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Origins of Buddhism
Buddhism originated in the Indian sub-continent around the fifth century
BCE. Buddhism was founded in the north-eastern region of India in what is
now Nepal and is based on the teachings of Siddharatha Gautama, The
Buddha, or the Enlightened/Awakened One (British Broadcasting
Corporation). It shares a history and relationship with Hinduism and other
religions that have their roots in the Indian subcontinent.
Siddhartha Gautama (Sanskrit) or Siddhartha Gautama (Pali) is also known
as the Shakyamuni Buddha or The Buddha. He is the historical founder of
Buddhism and the primary figure in
Buddhism. He was born in Lumbini,
which is located in present-day
Nepal. Siddhartha Gautama was a
leader, teacher, and mentor of a sect of
wandering ascetics ( Sramanas ). Such
sects were common and existed all over
India at that time. Over time, his sect
came to be known as Sangha so as to
distinguish it from other similar sects.
The Sramanas movement was rooted
in the culture of world renunciation
that emerged in India from about
the seventh century BCE onwards.
The Sramanas renounced or rejected
the Vedic teachings, which was the
dominant and traditional religious
order in India at the time. They also
renounced conventional society. This
culture of renunciation was the basis
for several religious and philosophical
traditions, which emerged from India,
including the Charvaka (also known
as Lokayata) school, Buddhism, and
Jainism.
Siddharatha Gautama/Siddhattha Gautama: The Buddha
Though some accounts of his life are more elaborate than others, the Buddhist
texts preserved in Sanskrit, Pali, Chinese, Tibetan, and other languages agree
that Siddhartha was born in Lumbini Garden (present-day Nepal), attained
awakening in Bodhgaya (India), began teaching just outside of Benares
(Varanasi), and entered complete nirvana (passed away) at Kusinara (Kasia,
India).
Gautama Buddha, the seventh
Buddha According to Buddhism, there were many Buddhas before Gautama Buddha and there were and will be many Buddhas after him. In early Pali texts Gautama was listed as being the seventh Buddha of antiquity. According to Buddhist scriptures, Maitreya is believed to be the last Buddha of this eon and the successor of Gautama. Maitreya will appear on Earth, achieve complete enlightenment, and teach the pure Dharma. The prophecy of the arrival of Maitreya is found in the canonical literature of all Buddhist sects (Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana). The exact number of Buddhas that have or will appear is debated. In the Theravada tradition the names of 21 Buddhas are added to the initial list of seven Buddhas, In the Mahayana Buddhist tradition even more names of Buddhas are added, and some claim that there has been, is, and/or will be an infinite number of Buddhas.
Siddhartha Gautama was born into a royal family in Lumbini around 563 BCE.
(While scholars generally agree that Gautama Buddha did in fact exist, the
specific dates and events of his life are still debated and vary greatly. In the
present document, the most commonly quoted dates are used.) He lived a
privileged and sheltered life. At the age of 29, he came to realize that wealth
and privilege did not guarantee happiness. So he set out to find the key to
human happiness by exploring the teachings of diverse religions and
philosophies of his time. After six years of study and meditation he discovered
‘The Middle Path’ and achieved enlightenment. After his enlightenment, The
Buddha spent the rest of his life teaching the principles of Buddhism, the
Dhamma, or Truth, until his death at the age of 80. The word Buddha comes
from the root word budh meaning “to know or to awaken.
Gautama Buddha is venerated in Buddhism, but he is not a god or
a deity, nor did he ever claim to be one. He was one who achieved
enlightenment and displayed aspects of Buddhahood, but who stayed
to teach and guide others towards the path of enlightenment.
Buddhists temples and homes will often feature images of the
Buddha; however, they do not worship Buddha nor do they pray
or ask for favours. A statue of The Buddha will help followers
concentrate and meditate as they strive to develop peace and love
within themselves. Buddhists bow to the statue in an expression of
gratitude for the teachings he provided.
