Economic factors have also been attributed to having caused a decline in this prominent religion at the time. Inalienable affiliation with and dependence on mercantile communities for material support were one of the major economic activities that caused the Buddhism to decline in India. Based on the evidence, a link between Buddhist monasteries and long-distance trade routes existed in India. These connections helped facilitate both its spread and sustenance, thus it was not a surprise that Buddhism appealed to merchants, bankers, trader, financiers, and artisans. There was a symbiotic relationship present between Buddhist monastic institutions and trade networks, and this was proved by the fact that the monasteries worked not only as rest-houses …show more content…
Pusyamitra Sunga, another emperor who ruled the subcontinent of India from 187 BCE to 151 BCE, was not as favorable of Buddhism. Instead, he went about persecuting Buddhist in very violent ways. He destroyed stupas, burnt many monasteries, and killed many learned monks. He even made an attempt to destroy Kukkutarama, the famous monastery at Pataliputra. Evidence of cruel and harsh treatment of Buddhists can be found in Xuanzang’s first-hand account. He refers to a king named Vikramaditya, a king who harassed a Buddhist philosopher and challenged him to debate with 100 heretical scholars. The king purposefully manipulated the last debate which ultimately resulted in the death of the Buddhist philosopher. Many other kings succeeded Vikramaditya and held the same perspective against Buddhists, resulting in many deaths and the overall decline of …show more content…
As many historians have a difficult time pinpointing the beginning of the decline, the same can be said about the conclusion of the decline. As stated by Sarao’s perspective, the Pala Empire was considerably weakened by the 11th century, with many areas engulfed in rebellion, which led to its decline and thus the emergence of the Sena dynasty. As evidenced by research, the decline of Buddhism had also reached its end at this time. A firsthand account written by a traveller, Alberuni, to India in 1030 CE further provides evidence and justifies the diminishing of the religion from Indian culture. “This sort of information is not of a very high standard, but other sources on Buddhism, literary or oral, do not seem to have been at the command of Alberuni. The Hindus with whom he mixed were of the Brahminical creed, not Buddhist. In the countries where he had lived, in Khwarizm, Jurjan, Ghazna (Zabulistan), and the Panjab, there had been no opportunity for studying Buddhism; and also among the numerous soldiers, officers, artisans, and other Indians in the service of Mahraud in Ghazna and other places, there do not seem to have been Buddhists.” These observations recorded by Alberuni, provide evidence for the end of the decline of
...ore than communities occupied for monks and a stop for merchants, “monasteries [are now] engaged in banking or money-lending activities, and many others maintained schools that provided a basic education for local populations” (T.E. 295). With the favor of the people and in combination with Wu and her state’s endorsement, Buddhism and monasteries flourished and becomes an integral part of the Chinese culture by providing education and economic service to return the favor, thus strengthening the symbiotic role between government and religion. Monasteries’ “engage[ment] in banking [and] money-lending activities” is a sign that monasteries no longer just serve a monotonous purpose, but that it now plays an integrated role with the Chinese culture and economy as it is a pivotal point in gradual building the robust Chinese economy in the mutually benefitting relationship.
Yu, Han. “Memorial on Buddhism”. Making of the Modern World 12: Classical & Medieval Tradition. Trans. Richard F. Burton. Ed. Janet Smarr. La Jolla: University Readers, 2012. 111-112. Print.
Walking into the Hall of the Buddhas, there was a sense of peace and guidance lingering inside me. The seated Bodhisattva, of the Northern Wei dynasty (386-534), CA.480, from the Yungang, Cave xv, Shani Province, made of sandstone, guarded the entrance. At first, I thought it was a time to be disciplined, but the transcending smile from the statue was a delicate fixed gesture that offered a feeling of welcome. It was not a place to confess your wrongdoings; neither was it a place for me to say, “Buddha I have sinned.” It was a room to purify the mind, the mind that we take for granted without giving it harmony. There was a large mural decorating the main wall called “The Paradise of Bhaishajyaguru”(916-1125). I sat down wandering if the artist of the portrait knew that his work would one day be shared on this side of the world, in my time. Much like Jesus Christ and his followers, the mural is a painting of healers and saviors. It was a large figure of the Buddha of medicine, (Bhaishajyaquru) surrounded by followers of Bodhisattvas, Avalokiteshvara, and Mahosthamaprapta with twelve guardian generals who have pledged to disseminate the Buddha’s teaching (Tradition of Liao 916-1125, Metropolitan Museum wall plaque).
