:. Indian Buddhist sites also received Indian government support in preparation for the 2,500th 2187: 1978: 1709: 1368: 1224: 1168: 1162: 1122: 1101: 654: 390: 375: 355: 280: 275: 190: 97: 7773: 5438: 5271: 5244: 4655: 4601: 4571: 4408: 4119: 1645:

Isapur Buddha, one of the earliest physical depictions of the Buddha, c. 15 CE. Art of Mathura

923:, a "Perfectly Self-Awakened One." According to tradition, he found patronage in the ruler of 12395: 12268: 12253: 12122: 12099: 11817: 11667: 11591: 11543: 11533: 11122: 11070: 11055: 10496: 10417: 10346: 10341: 10134: 10099: 10041: 9957: 9905: 9784: 9779: 9659: 9448: 9418: 8999: 8931: 8764: 8679: 8674: 8598: 8593: 8511: 7041: 6277: 5806: 5713:"Contested Past: Anti-Brahmanical and Hindu nationalist reconstructions of Indian prehistory" 4926: 3807: 3582: 3421: 2351: 1997: 1985:(1486–1533), a Vaishnava saint, who was said to have entered into a debate with Buddhists in 919: 781: 595: 585: 540: 8064: 4680:

History and life: the world and its people, Patricia Gutierrez, T. Walter Wallbank, p. 67,

4628: 4372: 2342:

and Lakshmi Narasu, began promoting conversion to Buddhism for Indian low caste Dalits. His

1277: 678:

The Great Stupa at Sanchi, located in Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh, is a Buddhist shrine in India.

12180: 11915: 11853: 11822: 11812: 11772: 11767: 11506: 11445: 11299: 11092: 11075: 10552: 9799: 9754: 9734: 9724: 9624: 9471: 9438: 9423: 8941: 8838: 8784: 8669: 8608: 8576: 8571: 8556: 8541: 8531: 8496: 8409: 8101: 8024: 7327: 7267: 7016: 6983: 6933: 6245: 3908: 3356: 2699:, and local statues commemorating Ambedkar are carried in procession with a lot of fanfare. 2677: 2194: 1982: 1176:

Theravāda: practised mainly in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Bangladesh.

1029: 605: 565: 560: 525: 370: 250: 158: 143: 87: 59: 9311: 7926: 7795: 7721: 7597: 7335: 5888: 5121: 4493:

Buddhist Monks And Monasteries of India: Their History And Contribution To Indian Culture.

1857:

Chinese scholars travelling through the region between the 5th and 8th centuries, such as

8: 12471: 12464: 12459: 12258: 12195: 12185: 11981: 11949: 11920: 11314: 11269: 11233: 11152: 10959: 10936: 10709: 10532: 10304: 10213: 9879: 9824: 9739: 9719: 9604: 9594: 9550: 9278: 9157: 8991: 8966: 8956: 8916: 8893: 8776: 8749: 8709: 8628: 8618: 8546: 8473: 7904: 7761: 7542: 7520: 7472: 7292: 7092: 6948: 6928: 6770: 4573:

Early Buddhist Architecture in Context: The Great Stūpa at Amarāvatī (ca. 300 BCE-300 CE)

4373: 3557: 2251: 1911:

General Ikhtiar Uddin Muhammad Bin Bakhtiyar Khilji sacked the great Buddhist shrines at

1786: 1689: 1129:, and was allegedly called by Emperor Aśoka in the 3rd century BC. Organized by the monk 615: 570: 508: 448: 385: 330: 325: 80: 69: 7252: 7179: 5306: 1399: 1272: 1248: 1097: 12415: 12400: 12367: 12317: 12280: 12057: 12020: 11890: 11797: 11752: 11747: 11586: 11571: 11550: 11480: 11455: 11400: 11289: 11284: 11279: 10976: 10476: 10351: 10321: 10274: 10241: 10056: 9869: 9804: 9769: 9704: 9674: 9619: 9614: 9341: 9246: 9088: 9051: 9046: 8976: 8926: 8873: 8868: 8739: 8734: 8729: 8719: 8704: 8689: 8684: 8623: 8603: 8566: 8491: 8296: 7997: 7921: 7799: 7741: 7582: 7482: 7410: 7385: 7031: 6961: 6814: 6411: 5942: 5934: 5764: 5467:

Guardian of a Dying Flame: Śāriputra (c. 1335-1426) and the End of Late Indian Buddhism

4163: 4147: 3478: 3425: 2965:

community in India. Most Buddhist Marathi people belong to the former Mahar community.