Buddhists believe that there were in the past, there are currently, and
there will be in the future many Buddhas on Earth. To be a Buddha
is to be one who has awakened to a realistic view of the world and
one’s position in it. Buddhists also believe that other planets and other
places of existence will have their own people and those people will
have their own Buddhas, as the truth of Buddhism is universal. A
Buddha is one who realizes that nothing, including the soul, has an
unchanging essence.
Siddhartha Gautama lived during a time of profound social changes in India.
The authority of the Vedic religion was being challenged by a number of
new religious and philosophical views. The Vedic religion was developed
by a nomadic society roughly a millennium before Siddhartha’s time, and it
gradually gained dominance over most of northern India, especially in the
plain of the Ganges (Ganga) river. In the fifth century BCE, as society changed
and was no longer nomadic, agrarian settlements replaced the old nomad
caravans and evolved into villages, then into towns, and finally into cities. In
this new urban and social context, many in the Indian society were no longer
satisfied with the Vedic faith. Siddhartha Gautama was one among many
critics of the Vedic religious establishment.
After Siddhartha Gautama passed away, the community he founded slowly
evolved into a religion-like movement and the teachings of Siddhartha became
the basis of Buddhism. The historical evidence suggests that Buddhism had a
humble beginning. Apparently, it was a relatively minor tradition in India, and
Figure 16: Image of a statue of
Siddhartha Gautama, the future
Buddha while practising austerities
before he found the Middle Way to
Awakening. Wat Umong, Chiang Mai,
Thailand.
derogatory by some Buddhists although scholars today often use the term
Hinayana without pejorative intent.)
With respect to Nikaya Buddhism (aka “the
Lesser Vehicle”), today the only surviving
school is Theravada Buddhism, which was
founded in the fourth century BCE. The
name Theravada is derived from the Pali
words: thera (elders) and vada (word, doctrine),
and means the Doctrine of the Elders.
Theravada Buddhism draws its scriptural
inspiration from the Pali Canon, or Tipitaka.
Theravada Buddhism has been the main
tradition of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Burma,
Thailand, and Southeast Asia. At the time
this document was written, it was estimated
that there were over 100 million Theravada
Buddhists worldwide. In recent decades,
Theravada Buddhism has begun to take
root in the West, especially in Europe, North
America, and Australia.
The Theravada school compiled a sacred
canon of early Buddhist teachings and
regulations that is called the Tripitaka,
which scholars generally accept as the oldest
record of the Buddha’s teachings. Owing to
its historical dominance in southern Asia,
Theravada is also identified as “Southern
Buddhism,” in contrast to “Northern
Buddhism,” which migrated northwards
from India into Tibet, China, Japan, and
Korea.
Generally, those who venerate the
Bodhisattvas and are guided by Mahayana
sutras are considered to be Mahayanas.
Nikaya and contemporary Theravada
Buddhists do not accept the teachings of
the Mahayana sutras as being authentic teachings of The Buddha and they
emphasize a monastic lifestyle and practice (meditation). Theravada monks
hold that The Buddha taught a doctrine of anatta (no soul) when he spoke of
the impermanence of the human body/form, perception, sensations/feelings,
consciousness, and volition. They believe, however, that human beings
continue to be “reformed” and reborn, and to collect karma until they reach
nirvana.
The Mahayana (“Greater Vehicle”) branch of schools emerged around 200 CE
from within Indian Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism is prevalent in Korea,
Figure 18: Gautama Buddha in Greco-Buddhist
style, first–second century BCE, Gandhra
(modern eastern Afghanistan).
Greco-Buddhism, or Greco-Buddhism, is the
cultural fusion between Hellenistic culture and
Buddhism, which developed between the fourth
century BCE and the fifth century CE in Bactria
and the Indian subcontinent. It resulted from
a long history of interactions begun by Greek
forays into India from the time of Alexander the
Great.
