When was Buddha born?

Many believe that Buddha lived from 563 to about 483 BCE while others think it may be about 100 years later. He was born in southern Nepal and is said to have lived for about 80 years. Information about his life and teachings was transmitted orally by his disciples prefaced by the phrase 'evam me sutam- (thus have I heard) and the composition of Buddhist texts started centuries after his death.

When did Buddhism start spreading outside India?

The first evidence of the religion spreading outside India coincides with Ashoka's rule as he sent emissaries to Sri Lanka and an area called Suvarnabhumi, which could be in modern Myanmar or Thailand. Ashoka's son, monk Mahinda, converted King Devanampiya Tissa and other nobility in modern day Sri Lanka to Buddhism. King Tissa built the Mahavihara monastery, which became the main centre of Buddhism in the island nation. After Sri Lanka, it took more a thousand years for Buddhism to become a leading religion in Myanmar.

How did Buddhism reach central Asia?

There are two main accounts - traditional legends say that Ashoka's son Kushtana founded the Khotan kingdom around 240 BCE in the present day Xinjiang province of China and introduced the religion, while other accounts indicate that it was Kaniska, who ruled over northern India, Afghanistan and parts of central Asia, encouraged the spread of the religion.

What was the golden period of Buddhism in China?

The religion was actively propagated in China in the first century CE. Legends say that Han empire Mingdi (57-58 to 75/76 CE) dreamt of a flying golden deity and subsequently dispatched emissaries to India who returned to China with the Sutra in forty two sections and then Buddhism was introduced. The golden period of Buddhism came during the Tang dynasty rule (618-907 CE).

How did Tibet's Buddhist kingdom come into existence?

According to Tibetan tradition, the religion was first introduced during King Srong-brtsan-sgam-po's regime (627 to 650 CE). After the council held at Bsam-yas monastery between 792-794 CE, it was decided that Indian tradition should prevail. During the 11th and 12th century, many Tibetans travelled to India to acquire and translate Buddhist texts. The golden period, however came when the Mongols got influenced by Tibetan Buddhism and in the middle of the 17th century, they established the fifth Dalai Lama as the theocratic ruler of Tibet.

Read the rest here:

Ashoka's son took Buddhism outside India