Timeline of Buddhism

Siddhartha Gautama perfectly awakened to the ultimate realization, attains enlightenment and becomes the Buddha.
During the full-moon night of July, the Buddha delivers his first discourse near Varanasi, introducing the Four Noble Truths and commencing a 45-year career of promoting his teaching - the Dharma.

543 BCE (0 BE) :

Maha Parinirvana of Gautama Buddha at Kushinagar.

[edit]

Early Buddhism (Start of the Buddhist Era)

500 BCE :

Classical Sanskrit replaces Vedic language.

400s BCE :

Kharosthi script began to be used in Gandhara.

383 BCE :

The Second Buddhist Council convened by King Kalasoka and held at Vaisali.

300s BCE :

Oldest Brahmi script (the ancestor of Indic languages) dates from this period.

250 BCE :

Third Buddhist Council convened by Ashoka and chaired by Moggaliputta Tissa, compiled the Kathavatthu to refute the heretical views and theories held by some Buddhist sects. Ashoka erected a number of edicts (Edicts of Ashoka) about the kingdom in support of Buddhism.

250 BCE :

First fully developed examples of Kharoṣṭhī script date from this period (the Aśokan inscriptions at Shāhbāzgaṛhī]] and Mānsehrā, northern Pakistan).

200s BCE :

Sanskrit]] and Prakrit languages emerge in northern India. Indian traders regularly visited ports in Arabia, explaining the prevalence of place names in the region with Indian or Buddhist origin. For example, bahar (from the Sanskrit vihara, a Buddhist monastery). Ashokan emissary monks brought Buddhism to Suwannaphum, the location of which is disputed but the Dipavamsa and the Mon believe it was a Mon seafareing settlement in present-day Myanmar|Burma.

220 BCE :

Theravada Buddhism is officially introduced to Sri Lanka by the Venerable Mahinda, the son of the emperor Ashoka of India during the reign of king Devanampiya Tissa.

185 BCE :

Brahmin general Pusyamitra Sunga overthrows the Mauryan dynasty and establishes the Sunga Empire, starting a decline of Buddhism in India as spiritual competition with Hinduism re-emerged

180 BCE :

Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius invades India as far as Pataliputra, and establishes the Indo-Greek kingdom (180-10 BCE), under which Buddhism flourishes.

150 BCE :

Indo-Greek king Menander I converts to Buddhism under the sage Nagasena, according to the account of the Milinda Panha.

120 BCE :

The Chinese Emperor Han Wudi receives two golden statues of the Buddha, according to inscriptions in the Mogao Caves, Dunhuang.

1st century BCE :

The oldest surviving Buddhist manuscripts (indeed the oldest surviving Indian manuscripts of any kind) date from this period. They were written in Ghandari language using Kharosthi script on bark, and are part of the long-lost canon of the Sarvastivadin Sect that dominated Gandhara and was instrumental in the spread of Buddhism into central and east Asia.
The Indo-Greek governor Theodorus enshrines relics of the Buddha, dedicating them to the deified "Lord Shakyamuni".

1st century :

According to Theravadins, during the reign of King Vatta Gamini in Sri Lanka, the Buddhist monks assembled in Aloka Vihara and wrote down the Tripitaka in Pali.

65 :

Liu Ying's sponsorship of Buddhism is the first documented case of Buddhist practices in China.

67 :

Buddhism came to China with the two monks Moton and Chufarlan.

68 :

Buddhism is officially established in China with the founding of the White Horse Temple.

78 :

Ban Chao, a Chinese General, subdues the Buddhist Kingdom of Khotan.

78-101 :

According to Mahayana tradition, the Fourth Buddhist council takes place under the Kushana king Kanishka's reign, near Jalandar, Kashmir, India.

116 :

The Kushans under Kanishka established a kingdom centered on Kashgar, also taking control of Khotan and Yarkand, previously Chinese dependencies in the Tarim Basin, modern Xinjiang.

148 :

An Shigao, a Parthian prince and Buddhist monk, arrived in China and proceeded to make the first translations of Theravada texts into Chinese.

178 (722 BE) :

The Kushan monk Lokaksema travels to the Chinese capital of Loyang and becomes the first known translator of Mahayana texts into Chinese.

200s (800 BE) :

Indian and Central Asian Buddhists travel to Vietnam.
Kharosthi script is used in Gandhara stops, and in the southern Silk Road cities of Khotan and Niya.