China, Japan, and Tibet. In present times, the major schools of Mahayana
Buddhism include Chan Buddhism, Korean Seon, Japanese Zen, Pure Land
Buddhism, Nichiren Buddhism, and Vietnamese Buddhism. For some,
they may also include the Vajrayana traditions of Tiantai, Tendai, Shingon
Buddhism, and Tibetan Buddhism, all of which add esoteric teachings to the
Mahayana tradition. This movement may be characterized as follows:
1. As implied in the name, the Mahayana movement came to think of itself
as “great” with respect to its interpretations of the Buddha’s teachings and
because of it being open to a broader range of followers, especially lay
people. Yana means “vehicle or raft” which is symbolic of Buddhist teachings
as a boat or vehicle that can help one cross over the river of suffering to the
“other shore”/ nirvana. The Mahayana is, thus, the “Great Vehicle.”
2. The Mahayana tradition draws on a more expansive set of scriptures
including many new scriptures composed in the early centuries CE as
authentic teachings. A number of new scriptures or sutras , such as the Lotus
Sutra, the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, and the Pure Land
sutras, focus on specific teachings such as the emptiness of all phenomena
( shunyata ), the importance of compassion ( karuna ), and the universality of
Buddha Nature.
3. The Mahayana tradition stresses that lay people can also be exemplary
Buddhists, and that a monastic lifestyle and meditation are not the sole
paths to nirvana. Mahayana schools believe that Gautama Buddha and all
human beings have a common origin called Buddha Nature, Buddha Mind,
or Emptiness depending on the school. This “nothing” is not literally an
empty space or condition; it is a completely indescribable “source of all
existence” and at the same time “Enlightenment” potential. In this branch,
the historical Buddha characteristic was only one manifestation of Buddha
Nature. Mahayana followers therefore believe in many past and also future
Buddhas, some of whom are god-like and preside over Buddha-worlds or
heavenly paradises. The ideal religious figure in the Mahayana tradition
is the bodhisattva. A bodhisattva is a being who is on the path towards
Buddhahood. In Mahayana Buddhism, a bodhisattva refers to anyone who
has generated bodhicitta , a spontaneous wish and compassionate mind to
attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. Bodhisattvas are
driven entirely by compassion ( karuna ) and are informed by deep wisdom
( prajna ). For the Mahayana, the monastic arahant ( arhat ) ideal is too focused
on self-liberation and not on the liberation of all.
Buddhism’s popularity began to diminish in India around the sixth and
seventh centuries CE with Hinduism replacing it in the south and invaders
destroying monasteries and communities in the north. By the 12th century CE,
it was virtually extinct in India due to several factors including the dominance
of Hinduism, Muslim invasions, and the great stress of living a monastic life.
Nonetheless, Buddhism developed deep roots and thrived in many other
countries in Asia to which it was transmitted. The diversity of interpretations,
adaptability of Buddhism, and the evolution of practices that have emerged
in various countries have allowed people of many lands and cultures to meet
their spiritual needs through this religion.
The spread of Buddhism to other lands and peoples from its original base in India
began as early as the first century CE. The map that follows depicts the dispersal
of Buddhism throughout Asia. Buddhist monks traveled via the Silk Road to
communities through Central Asia to China. By the seventh century CE,
Buddhism was a significant force in China, where it interacted with Confucian
and Daoist cultures and ideas. At about the same time, Buddhism became firmly
rooted in Korea. By the sixth century CE, it had also spread to Japan, where it
developed in a context shaped by both Shinto and other Japanese indigenous
traditions.
In the seventh century CE, Mahayana Buddhism, in the shape of the Tantric
traditions of northeast India, spread to the high mountain plateau of Tibet. In
Tibet, Buddhism interacted with and was influenced by the indigenous Bon
religion, and with other sects of Buddhism that had traveled to Tibet from East
Asia. A distinctive and vibrant form of Mahayana Buddhism emerged known as
Vajrayana, the “Diamond Vehicle” or the “Thunderbolt Vehicle.” This stream of
Buddhism, while most prominent in Tibet and its surrounding regions, may also
be found in China and Japan.