2492: 2339: 2224: 2179: 2175: 2169: 2156:

The Mahabodhi temple as it appeared in 1899, shortly after its restoration in the 1880s

1697: 1602: 1494: 1474: 1344: 1321: 1130: 828: 824: 600: 580: 520: 515: 403: 305: 298: 225: 215: 122: 9140: 6836: 6393: 4375:

The holy land reborn : pilgrimage & the Tibetan reinvention of Buddhist India

2239:(1865-1926) founded the Bengal Buddhist Association in 1892. In Tamil Nadu, the Tamil 1282: 1216: 785: 12454: 12444: 12439: 12342: 12327: 12062: 11944: 11939: 11802: 11782: 11777: 11689: 11684: 11501: 11450: 11261: 11060: 10924: 10625: 10279: 9934: 9764: 9744: 9679: 9654: 9629: 9519: 9481: 9177: 9162: 9125: 9110: 8883: 8799: 8714: 8551: 8516: 8501: 8228: 8218: 7899: 7746: 7731: 7602: 7525: 7445: 7380: 7312: 7199: 6956: 6822: 6800: 6774: 6743: 6722: 6701: 6680: 6504: 6419: 6285: 6253: 5946: 5812: 5660: 5581: 5524: 5500: 5471: 5444: 5405: 5353: 5314: 5277: 5250: 5223: 5125: 5085: 4971: 4932: 4880: 4841: 4802: 4775: 4661: 4634: 4607: 4577: 4538: 4476: 4441: 4414: 4384: 4155: 3962: 3888: 3840: 3813: 3464: 3185: 3096:

States and union territories having more than 100,000 Buddhists in 2011 India Census

2742: 2572:: Bengali Buddhist people mainly live in Bangladesh (500,000), and the Indian states 2569: 2532: 2481: 2174:

The modern revival of Buddhism in India began in the late nineteenth century, led by

2102: 2025: 1923:

The last empire to support Buddhism, the Pala dynasty, fell in the 12th century, and

1871: 1418: 1356: 1090: 955: 647: 545: 530: 335: 210: 153: 117: 102: 33: 8463: 7257: 7157: 6002: 4630:

Buddhist Monks and Business Matters: Still More Papers on Monastic Buddhism in India

2001:

funded by foreign pilgrims as it is near the coast accessible from South-East Asia.

1573: 1265: 1220: 12382: 12337: 12332: 12232: 12205: 12052: 11863: 11737: 11732: 11727: 11677: 11566: 11521: 11342: 11251: 11023: 10901: 10896: 10891: 10881: 10610: 10570: 10501: 10203: 10031: 10021: 9991: 9749: 9714: 9664: 9573: 9167: 9120: 9115: 8971: 8936: 8911: 8906: 8657: 8613: 8526: 8201: 7857: 7850: 7634: 7624: 7510: 7174: 7046: 5926: 5185:"Historical Development of Buddhism in India – Buddhism under the Guptas and Palas" 5146:"Historical Development of Buddhism in India – Buddhism under the Guptas and Palas" 4734: 4715: 4139: 2688: 2656: 2516: 2416: 2209: 2121: 2098: 2079: 1946: 1814: 1795: 1729: 1701: 1545: 1394:

According to legend, emperor Ashoka was overwhelmed by guilt after the conquest of

1360: 1332: 1307: 1212: 1189: 844: 840: 746: 687: 610: 555: 485: 475: 340: 8246: 6392:. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Archived from 5702:

Jerryson, Michael K. (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism, p. 42, 50

4719: 3451: 1454: 12481: 12405: 12347: 12312: 11993: 11971: 11895: 11672: 10796: 10791: 10781: 10774: 10542: 10397: 10382: 10208: 10091: 9531: 9476: 9428: 9356: 9226: 9024: 9004: 8946: 8858: 8521: 8419: 8266: 8002: 7985: 7970: 7948: 7500: 7370: 7204: 7184: 6524: 6459: 6423: 6312: 6273: 6009: 5990: 5875: 5719: 5465: 5399: 5347: 5308: 5114: 5079: 4965: 4874: 4835: 4796: 4769: 4532: 4435: 3834: 3794: 3530: 3344: 2778: 2626: 2462: 2432: 2408: 1928: 1826: 1577: 1462: 1260: 1062: 977:

For the remaining years of his life, the Buddha is said to have travelled in the

902: 731: 635: 550: 350: 260: 205: 8276: 7430: 7420: 6406:"The conquest by Dharma has been won here, on the borders, and even six hundred 6147:"Dalits who converted to Buddhism better off in literacy and well-being: Survey" 2813:

District wise percentage of the Buddhist population according to the 2011 census

2695:

in Mumbai and Deeksha Bhoomi in Nagpur. Large numbers of Indian Buddhists visit

2680:

are three major festivals of Navayana Buddhism. Traditional Buddhists celebrate

2338:(1891-1956) influenced by his reading of Pali sources and Indian Buddhists like 1966: 1316: 1149: 200: 12508: 12476: 12422: 12372: 12362: 12263: 12084: 11966: 11742: 10877: 10605: 10595: 10407: 10316: 10269: 10264: 10236: 10193: 10188: 10124: 9486: 9189: 9039: 8821: 8401: 8381: 8301: 7990: 7980: 7914: 7751: 7237: 7100: 6796: 6500:

Chan Insights and Oversights: an epistemological critique of the Chan tradition

5859:

Jerryson, Michael K. (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism, p. 52.

5850:

Jerryson, Michael K. (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism, p. 51.

5795:

Jerryson, Michael K. (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism, p. 48.

5748:

Jerryson, Michael K. (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism, p. 55.

5739:

Jerryson, Michael K. (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism, p. 54.