Religion has always had an impact on an individual’s perspectives and the government, and this can clearly be seen with Buddhism and the Tang Dynasty. Before Buddhism pervaded China, the traditional religion in China was Confucianism, and the majority of individuals strictly followed the rules and principles of Confucianism. When Buddhism was introduced, every person engendered their own views on Buddhism and the influences the religion would have on the government. The Tang Dynasty generated a prosperous time in China, until the dynasty spiraled down into its demise in c. 750 (Smarr “Tang China”). Many individuals believed that the reason why the collapse of the Tang Dynasty occurred was because of Buddhism and foreign ideas. A Chinese poet, named Han Yu, believed in the concept that Buddhism was the ultimate cause for the destruction of the Tang Dynasty, and his ideas were very influential. Han Yu’s ideas promoted the riddance of Buddhism values and monasteries in China (Smarr “An Lu-shan Rebellion”). Therefore, the question that arises from such observations is was this an accurate portrayal of perspectives during the Tang dynasty and how influential was this portrayal? Although, one portrayal of the Tang Dynasty’s collapse was Emperor Xuanzong’s carelessness, Han Yu persists that the accurate portrayal of the collapse was brought about by Buddhism through monasteries and monks, and selfish values.
It is said that history is shaped by the lives of great men. Great men are leaders. They bring about change; they improve the lives of others; they introduce new ideas, models, and theories to society. Most of the world's religions were founded, developed, or discovered by great men. Two particular religions - Christianity and Buddhism - developed in different parts of the world, under different circumstances, and in different social atmospheres. But each religion is based upon the teachings of a great man. When one compares the life of Buddha with the life of Jesus, one finds that the two share many things in common. This essay aims to compare and contrast the lives of Buddha1 and Jesus in two key areas: conception and birth. In these two areas, one finds that the Buddha and Jesus share many similarities.
Buddhism is a religion from the East that has spread to many different countries all over the world. It has spread to the West, and has had a great influence and impact, especially in America. However, the Buddhism that is practiced in the United States is not exactly the same as the one that is practiced in Asian countries. If Buddhism differs between the different traditions of the Asian countries themselves, it is obvious that it will differ greatly in America as well. However, even though there are obvious differences, it is important to maintain the core values and fundamental principles the same. This research explores how the three different types of Buddhist practitioners have adopted Buddhism in America, and it describes some differences
India and China’s geography helped them spread their religion to other areas. India’s religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, spread to other regions. The trade that was created due to each civilizations’ geography not only traded regions’ goods with one another, but their religion as well. According to World History: A Pattern of Interaction, Hinduism spread to Nepal and south to Sri Lanka and Borneo. A majority of the spread of Indian religion was due to Buddhist merchants and monks that converted people along the route of the Silk Road. China is similar to India’s religions, as the Chinese region believed in Buddhism because of the conversions of religion that had occurred
Originally from Japan, Soyen Shaku was the first Zen master to arrive in America. His followers urged him not to come to a nation that was so ill-mannered and uncultivated and that the Japanese were facing extreme discrimination. Shaku’s countrymen Hirai Ryuge Kinzo “offered pointed examples: the barring of a Japanese student from a university on the basis of his race; the exclusion of Japanese children from the San Francisco public schools; the processions of American citizens bearing placards saying ‘Japs Must Go!’” (Eck 185). After several decades, there was a Zen boom of the 1950s and that was how Buddhism affected western culture, especially in regards to entertainment. “‘Zen’ is “the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese character "chan," which is in turn the Chinese translation from the Indian Sanskrit term "dhyana," which means meditation’” (Lin).