Most Buddhists and schools that emerged from the Tibetan highlands (i.e., Tibet,
Ladakh, and Bhutan) think of themselves as being Vajrayana Buddhists, and
consider Vajrayana Buddhism to be a separate, third path, distinct from both
Mahayana and Theravada Buddhist traditions; however, a minority of Buddhists
from this region and school believe that Tibetan Buddhism is in keeping with the
Mahayana tradition of Buddhism.
Figure 20: Spread of Buddhism throughout Asia
Heartland of Buddhism, Ganges Valley, India
Buddhist Majority Areas
Early Buddhist schools
Mahayana
Theravada
Vajrayana-Tantric
Russia
Tibet
China
India Philippines
Japan
Korea
Indonesia Historical realm of Buddhism
Spread of Buddhism throughout Asia
Colonization and the Modern Era (1600s to Now)
During this era, Buddhism throughout the Asian world was affected by contact
with Europeans and Christianity. The colonization of many traditionally
Buddhist Asian countries by various European and Christian nations had
a significant impact on Buddhism. As European nations began to dominate
the political and social structures in countries which had, till then, supported
Buddhism, Christianity began to compete with Buddhism. Its status and
dominance began to weaken. Other factors also had a negative effect on
Buddhism, including war, communism, the spread of capitalism, scientific
development, and regional and national instability.
Buddhism in the Western World
In the late 18th and 19th centuries, knowledge of Buddhism grew and small
Buddhist communities emerged in the Western world. Since then, their numbers
have been growing with respect to practitioners and status. During the 1800s,
Western intellectuals were introduced to Buddhism and were interested in
learning more about it. This was largely the result of returning European
colonists, colonial government officials, Christian missionaries, and others
returning or coming from the East where they had learned of and came into
contact with Buddhist populations and religious authorities. During this period
several books were published on Buddha and Buddhism which helped introduce
the Western public to Buddhism. These included Sir Edwin Arnold’s book-length
poem, The Light of Asia (1879), and the work of early Western Buddhist scholars
such as Hermann Oldenberg, T. W. Rhys Davids and F. Max Müller.
By the late 19th century, Westerners who had learned about Buddhism and
were attracted by its teachings and practices began to seek deeper studies and
convert. The first-known modern Western converts to Buddhism included two
founding members of the Theosophical Society, Henry Steel Olcott and Helena
Blavatsky. They
did so in 1880 in
Sri Lanka. The
Theosophical
Society, formed
in 1875, had
as one of its
objectives to
encourage
the study of
comparative
religion,
philosophy,
and science.
It played an
important role
in popularizing Figure 21: St. Petersburg Buddhist Temple “Datsan Gunzehoyney,” Saint Petersburg, Russia.
in Buddhist groups and followers in Germany. In France and Spain, Tibetan
Buddhism has large numbers of followers. Tibetan, East Asian, and Theravada
traditions are now also active and growing in popularity in Australia and New
Zealand. In South America, Tibetan and Zen Buddhists have established a
smaller but significant presence in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile,
Colombia, and Venezuela.
Buddhist organizations and sects began to focus their attention not only on
serving the needs of the Buddhist Diaspora in the West, but also on teaching
more Westerners about Buddhism and responding to the growing popularity
of Buddhism and Buddhist meditation practices especially. For example, in
the 20th century, Asian Zen Buddhist leaders and teachers such as DT Suzuki,
Hsüan Hua, Hakuun Yasutani, and Thích Nhat Hanh were influential in
creating greater awareness of and interest in Zen Buddhism in the West.
Lastly, in recent decades, mediation and mindfulness practices have become
popular in the Western world as people deal with the challenges of living in
complex, stressful, and challenging urban and contemporary environments. In
addition, as a result of research into the benefits of meditation, public interest
in Buddhist practices, meditation, and mindfulness has soared in the Western
world. Many studies have shown that meditation has numerous physical and
mental health benefits for practitioners. There is evidence that meditation and
mindfulness practices help practitioners deal with depression, chronic pain,
and anxiety. The result has been a significant growth in meditation centres
across Canada and the Western world that draw on, are informed by, or are
operated by various Buddhist schools and sects.