5693:

Jerryson, Michael K. (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism, p. 47.

5679:

Jerryson, Michael K. (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism, p. 42.

5642:

Jerryson, Michael K. (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism, p. 41.

5555:

Shodha Tippana, Pro. Vidyadhar Joharapurkar, in Anekanta, June 1963, pp. 73-75.

4115: 4103:

Old World Encounters: Cross-Cultural Contacts and Exchanges in Pre-Modern Times

4090:

Old World Encounters: Cross-Cultural Contacts and Exchanges in Pre-Modern Times

4077:

Old World Encounters: Cross-Cultural Contacts and Exchanges in Pre-Modern Times

3758: 3577: 3392: 3347:

around the 1st century. The embassy was travelling with a diplomatic letter in

3073: 2719: 2692: 2646: 2470: 2335: 2317: 2301: 2217: 2160: 2064: 2009: 1866: 1630: 1626: 1552:

along with nascent Hinduism and Jainism, with the fifth-century Vakataka king,

1311: 978: 836: 797: 495: 425: 380: 238: 6118:"Buddha Purnima 2021: Festival marks birth anniversary of founder of Buddhism" 5838:

Jerryson, Michael K. (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism, p. 49

1532:

The first half of the millennium saw the increasing isolation of the Buddhist

1328: 12538: 12410: 12273: 11998: 11516: 11475: 10803: 10759: 10656: 10231: 10170: 10139: 10119: 10114: 9928: 9256: 9105: 8414: 8316: 8174: 7975: 7953: 7889: 7560: 7355: 7350: 7242: 6911: 6844: 6788: 6452: 5914: 4159: 4151: 3616: 3455: 3348: 3326: 3274:

in the 8th century and played an important role in the spread of Buddhism in

2713: 2661: 2651: 2636: 2631: 2621: 2616: 2611: 2601: 2552: 2548: 2540: 2399: 2305: 2240: 2106: 1486: 1466: 1426: 1179: 1082: 989: 773: 719: 707: 320: 315: 255: 7714: 7704: 7076: 5961:"Declaration of Holiday on 14th April, 2015 – Birthday of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar" 3355:, to demonstrate his faith. The event made a sensation and was described by 2559:, and ethnic Tibetans can be found in the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region. 2291: 460: 265: 11526: 11496: 11043: 10506: 10223: 10109: 9346: 9331: 9301: 9251: 9241: 9083: 8878: 8371: 8206: 8084: 7872: 7867: 7694: 7565: 7440: 6901: 4143: 3994:

since the latter is not attested at Ajanta. In fact, as a collective noun,

3544: 3440: 3336: 2782: 2606: 2556: 2496: 2469:

monastery in India and has become an important centre of Tibetan Buddhism.

2453: 2213: 2060: 1733: 1619: 1569: 1557: 1541: 1505: 1252: 1197: 1037: 951: 816: 735: 360: 245: 163: 49: 8129: 8114: 8074: 7771: 7435: 7011: 3339:

Historical accounts describe an embassy sent by the "Indian king Pandion (

1497:

spread through the trade routes protected by the Kushans, out through the

1093:

in order to reach consensus on matters of Buddhist doctrine and practice.

956: 944: 917:, the "thus-gone"; the developing tradition later regarded him to be as a 12427: 11631: 11246: 11241: 10969: 10786: 10769: 10661: 10289: 10256: 10198: 10180: 10144: 9938: 9316: 9145: 8286: 8271: 8054: 7862: 7790: 7570: 7400: 7302: 7149: 7021: 5808:

Religious converts in India : socio-political study of neo-Buddhists

3587: 3415: 3407: 3368: 2573: 2563: 2515:

Marathi Buddhists celebrating the 62nd Dhammachakra Pravartan Din at the

2412: 2347: 2313: 2033: 1876: 1725: 1615: 1594: 1525: 1498: 1376: 1348: 1340: 1223:

Sarvāstivādins, and the Mahāsāṃghikas. Complete vinayas preserved in the

1126: 820: 430: 9306: 7766: 6230:. The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Archived from 4167: 2304:

delivering a speech during conversion, Nagpur, 14 October 1956; (right)

2037: 1470: 11470: 11362: 10764: 10448: 10246: 9261: 9219: 9095: 8901: 8826: 8440: 8424: 8386: 8366: 8261: 8236: 8144: 8079: 8059: 7805: 7736: 7607: 7490: 7460: 7395: 7345: 7003: 6993: 6966: 5938: 3506: 3500: 3473: 3371:(liv, 9). A tomb was made to the sramana, still visible in the time of 3294: 2447: 2236: 1986: 1892: 1869:, Hui-sheng, and Sung-Yun, began to speak of a decline of the Buddhist 1745: 1607: 1537: 1437: 1295: 1140:

is generally believed to have been held under the patronage of Emperor

985: 963: 962:, the company of Buddhist monks, and hence, the first formation of the 906: 895: 891: 883: 869: 766: 762: 703: 435: 195: 92: 8281: 7277: 6451:

Geiger, Wilhelm; Bode, Mabel Haynes, trans.; Frowde, H. (ed.) (1912).

5386: