Timeline of Buddhist history
Buddhism has a long and rich history. From the time of Shakyamuni Buddha, based on whose teachings Buddhism developed, to the present day, this religion has changed how millions of people view the world.
The teachings of Buddhism evolved over a long period of time, spreading from the Indian subcontinent into other parts of Asia and across the globe.
| Date(s) | Historical Event(s) |
|---|---|
| 5th Century BCE | Life of Shakyamuni Buddha, based on whose teachings Buddhism developed. |
| 269-231 BCE | Reign of King Ashoka, patron of Buddhism; sends first Buddhists to Sri Lanka in the third century. |
| 100 BCE to 100 CE | Rise of Mahayana Buddhism. |
| First half of 2nd century CE | Reign of King Kanishka; Mahayana Buddhism spreads to Central Asia. |
| 1st century CE | Buddhism first enters China. |
| 520 | First Zen patriarch Bodhidharma arrives in China. |
| 538 | Buddhism enters Japan from Korea. |
| 7th to 8th century | Vajrayana Buddhism established in Tibet. |
| 11th to 14th century | Theravada Buddhism established in Southeast Asia. |
| 1199 | Nalanda University destroyed; demise of Buddhism in India. |
| 13th century | Zen, Pure Land, and Nichiren Buddhism established in Japan. |
| 1881 | Pali Text Society founded. |
| 1893 | World’s Parliament of Religions (Chicago). |
| 1956 | Celebration of 2,500 years of Buddhism. |
Buddhism by the numbers
Numbers have always played an important role in Buddhism. They help give structure to the teachings and practices of Buddhism.
3 Jewels of Refuge
-
Buddha
-
Dharma (the teachings)
-
Sangha (the Buddhist community)
3 higher trainings
-
Morality
-
Concentration
-
Wisdom
4 noble truths
-
Suffering
-
Cause of suffering
-
Cessation of suffering
-
Eight-fold path to the cessation of suffering
4 marks of Buddha’s teachings
-
Compound phenomena are impermanent
-
Ordinary phenomena are unsatisfactory
-
All phenomena are insubstantial (selfless)
-
Nirvana is peace
5 aggregates (skandhas)
-
Form
-
Feeling
-
Recognition
-
(Mental) formations
-
Consciousness
6 Mahayana perfections
-
Generosity (giving)
-
Moral discipline (ethics)
-
Patience
-
Effort, energy
-
Meditative concentration
-
Wisdom
10 Theravada perfections
-
Generosity
-
Moral discipline
-
Patience
-
Effort
-
Meditative concentration
-
Wisdom
-
Renunciation
-
Truthfulness
-
Loving-kindness
-
Equanimity
8-fold path
-
Right view
-
Right intention
-
Right speech
-
Right action
-
Right livelihood
-
Right effort
-
Right mindfulness
-
Right concentration
10 non-virtuous actions
-
Body:
-
Killing
-
Stealing
-
Sexual misconduct
-
-
Speech:
-
Lying
-
Divisive speech
-
Harsh speech
-
Idle gossip
-
-
Mind:
-
Craving
-
Aversion
-
Delusion
-
12 links of dependent arising
-
Ignorance
-
(Mental) formations
-
Consciousness
-
Name and form
-
Six Senses
-
Contact
-
Feeling
-
Craving
-
Grasping
-
Becoming
-
Birth
-
Aging and death