It is fair to say that the expansion of Buddhism from its Asian base in the
20th century has made Buddhism a worldwide phenomenon. Today, numerous
Buddhist centres have been established across Canada, the United States of
America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and South America. Virtually
all the major Buddhist traditions are represented and continue to attract the
interest of Westerners of all walks of life.
Development of Buddhism Timeline Chart
The chart that follows provides an overview of the development of Buddhism
from its origins to contemporary times. References and resources used to
create this timeline chart include the following:
Buddhism: SoftSchools.com
www.softschools.com/timelines/buddhism_timeline/379/
Buddhism in Canada, The Canadian Encyclopedia
www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/buddhism
Buddhism in the World, Harvard Pluralism project
http://pluralism.org/timeline/buddhism-in-the-world/
Life of the Buddha: A spiritual Journey, BBC
www.bbc.co.uk/teach/life-of-the-buddha-a-spiritual-journey/zjf4y9q
Timelines of Buddhist History, Buddha Net
www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/b_chron-txt.htm
Timeline of Buddhism: The history and major events of the Buddhist religion.
www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/268081/Timeline-of-
Buddhism/#vars!date=0563_BC-07-15_00:55:08!
Timeline of Buddhism, Religion Facts
www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/timeline
Wikipedia Timeline of Buddhism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Buddhism
Date Significant
Development
Life of The Buddha
6th
Century
BCE
Birth and life of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama
Scholars debate the exact dates of the birth and death of Siddhartha Gautama. The conventional dates set them as being 566– BCE but according to more recent research, revised dates are 490–410 BCE.
461 BCE
Gautama leaves home to search for a solution to suffering.
Around age 29, Gautama has a personal crisis as he realizes he is not immune from the suffering of old age, disease, and death. He leaves home to search for a solution to human suffering. For about six years he practices a variety of yogic disciplines and experiments with extreme asceticism as he tries to find answers.
Date Significant
Development
220 BCE
Theravada is officially introduced to Sri Lanka by Mahinda, son of Ashoka, during the reign of Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura.
100 BCE
Famine and schisms in Sri Lanka point to a need for a written record of the Tipitaka to preserve the Buddhist religion. A Fourth Council is called, in which 500 reciters and scribes from the Mahavihara write down the Pali Tipitaka for the first time. They write it on palm leaves at the Aloka Cave, near Matale, Sri Lanka.
Theravada Buddhism first appears in what is today Burma and Central Thailand.
In 68 BCE, two Buddhist missionaries from India arrive at the court of Emperor Ming (58–75) of the Han Dynasty. They translate various Buddhist Texts, including The Sutra of Forty-two Sections.
The Mahayana school emerges.
1st
Century
CE
The Fourth Buddhist Council is held at Jalandhar or in Kashmir around 100 CE (not recognized by Theravadas).
Buddhism is established in Cambodia 100 CE and in Vietnam150 CE.
The composition of Lotus Sutra and other Mahayana Buddhist texts occurs.
Mahayana Buddhism is introduced in China and Central Asia.
148 CE
A translation centre is established in China. An Shigao, a Buddhist translator, establishes a translation centre in Luoyang, the imperial capital of China.
3rd
Century
CE
Expansion of Buddhism to Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
Buddhism is most likely introduced to China thanks to the Silk Road during the Han dynasty (206 BCE– 220 CE), as Mahayana Buddhist missionaries accompany merchant caravans along the network of trade routes.
The Yogacara (meditation) school was founded by Maitreyanatha.
Buddhist influence in Persia spreads through trade.
Date Significant
Development
4th
Century
CE
Development of Vajrayana Buddhism in India.
The Translation of Buddhist texts into Chinese by Kumarajiva (344–413) and Hui-yüan (334–416).
In 372 CE Buddhism is introduced in Korea, under the reign of King Sosurim of the Kingdom of Koguryo. Archaeological evidence suggests that Buddhism entered Korea earlier.
Expansion into Asia
5th
Century
CE
A Buddhist monastic university is founded at Nalanda, India.
