Discover Tibet and Buddhism
 

Welcome to our Tibetan Buddhism Archive. Have fun browsing!

 

Article #72: When was Buddhism founded

(Browse for more articles)

 
This article is an answer to the austerities earlier. These ascetics had
question, when was Buddhism founded? abandoned him in Gaya when they had
Buddhism originally arose out of the seen him eating and drinking. They were
teaching and enlightenment of Siddharth determined not to welcome the Buddha now.
Gautama. Siddharth Gautama was the first But when the Buddha approached his sense
of many Buddhas or enlightened masters of presence and majesty was such that
- who have enriched the Buddhist they welcomed him and offered him water
tradition. to drink. The Buddha then preached to
Buddhism is a living seed and contains them the first sermon that about
many powerful methods to attain suffering, the cause of suffering and the
enlightenment. Its teaching have helped cessation of suffering.
many persons to become enlightened. The Buddha taught his teaching for the
The Buddha lived approximately between next 45 years till his death. He won
the years 563-483 BCE. He attained over the people and gathered many
understanding in around 531 BCE and spent followers, who became monks, to follow
the rest of his life preaching and his way. He ultimately died at the age of
propagating his teaching. 80 at about 483 BCE.
The Buddha lived a life of luxury in a This teaching became the Theravada
royal household till he was 29. On tradition of Buddhism. It is also
coming in touch with the fact that called the Path of the Elders or the
suffering is inevitable he decided to Southern school and is regarded as the
leave this life and take to monastic Buddha's original teaching.
ways. There is also the Mahayana tradition,
The Buddha practiced severed austerities Tibetan Buddhism and Zen all of which
for about 6 years and learned developed later.
meditation from many masters of his time. So, this is an answer to the question
The austerities were so severe that he when was Buddhism founded.
was reduced to mere skin and bones. Buddhism then spread to many countries in
It was only when he gave up this extreme East and North Asia. Burma, China,
also and practiced the Middle Way that Tibet, Japan, and Vietnam are some of the
he achieved his breakthrough. He found countries to which it spread.
himself in Gaya (in the present state Buddhism at all times has been a living
of Bihar in North India) and after a long seed and has grown and changed and
time had a meal of milk and rice. Then adapted itself to suit the different
refreshed, he did an all night countries in which it found itself.
meditation sitting. And he was There have been many enlightened masters
enlightened towards the dawn when the who have enriched and grown the
morning star arose. Buddhist teaching. Nagarjuna,
So, this is when was Buddhism founded. Padmasambhava and Bodhidharma are only
The Buddha must have been around 35 at three names in a distinguished list.
that time. So, this is the answer to the question
After that the Buddha went to some five when was Buddhism founded.
ascetics with whom he had practiced






1- A- B- C- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- 14- 15- 16- 17- 18- 19- 20- 21- 22- 23- 24- 25- 26- 27- 28- 29- 30- 31- 32- 33- 34- 35- 36- 37- 38- 39- 40- 41- 42- 43- 44- 45- 46-