When was Buddhism founded

This article is an answer to the question, when wasascetics had abandoned him in Gaya when they had
Buddhism founded?seen him eating and drinking. They were determined
Buddhism originally arose out of the teaching andnot to welcome the Buddha now.
enlightenment of Siddharth Gautama. SiddharthBut when the Buddha approached his sense of
Gautama was the first of many Buddhas orpresence and majesty was such that they welcomed
enlightened masters - who have enriched thehim and offered him water to drink. The Buddha then
Buddhist tradition.preached to them the first sermon that about
Buddhism is a living seed and contains many powerfulsuffering, the cause of suffering and the cessation of
methods to attain enlightenment. Its teaching havesuffering.
helped many persons to become enlightened.The Buddha taught his teaching for the next 45
The Buddha lived approximately between the yearsyears till his death. He won over the people and
563-483 BCE. He attained understanding in around 531gathered many followers, who became monks, to
BCE and spent the rest of his life preaching andfollow his way. He ultimately died at the age of 80 at
propagating his teaching.about 483 BCE.
The Buddha lived a life of luxury in a royal householdThis teaching became the Theravada tradition of
till he was 29. On coming in touch with the fact thatBuddhism. It is also called the Path of the Elders or
suffering is inevitable he decided to leave this life andthe Southern school and is regarded as the Buddha's
take to monastic ways.original teaching.
The Buddha practiced severed austerities for about 6There is also the Mahayana tradition, Tibetan
years and learned meditation from many masters ofBuddhism and Zen all of which developed later.
his time. The austerities were so severe that he wasSo, this is an answer to the question when was
reduced to mere skin and bones.Buddhism founded.
It was only when he gave up this extreme also andBuddhism then spread to many countries in East and
practiced the Middle Way that he achieved hisNorth Asia. Burma, China, Tibet, Japan, and Vietnam
breakthrough. He found himself in Gaya (in theare some of the countries to which it spread.
present state of Bihar in North India) and after a longBuddhism at all times has been a living seed and has
time had a meal of milk and rice. Then refreshed, hegrown and changed and adapted itself to suit the
did an all night meditation sitting. And he wasdifferent countries in which it found itself.
enlightened towards the dawn when the morning starThere have been many enlightened masters who
arose.have enriched and grown the Buddhist teaching.
So, this is when was Buddhism founded. The BuddhaNagarjuna, Padmasambhava and Bodhidharma are
must have been around 35 at that time.only three names in a distinguished list.
After that the Buddha went to some five asceticsSo, this is the answer to the question when was
with whom he had practiced austerities earlier. TheseBuddhism founded.