Buddhaghosa composes the Visuddhimagga and major commentaries in Sri Lanka.
Buddhism is established in Burma and Korea.
The Chinese pilgrim Fa- Hsien visits India.
The Amitabha (Amida) Pure Land sect emerges in China.
In 433 CE, Sri Lankan Theravadin nuns introduce full ordination lineage into China.
Mahayana Buddhism was introduced into Java, Sumatra, Borneo, mainly by Indian immigrants.
6th
Century
CE
Around 520 CE, Bodhidharma travels to China from India and founds Chan (Zen) Buddhism.
In 538 CE, Buddhism enters Japan from Korea.
Between 589–617 CE, the Sui Dynasty of China and the beginning of Golden Age of Chinese Buddhism, including the emergence of T’ien-tai, Hua-yen, Pure Land, and Ch’an schools of Chinese Buddhism occur.
Buddhism flourishes in Indonesia.
Jataka Tales are translated into Persian by King Khusru (531–579 CE).
Date Significant
Development
10th
Century
CE
Between 900–1000 CE, the first complete printing of Chinese Buddhist Canon, known as the Szechuan edition is produced.
Buddhism is introduced to Thailand.
900–1000 CE, Islam replaces Buddhism in Central Asia.
11th
Century
CE
The revival of Theravada Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Burma and the decline of Buddhism in India occur.
Marpa (1012–1097 CE) begins the Kargyu School of Tibetan Buddhism.
The Sakya School of Tibetan Buddhism is established.
Milarepa (1040–1123 CE) becomes the greatest poet and most popular saint in Tibetan Buddhism.
The bhikkhus and bhikkhunis (monk and nun) communities at Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, die out following invasions from South India.
12th
Century
CE
Theravada Buddhism is established in Burma.
Honen (1133–1212 CE) founds the Pure Land School of Japanese Buddhism.
Eisai (1141–1215 CE) founds the Rinzai Zen School of Japanese Buddhism.
In 1193 CE, Muslims attack and take control of Magadha, the heartland of Buddhism in India. They destroy Buddhist monasteries and universities (Valabhiand Nalanda) wiping out Buddhism in India.
Between 1140–1390 CE, in Korea, Buddhism thrives during the Koryo dynasty.
Date Significant
Development
13th
Century
CE
Theravada Buddhism becomes established in South East Asia.
Theravada Buddhism spreads to Laos.
Zen Buddhism is introduced to Japan from China by the monk Eisai.
Between 1173–1263 CE, Shinran founds the True Pure Land School of Japanese Buddhism.
Between 1200–1253 CE, Dogen founds the Soto Zen School of Japanese Buddhism.
Between 1222–1282 CE, Nichiren founds the school of Japanese Buddhism named after him.
Mongols convert to Vajrayana Buddhism.
The tradition of seeking the reincarnations of Tibetan leaders begins among Tibetan Black Hat Buddhists.
Buddhism is introduced to the West:
Q (^) In 1253 CE, the Flemish
Franciscan monk William of Rubruck sets out on a three-year journey to the East, hoping to learn more about the Mongols. His accounts of his travel and findings reintroduces westerners to Buddhism for the first time since classical scholars wrote about Buddhism. Q (^) During the colonial
era, western interest in Buddhism increases.
14th
Century
CE
Buston collects and edits Tibetan Buddhist Canon
In 1360 CE, Rulers of north (Chieng-mai) and northeast (Sukhothai) Thailand adopt Theravada Buddhism. It becomes state religion.
Theravada Buddhism is adopted in Cambodia and Laos.
Tsongkhapa, a Tibetan Buddhist reformer and the founder of Dgelugspa or Gelugpa, or ‘Yellow Hat’ order lives from 1357– 1419 CE.
15th
Century
CE
Tsongkhapa founds the first of three major Buddhist monasteries in Tibet.
This marks the beginning of the Dalai Lama lineage in Tibetan Buddhism; Gendun Drub (1391–1474 CE), a disciple of Je Tsongkapa, is considered the ‘First Dalai Lama’ 104 years after he died.