300s (900 BE) :

Two Chinese monks took scriptures to the Korean Kingdom of Goguryeo and established paper-making in Korea.

320-467 :

The University at Nalanda grew to support 3000-10,000 monks.

399-414 :

Fa Xian travelled from China to India, then returned to translate Buddhist works into Chinese.

400s :

The kingdom of Funan (centered in modern Cambodia) begins to advocate Buddhism in a departure from Hinduism. Earliest evidence of Buddhism in Myanmar (Pāli|Pali inscriptions). Earliest evidence of Buddhism in Indonesia (statues). Earliest reinterpretations of Pali texts. The stupa at Dambulla (Sri Lanka) is constructed.

402 :

At the request of Yao Xing, Kumarajiva travels to Chang'an of China and translates many Buddhist texts into Chinese.

403 :

In China, Hui Yuan argues that Buddhist monks should be exempt from bowing to the emperor.

405 (949 BE) :

Emperor Yao Xing of China honours Kumarajiva.

[edit]

Expansion of Buddhism (1000 BE)

475 :

Bodhidharma arrives in China, where he later found the Zen school at the Shaolin Temple.

425:

Buddhism reached Sumatra, Southeast Asia.

485:

Five monks from Gandhara travel to the country of Fusang, Japan, or possibly the American continent, where they introduced Buddhism.

500s :

Zen adherents enter Vietnam from China. Jataka stories are translated into Persian by order of the Zoroastrian king Khosrau I of Persia.

552 :

Buddhism was introduced to Japan via Baekje (Korea) according to Nihonshoki. Some scholars place this event in 538.
Early 600s: Jingwan begins carving sutras on to stone at Fangshan, Yuzhou, 75km south west of modern day Beijing.

607 :

A Japanese imperial envoy was dispatched to Sui Dynasty|Sui China to obtain copies of sutras.

600s :

Xuan Zang travelled to India, noting the persecution of Buddhists by Sasanka (king of Gouda, a state in north-west Bengal), before returning to Chang An in China to translate Buddhist scriptures. End of sporadic Buddhist rule in the Sindh. King Songtsen Gampo of Tibet sent messengers to India to get Buddhist texts. Latest recorded use of the Kharoṣṭhī script amongst Buddhist communities around Kucha.

671 :

Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Yi Jing visited Palembang, capital of the partly-Buddhist kingdom of Srivijaya on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia and reported over 1000 Buddhist monks in residence. Uisang returns to Korea after studying Chinese Huayan Buddhism, and founds the Hwaeom school.

736 :

Huayan is transmitted to Japan via Korea, when Rōben invites the Korean Hwaeom monk Simsang to lecture, and formally founds Japan's Kegon tradition in the Tōdaiji temple.

743-754 :

The Chinese monk Jianzhen attempts to reach Japan eleven times, succeeding in 754 to establish the Japanese Ritsu school, which specialised in the vinaya (monastic rules).

700s :

Buddhist Jataka stories are translated in to Syriac and Arabic as Kalilag and Damnag. An account of Buddha's life was translated in to Greek by John of Damascus, and widely circulated to Christians as the story of Barlaam and Josaphat. By the 14th century this story of Josaphat had become so popular that he was made a Catholic saint.

700s :

Under the reign of King Trisong Deutsen, Padmasambhava travelled from Afghanistan to establish tantric Buddhism in Tibet (later known as the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism), replacing Bonpo as the kingdom's main religion. Buddhism quickly spreads to Sikkim and Bhutan.

760 (1300 BE) :

Borobodur, the begins to be constructed in Jawa of Indonesia. It was completed as a Buddhist monument in 1374 BE after about 50 years of work.

804 :

Under the reign of Emperor Kammu of Japan, a fleet of four ships set sail for mainland China. Of the two ships that arrived, one carried the monk Kukai, recently ordained by the Japanese government as a Bhiksu, who absorbed Vajrayana teachings in Chang'an and returned to Japan to found the Japanese Shingon school. The other ship carried the monk Saichō, who returned to Japan to found the Japanese Tendai school, partly based upon the Chinese Tiantai tradition.

838-847 :

Ennin, a priest of the Tendai school, travels in China for nine years. He reaches both the famous Buddhist mountain of Wutaishan and the Chinese capital, Chang'an, keeping a detailed diary that is a primary source for this period of Chinese history, including the Buddhist persecution.

841-846 :

Li Yan reigns in China during the Tang Dynasty, one of three Chinese emperors to prohibit Buddhism.

