How to Identify Five Historical Events of Buddhism
The history of Buddhism is a long and complex story, spanning nearly 2,500 years. It began in India with Siddhartha Gautama, who became known as the Buddha. His teachings spread through Asia and then to the Western world and the rest of the globe. A large majority of the world's population live in places where Buddhism once was, or still is, a major cultural and spiritual force. While Buddhists revere Gautama, the Buddha or Buddhas are not single, worshiped deities. Buddhism focuses on the teachings of the Buddha, not the Buddha himself.
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Instructions
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Begin research with the life of Siddartha Gautama, who became the Buddha or "Enlightened One." Conventional understanding places his life in the years 490-410 B.C. Gautama, the son of the ruler of the Sakya people, was born in India in a culture that did not place much importance on remembering dates. Lumbini, the site of Gautama's birth, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Buddhist pilgrimage location, is part of modern-day Nepal. Buddhists consider the Buddha's teachings and the meaning of his life to be more important than his biographical details.
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Research the Buddha's first sermon. Delivered in Sarnath, in what is now the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, to the five monks present with him before his enlightenment, the Buddha teaches "the Middle Way" and the "Four Noble Truths." These are still central teachings in Buddhism.
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Research the three early Buddhist councils. Each occurred in a different year and setting. Each codified the assorted teachings of the Buddha into an organized belief system and set the shape of Buddhism as a religion. The councils occurred at Rajagaha in the 5th century, at Vesali in the 4th and at Pataliputra in the 3rd century.
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Research and understand the effects on Tibetan Buddhism of the Chinese Communist seizure of Tibet in 1950. China agreed to set up a shared rule of Tibet with the Dalai Lama, but it was largely "in name only," as history would show. For further understanding, research the Dalai Lama's flight from Tibet to India in 1959 when China asserted full control over the region. Many monks and Tibetans died in the chaos.
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Research the effects of the Vietnam War (1955-1975) on Buddhism in Southeast Asia. Focus primarily on the role of Vietnamese monks as welfare and aid workers during the war, on the spread of the war into Cambodia, and how the wreckage in Cambodia led to the rise of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge.
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Tips & Warnings
The long history of Buddhism makes identifying only a few key events difficult. However, keep in mind that much of the religion is based on storytelling and history. In many religions, including Christianity, much of the focus is on one figure's life and death; in Buddhism, the focus is on learning from example and by reflection. Therefore, each historical event of Buddhism carries much weight as a tool for learning.
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