Buddhism originated in India around the 5th century BC as one among many heterodox movements of the time. The founder of this religion was Gautama Siddhartha or Buddha, the son of a local chieftain in eastern India. Legend has it that he was so moved by the poverty and suffering of the common man that he renounced his royal life and became an ascetic. He meditated for years under a pipal or “Boddhi” tree and attained enlightenment; hence the name “Buddha” or “The Enlightened”.
Initial Development
Buddha and his teachings of non-violence and asceticism soon became popular and he acquired a band of followers who participated in his sermons, and propagated his message. The Buddha’s message denounced the rigidity of the caste-system, and the rituals and sacrifices of Hinduism. It offered a path to enlightenment which did not involve extreme asceticism or indulgence. Instead the message was to accept suffering as a part of life and conquer one’s desires.
Yet, despite its popularity and universalistic theme, Buddhism continued to remain a social movement or sect until the 3rd century BC when it became established as a religion under the patronage of King Asoka of the Maurya dynasty (320-200BC).
Asoka and the Growth of Buddhism
King Asoka (268-233BC) was the third emperor of the Maurya dynasty. An unapologetic conqueror, Asoka was so moved by the carnage of the battle of Kalinga (present-day state of Orissa in Eastern India) that he embraced Buddhism and popularized its teachings of non-violence and Dharma. Under his patronage Buddhist monasteries and Stupas were established all across northern India,
Asoka also issued edicts inspired by Buddhist doctrine and while his rule was secular, its tone was decidedly Buddhist. It was during this time that Buddhism spread to Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) and established itself as an important religion in South Asia. Asoka’s children too embraced Buddhism, renounced royalty, and became ascetic missionaries (bhikkus or bhikshuks).
The Gupta Empire and Decline of Buddhism
While Buddhism survived the decline of the Maurya Empire, and was “exported” to Han China in the 1st century AD via the famed Silk Route along with trade goods, by end of the 3rd century AD its popularity began to decline. Intriguing, considering that Buddhists neither faced persecution nor rejection by the Hindu society.
Ironically it was the acceptance and popularity of Buddhism that led to its eventual decline.
Being a henotheistic religion, Hinduism was quick to accept the Buddha as one of the many manifestations of the Supreme Being. The Buddha became one among the pantheon of Hindu gods and is even considered the ninth one among the ten incarnations of Vishnu. Hindus also accepted Buddhism’s insistence on vegetarianism and non-violence. Many among the laity participated in Buddhist practices while remaining culturally Hindu. This acceptance coincided with the revival of Hinduism under the patronage of the kings of the Gupta dynasty (300-500AD). Thus, even as Buddhism became popular in China, where it consequently evolved, in India it was subsumed by Hinduism.
Buddhism in Present-Day India
Despite a decline in popularity, Buddhism continues to survive in modern-day India. Many lower-caste Hindus or Dalits, often en masse, convert to Buddhism to escape from the Hindu caste system. One of the most famous converts was the western-educated dalit leader and social-activist Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, who also co-wrote the Indian constitution.
Buddhist symbols have also endured; the Asoka pillar was made the national emblem of the republic of India, while the Asoka Chakra or Dharama’s wheel is part of the Indian flag.
Sources:
Keay, John INDIA: A History (Atlantic Monthly Press: New York, 2000)
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