9th Century :

Decline of Buddhism in Tibet. Persecution by Langdharma.

900s :

Buddhist temple construction commences at Bagan, Myanmar. In Tibet begins a strong Buddhist revival. The Caodong school of Zen is founded by Dongshan Liangjie and Caoshan Benji in southern China.

971 :

Chinese Song Dynasty commissions Chengdu wood carvers to carve the entire Buddhist canon for printing. Work is completed in 983, 130,000 blocks are produced in total.

991 :

A printed copy of the Song Dynasty Buddhist canon arrives in Korea, impressing government.

1009 :

Vietnam's Ly Dynasty began, which was partly brought about by an alliance with the Buddhist monkhood. Ly emperors patronized Mahayana Buddhism, in addition to traditional spirits.

1010 :

Korea begins carving its own woodblock print edition of the Buddhist canon. No completion date is known - the canon is continuously expanded with the arrival of new texts from China.

1025 :

Srivijaya, a Buddhist kingdom based on Sumatra, is raided by the Chola empire of southern India. It survives, but declines in importance. Shortly after the raid, the centre of the kingdom moves northward from Palembang to Jambi-Melayu.

1044-1077 :

In Burma, Pagan, Myanmar|Pagan's first king Anoratha reigned. He converted the country to Theravada Buddhism with the aid of monks and books from Sri Lanka. He is said to have been converted to Theravada Buddhism by a Mon monk.

1063 :

A copy of the Khitans' printed canon arrives in Korea from mainland China.

1084-1113 :

In Myanmar, Pagan, Myanmar|Pagan's second king, Kyanzittha (son of Anawrahta) reigns. He completed the building of the Shwezigon pagoda, a shrine for relics of the Buddha, including a tooth brought from Sri Lanka. Various inscriptions refer to him as an incarnation of Vishnu, a chakravartin, a bodhisattva and dharmaraja.

1100s :

Sanskrit is subsequently written in Devanagari.

1133-1212 :

Honen Shonin establishes Pure Land Buddhism as an independent sect in Japan.

1181 :

The self-styled bodhisattva Jayavarman VII, a devout follower of Mahayana Buddhism (though he also patronised Hinduism), assumes control of the Khmer kingdom. He constructs the Bayon, the most prominent Buddhist structure in the Angkor temple complex. This set the stage for the later conversion of the Khmer people to Theravada Buddhism.

1190 :

In Myanmar, Anawrahta's lineage regains control with the assistance of Sri Lanka. Pagan has been in anarchy. The new regime reforms Burmese Buddhism on Sri Lankan Theravada models.

1100s :

The great Buddhist educational centre at Nalanda, where various subjects were taught such as Buddhism, Logic, Philosophy, Law, Medicine, Grammar, Yoga, Mathematics, Alchemy and Astrology, is sacked. Nalanda was supported by kings of several dynasties and had served as a great international centre of learning.

1200s (1700 BE) :

Theravada overtakes Mahayana - previously practised alongside Hinduism - as the dominant form of Buddhism in Cambodia. Thailand and Sri Lanka were influences in this change.
In Persia, the historian Rashid al-Din records some eleven Buddhist texts circulating in Arabic translation, amongst which the Sukhavati-vyuha and Karanda-vyuha Sutras are recognizable. Portions of the Samyutta and Anguttara-Nikayas, along with parts of the Maitreya-vyakarana, have also been identified in this collection.

1238 (1872 BE) :

The Thai Kingdom of Sukhothai is established, with Theravada Buddhism as the state religion.

1227 :

Dogen Zenji took the Caodong school of Zen from China to Japan as the Soto sect.

1258 :

Arghun makes the Il-Khanate a Buddhist State.

1295 :

Mongol leader Ghazan Khan is converted to Islam, ending a line of Tantric Buddhist leaders.

1305-1316 :

Buddhists in Persia attempt to convert Uldjaitu Khan.

1391-1474 :

Gyalwa Gendun Drubpa, 1st Dalai Lama of Tibet.

1578 :

In Tibet, Altan Khan of the Tümed gave the title of Dalai Lama to Sonam Gyatso (later known as the 3rd Dalai Lama).

1700s :

When Vietnam divided during this period, the Nguyen rulers of the south chose to support Mahayana Buddhism as an integrative ideology for the ethnically plural society of their kingdom, which was also populated by Chams and other minorities.

1614 :

The Toyotomi family rebuilt a great image of Buddha at the Temple of Hokoji in Kyoto.

