buddhism

                   His next teacher was Udraka Ramputra.

                   At the age of 35 , under a papal tree at Uruvella (Both Gaya)  on the bank of river Niranjana  (modern name Falgu ) he attained Nirvana  (enlightenment) after o49 days of continuous meditation ; now he was a fully enlightened (Buddha or Tathagat).

                Buddha delivered his first sermon at Sarnath (Dear park ) to his five disciples, this is known as Dharmachakra Pravartana (Turning  of the wheel of law).

              He died at the of 80 in 483 BC at Kushinagar ( identical with the village Kasia in Siddharthanagar  Janapada of Deoria district of U.P.) his is known as Mahaparinirvana (Find Blowing out)

Great Events of Buddha’s Life	Symbols
Janma (Birth )	Lotus and Bull
Mahabhinishkramana (Renunciation)	Horse
Nirvana / Sambodhi ( Enlightenment )	Bodhi tree
Dharmachakra pravaratana ( First Sermon)	Wheel
Mahaparinirvana (Death)	Stupa

Doctrine of Buddhism

Chatwari Arya Satyani (Four Noble Truths)

It is the essence of Buddhism.

1.       Life is full of sorrow (Dukha): Sabbam Dukkam.

2.       There are causes of sorrow ( Dukha  Samudaya): Dwadash Nidan/Pratitya Samutpada.

3.       This sorrow can be stopped (Dukha Nirodha ): Nirvana.

4.       There is a path leading to the cessation of sorrow (Dukha Nirodha Gamini Pratipada ): Ashtangika Marga.

                     Note: (i)  Pratitya  samutapada  is also known as Hetuvada (theory of cause  -effect)                and  Kshanbhanga  Vada (theory of Momenteriness/ impermanence).

(ii)   Desire is root cause of sorrow.

(iii)   The ultimate aim of life is to attain nirvana , the eternal state of peace and               bliss,  which means liberation from  the cycle of birth and death.  

                                  

(i)                  Ashtangika Marga (Eight fold path ) are  : right observation ., right determination , right speech ,right  action, right livelihood , right exercise , right memory and right meditation.  

(ii)                Madhya Marga/ Madhyama Pratipada (the middle path ) _ Man should avoid both extremes  i.e. a life of comforts and luxury ,and a life of severe asceticism.

Three Jwels of Buddhism

Triratna i.e. Three Jwels of Buddhism

1.       Buddha (the enlightened) 2. Dharma (doctrine) 3. Sangha (commune)

Buddhist C.	Year	Venue	Chairman	Patron	Result
1st Buddhist  council	483 BC	Saptaparni Cave, Rajgriha	Mahakassapa	Ajatashatru (Harayanka Dynasty)	Compilation of Sutta- Pitaka and Vinaya Pitaka by Ananda and Upali respectively
2nd Buddhist Council	383 BC	Chullavanga Vaishali	Sabbakami	Kalashoka (Shisunaga Dynasty)	The monks of Vaishali wanted some change in rites  (ii) Schism into Sthavira vadins and Mahasanghikas.
3rd Buddhist Council	250 BC	Ashokarama Vihar, Patliputra	Mogaliputta Tissa	Ashoka (Maurya Dnasty)	Compilation of Abhidhamma Pitaka   Decision to send missionaries to various parts of the world
4th Buddhist Council	98AD	Kundala ,Vana, Kashmir	Chairman-Vasumitra  Vice chairman-Ashvaghosa	Kanishka (Kushana Dynasty)	Compilation of Mahavibha sha shastra (sanskrti comment on Tripitaka)  the division of Buddhists into Hinayanists and Mahayanists

Buddhist Literature

    Pali Texts

               Tripitaka : pitaka  literally means ‘ basket’ and it was called so, because the original texts were written on palm – leaves and kept  in baskets .  Sutta Pitaka _ Buddha’s sayings, Vinay Pitaka _ Monastic code , Abhidhamma Pitaka _ religious discourses of Buddha ( Abhidhamma Pitaka comprises of Dighgha Nikaya, Majhim Nikaya, Sanykta Nikaya, anguttar Nikaya and Khuddak /Kshudraka Nikaya ).

             Milindapanho (i.e. Questions of milinda ) _a dialogue between Milinda (identical with Indo _ Greek ruler  Menander ) and Buddhist saint Nagasena.

           Dipavamsha and Mahavamsha- The great chronicles of Sri Lanka.