16th
Century
CE
In 1578 CE Tibet’s Gelugpa leader Sonam Gyatso is given the title of “Dalai” by Altan Khan and becomes known as Dalai Lama. Dalai Lama becomes a title after that point and is given retrospectively to his two predecessors.
Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, the Great Fifth” Dalai Lama meets Qing Emperor Shunzhi near Beijing and establishes relations.
Date Significant
Development
1904 CE
In Burma, German Anton Walther Florus Gueth becomes one of the earliest Westerners to become a fully ordained Bihikkhu (monk) and takes the name Nyanatiloka Mahathera.
1905 CE
The first Japanese Buddhist temple is built in Vancouver.
1907 CE
The Buddhist Society of Great Britain is founded.
1924–
CE
The Taishö Shinshü Daizokyö edition of Chinese Buddhist Canon is printed in Tokyo.
1930 CE
Soka Gakkai, based in Nichiren Buddhism, is founded in Japan.
1933 CE
Buddhist Churches of Canada is founded in British Columbia. It is the oldest Buddhist organization in Canada. Now known as the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of Canada, the member temples are affiliated with the Nishi Hongan-ji of Kyoto, Japan, the mother temple of the Jodo Shinshu (True Pure Land) sect of Buddhism.
1946 CE
The Manitoba Buddhist Church (Temple) opens.
1949 CE
Buddhists regain some control of the site of The Buddha’s Enlightenment at Mahabodhi Temple in India.
1950 CE
The Chinese take control of Tibetan Buddhism.
1952 CE
The Founding of World Fellowship of Buddhists occurs.
1954–
CE
The sixth Buddhist Council is held at Rangoon, Myanmar/Burma.
1956 CE
Hindu leader B.R. Ambedkar converts to Buddhism along with 350,000 followers, creating the Neo-Buddhist movement.
1959 CE
On March 10, 1959, Tibet rebels against control by China’s Communist Party, thus launching the Tibetan Uprising. The Dalai Lama flees Tibet, which claims independence from China, and Western interest in Tibetan Buddhism greatly increases.
Date Significant
Development
1959 CE
The Zen Studies Society is founded in New York City.
1963 CE
Buddhist monk Thich Quang Durc burns himself to death to protest government oppression of Buddhism.
1966 CE
The World Buddhist Sangha Council is convened by Theravadas in Sri Lanka with the objective of bridging differences between schools and promoting collaboration. The convention is attended by leading monks from many countries and sects, both Mahayana and Theravada.
A British woman, Freda Bedi, is the first Western woman to be ordained in Tibetan Buddhism.
1968 CE
The first five American Bhikkhus and Bhikshunis are ordained in the Chinese tradition.
The Western Buddhist Order, founded by Urgyen Sangharakshit, ordains five members.
1970 CE
One of the earliest Tibetan Centres was the Toronto Dharmadhatu, established by the Ven. Chogyam Trungpa. He later moved his Headquarters from the USA to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
1974 CE
Wat Pah Nanachat (Thai Forest Tradition) becomes the first monastery dedicated to providing instruction and support for western Buddhist monks. It is founded by Venerable Ajahn Chah in Thailand. Later, the monks trained there established branch monasteries throughout the world.
1975 CE
The Insight Meditation Society is established in Barre, Massachusetts.
1975–
CE
Devastation of Buddhism in Cambodia: Pol Pot’s Communist regime declares war on Buddhism in an effort to completely destroy Buddhism in that country, and nearly succeeds. During the next four years, most of Cambodia’s 3,600 Buddhist temples are destroyed and only an estimated 3,000 of its 50,000 monks survive the persecution.
1978 CE
The Toronto Mahavihara (Buddhist Centre) is the first Theravada temple in Canada.
1979 CE
The Marpa Gompa Meditation Society is founded in Calgary. It is one of the centres that studies, practises, and promotes the teachings of the Kargyu order of Tibetan Buddhism headed by Karma Thinley Rinpoche.