Compare And Analysis The Japanese Buddhism And Indo Buddhism Buddhism is a religion and philosophy founded by Siddhartha Gautama in northeast India during the period from the late 6th century to the early 4th century BC. Spreading from India to Central and Southeast Asia, China, Korea, and Japan, Buddhism has played an influential role in the spiritual, cultural, and social life of much of the Eastern world. It is the prevailing religious force in most of Asia (India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Tibet). ‘Buddhism’ is reformulated and re-expressed in different cultures and at different times, adopting and redefining aspects of the cultures in which it has taken root. Today, there are about 300 million followers. (Yamplosky) The Indian religion Buddhism, founded in the sixth century BC, is one of the common features of Asian civilization, and Buddhist institutions and believers are found all over East, South, and Southeast Asia. While Buddhism is now just a minority belief in the country of it’s founding, it remains a significant religious and cultural force in Japan today. Buddhism started in India and made its way to China and Korea. From there, it ended up in Japan. Buddhism went through several different periods before it became Japan's national religion. In indo Buddhism, the temple is the main sanctuary, in which services, both public and private, are performed but Japanese Buddhism is mainly hub of individual activities and services. Similarly to Japanese Buddhism, in Indo Buddhism the monastery is a complex of buildings, located usually in a spot chosen for its beauty and seclusion. Its function is to house the activities of the monks. Images are important features of temples, monasteries, and shrines in both Indo a...
Asoka did not force anyone to adopt Buddhism as his or her faith. Rather, he spread the principles in the hope that people would choose to follow them on their own and lead an ethical life. After Asoka’s death the Mauryan Empire gradually declined (Molloy 138). His Empire may not have survived, but Asoka is known today as one of the greatest rulers of ancient India and the most important figure in Buddhism after the Buddha himself. Buddhism may not be the dominant religion in India today, but there are millions of Buddhism followers worldwide today because of Asoka’s influence. If not for Asoka, Buddhism may have remained an entirely Indian religion. It is due to his influence that Buddhism is practiced worldwide today. His memory will always live on in the Buddhist community.
Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism made a great impact on the Mauryan Empire. If Ashoka continued to be a ruler with such evil ways of enforcement, the people of the Mauryan Empire would not be happy. His conversion to Buddhism saved a lot of lives because of his new belief in ahimsa. Ashoka also sent out many Buddhist missionaries all over the country to spread the religion of Buddhism. Significant events like these were very important events that occurred during the time period of the Mauryan Empire.
Bibliography: Religious Persons and Traditions Buddhism- Plain and Simple
Buddhism prevailed as a religion indigenous to west India and comprises of varieties of traditions, beliefs and practices based on the teachings of Buddha. There are many reasons why Buddhism became so popular and entered into many civilizations. Buddhism began to be popular throughout Asia alongside India. Buddhism has blossomed in the contemporary world, especially in the West. It is an issue to wonder what Buddhism offers that other religions cannot and has become so significant worldwide. Buddhism has become an idea that is widespread and the teachings of Buddha have made a real difference in many civilizations like India, China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea and surprisingly Buddhism has come to make a significant difference in American culture.
Hiltebeitel, Alf. Rethinking the Mahābhārata: A Reader's Guide to the Education of the Dharma King. Chicago: University of Chicago, 2001. Print.
Upon reading about the historical and religious background of Ancient India, one can clearly assume that the country was strongly influenced by three main religious teachings: Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. These three sects in religious thinking have many similarities as all recognize the life-cycle and the need of liberation, they worship one central deity that used to be a human who gained enlightenment and they all recognize the existence of the eternal soul and after-death re-incarnation. However, they also share a lot of differences that mark the underlying principles of practicing them. I will identify the scope of differences and similarities in these ancient religions in an attempt to understand why each attracted followers, why each was shaped a certain way and how they preserved the interest of followers on into the modern times as well.