BUDDHISM

1. Founded by Gautam Buddha (563-483 B.C.). His original name was Siddharth.

2. Belonged to Shakya Kshatriya clan.



3. Father Suddhodhana; elected ruler of Kapilavastu.


4. Mother was Mahamaya, a princess from Kosalam Dynasty.


5. Maya died in child birth and the little Siddhartha was brought up by his step mother and aunt Goutami.

6. Siddhartha married to his cousin Yasodhara and begot a son Rahul.


7. after seeing an aged man, then a sick men, then corpse being carried to the cremation ground and lastly religious beggar he decided to become a wanderer.


8. one night accompanying Channa (Chrioteer) and his favourite horse Kanthaka he left his home, at the time when he was 29 years old. Thus Siddartha performed his “Great Going Forth” (Mahabiniskramana) and became a wandering ascetic, wing nothing but the robe he wore.


9. He got Nirvana (at 35 years age) at Uruvela, on the bank of River Niranjana, under pipal tree. Now he was fully enlightened – a Buddha.


10. He gave his first sermon at Sarnath. Where his five former disciples has settled. To these five ascetics Buddha preached his first sermon and called it “Dharmachakrapravartana”.


 11. His four Noble Truths: the world is full of suffering, suffering is caused by human desires, the renunciation of desire is the path to salvation and this salvation is possible through Eight Fold Path – which consisted-eight principles of action-right views, resolves, speech, conduct, livelihood, effort, recollection and meditation – The combination is called the Middle way.


12. Salvation lay in achieving nirvana or freedom from the wheel of rebirth – believed in doctrine of Karma-rejected caste.


13. Died at Kusinagar (U.P.) in 486 B.C.



14. First Buddhist Council (483 B.C.) at Sattaparni (Rajagrih). Religious doctrined were compiled and embodied in Pali cannon. The literature is known as “Tripitakas”. President of the council Mahakashap.


15. Second Council (383 B.C.) 100 years after Buddha’s death at Vaishali under the President ship of Sabakami.


16. The Third Buddhist Council (250 B.C.) at Pataliputra in the region of Asoka. Under the president ship of Tissa Mugaliputra.


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