1615 :

The Oirat Mongols converted to the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.

1635 :

Zanabazar, the first Jebtsundamba Khutughtu, was born as a great-grandson of Abadai Khan of the Khalkha.

1642 :

Güüshi Khan of the Khoshuud donated the sovereignty of Tibet to the 5th Dalai Lama.

1766-1767 :

In Thailand, many Buddhist texts are destroyed as the Burmese invade Ayutthaya.

1800s :

In Thailand, King Mongkut - himself a former monk - conducted a campaign to reform and modernise the monkhood, a movement that has continued in the present century under the inspiration of several great ascetic monks from the north-east of the country.

1860s :

In Sri Lanka, against all expectations the monastic and lay community brought about a major revival in Buddhism, a movement that followed a period of persecution by foreign powers. Since then Buddhism has flourished and Sri Lankan monks and expatriate lay people have been prominent in spreading Theravada Buddhism in Asia, the West and in Africa.

1879 :

A council was convened under the patronage of King Mindon of Burma to re-edit the Pali canon. The king then had the texts engraved on 729 stones, which were then set upright on the grounds of a monastery near Mandalay.

1882 :

Jade Buddha Temple founded in Shanghai, China with two Jade Buddha statues imported from Burma.

1893 :

World Parliament of Religions meets in Chicago, Illinois. Anagarika Dharmapala and Soyen Shaku attend.

1896 :

Using Fa Xian's records, Nepalese archaeologists rediscovered the great stone pillar of Ashoka at Lumbini.

1899 :

Gordon Douglas is ordained in Myanmar. He is the first westerner to be ordained in the Theravada tradition.

1930:

Soka Gakkai is founded in Japan.

1949:
Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya is returned to partial Buddhist control.

1950 (2494 BE) :

World Fellowship of Buddhists is founded in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

[edit]

Modern Buddhism (2500 BE)

1956 (2500 BE) :

Indian untouchable leader B. R. Ambedkar converts to Buddhism with more than 350,000 followers, beginning the modern Neo-Buddhist movement.

1956 (2500 BE) :

The Zen Studies Society is founded in New York to support the work of D.T. Suzuki.

1957 (2501 BE) :

Caves near the summit of Pai-tai mountain, Fangshan district, 75km south-west of Beijing are re-opened, revealing thousands of Buddhist sutras that had been carved on to stone since the 7th century. Seven sets of rubbings are made and the stones numbered in work which continues until 1959.

1959 (2503 BE) :

Together with some 100,000 Tibetans, the 14th Dalai Lama establishes an exile community in India.

1962 (2506 BE) :

The San Francisco Zen Center is founded by Shunryu Suzuki.

1963 (2507 BE) :

[Thich Quang Duc]] performed self-immolation to protest against oppressing of the Buddhist religion by Ngo Dinh Diem

1966 (2510 BE) :

World Buddhist Sangha Council convened by Theravadins in Sri Lanka with the hope of bridging differences. The 1st convention was attended by leading monks, from many countries and sects, Mahayana as well as Theravada. Nine Basic Points Unifying the Theravada and Mahayana written by Ven. Walpola Rahula were approved unanimously.

1970s :

Indonesian Archaeological Service and UNESCO restore Borobodur.

1974:

The Naropa Institue, now Naropa University, is founded in Boulder, Colorado.

1975 :

Lao Communist rulers attempted to change attitudes to religion, in particular calling on monks to work, not beg. This caused many to return to lay life, but Buddhism remains popular.

1975 :

The Insight Meditation Society is established in Barre, Massachusetts.

1983 :

Shanghai Institute of Buddhism established at Jade Buddha Temple under the Shanghai Buddhist Association.

2000, January (2544 BE) :

The Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary, a training facility for Theravada monks, is founded in Malaysia.

2004, April (2548 BE) :

In Sri Lanka, Buddhist monks acting as candidates for the Jaathika Hela Urumaya party win nine seats in elections.

2006, May (2550 BE) :

The Free Buddhist Encyclopedia Project is founded to develop and provide provide free and non-sectarian universal access to Buddhism.

Retrieved from "http://buddhism.2be.net/Timeline_of_Buddhism"

Category: History of Buddhism

Timeline of Buddhism

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

Contents

Before the Birth of Siddhartha Gautama

Life of Siddhartha Gautama

Early Buddhism (Start of the Buddhist Era)

Expansion of Buddhism (1000 BE)

Modern Buddhism (2500 BE)