Sanskrit Texts

                 Buddha Charita ,Saundarananda, Sutralakar , sariputra Prakaran and Vajra Suchi – Ashwagosha;  Mahavibhasha Shastra – Vasumitra; Visudhamagga, Atthakathayen and sumangalvasini- BUddhagosha, Madhyamika Karika and Prajnaparimita Karika – Nagarjuna etc.

Sects of Buddhism

                      Hinayana (i.e. the Lesser Vehicle ): (I)   Its followers believed in the original teaching of Buddha (ii)  They sought  individual salvation  through self discipline and meditation . (iii) They did not believe in idol – worship  (iv) They favored Pali language.  (v)  It is known as ‘ Southern Buddhist  Religion,’ because it prevailed in the south of India, e.g. Sri Lanka , Burma (Myanmar ) , Syam  (Thailand ), Java etc.  (vi)  There were two subsets of Hinayana- Vaibhasika and Sautantrika.

                    Mahayana (i.e the Greater Vehicle ): (i) its followers believed in the heaven lines of Buddha (II) They sought the salvation of all through the grace and help of Buddha and Bodhisatva (iii) They believed  in idol –worship (iv)  They founded Sanskrit language (v)  It is known  as ‘ Northern Buddhist Religion,’ because it prevailed in the North of India, e.g. China, Korea, Japan ,etc . (vi) There were two subsects of Mahayamika/ Shunyavada (founder- Nagarjuna) and Yopgachar/ Vijnanavada  (founder – Maitreyanath and his disciple Asanga)

                  Vajrayana  :  (i)  Its followers believed that salvition could be best attained by acquiring the magical  power, which they called Vajra.(ii) The chuief divinities of this new sect were the Taras.  (iii) It became popular in Eastern India , Particularly Bengal and Bihar.

Bodhisattvaras

(i)                  Vajrapani : Like Indra , he holds a thunderbolt, foe of sin and evil.

(ii)                Avlokitesvara (the lord who looks down) also called Padmapani (the lotus bearer ) : Kind –hearted

(iii)               Majushri (Stimulator of understanding ) : He holds a book describing 10 paramitas ( spiritual perfections) .

(iv)              Maitreya : The future  Buddha.

(v)                Kshitigriha : guardian of purgatories.

(vi)              Amitabha / Amitayusha : Buddha of heaven.

Sacred Shrines

                       Lumbini,Both GAYA, Sarnath and Kusinagar, where the four principal events of the Budda’s life namely Birth , Enlightenment, First Sermon and Death took place .  To these are added four places Sravasi, Rajgriha, Vaishali and Sankasya- these eight places have all along been  considered as the eight holy places ( ashtasthanas).

                       Other centres of Buddhism in Ancient India – Amaravati  and Nagarjunikonda in Andhra Pradesh ; Nalanda in Biher; Jundgadh and Vallabhi  in Gujarat; Sanchi and Bharhut in MP; Ajanta- Ellora in Maharashtra; Dhaulagiri in Orissa ;Kannuji, Kaushambi and Mathura in U.P:and Jagadala and Somapuri in West Bengal .

Buddhist architecture developed in three forms:

(i)                  Stupa- relics of the Buddha or some prominent Buddhist monks are preserved

(ii)                Chaitya _Prayer hall

(iii)               Vihara _ residence

 

Buddhist Unuiversities	Place	Founder
Nalanda	Badagaon, Bihar	Kumargupta I (Gupta ruler)
Odantpuri	Biharsharif, Bihar	Gopala ( Pala ruler)
Vikramshila	Bhagalpur, Bihar	Dharmapala (Pala ruler)
Somapuri	North Bengal	Dharmapala  (pala ruler)
Jagadal	Bengal	Ramapala (Pala rular)
Vallabhi	Gujarat	Bhatterka ( Maitrak ruler)

            Royal Patrons : Bimbisara and Ajatashatru (Magadhan ruler), Presenjit (Kosala ruler), Udayan (Vatsa ruler). Prdyota (Avanti ruler ). Ashoka and Dasharatha ( Mauryan ruler). Milinda /Menander ( Indo- greek ruler), Kanishka ( Kushana ruler ). Harshavardhana  (Vardhana ruler); Gopala , Dharmapala and Pampala (Pala ruler).

·         Note_ (i)  Ashoka , the greatest patron of Buddhism , called 3^rd Buddhist council and sent mission comprise s of his son Mahendra and his daughter Sanghamitra to SriLanka.

·         Kanishka called 4^th Buddhist council and sent mission to China, Korea and Japan.

·         Palas of Bengal and Bihar were last great patrons of Buddhism.