RISE AND DECLINE OF BHUDDISM IN INDIA

           

Among the various rituals  sects, bhuddism was the most popular. It become more powerful religion when patronised by various rulers, it reaches it's peak point when Asoka adopted bhuddism as his state policy. Though it disappeared from india for nearly a millennium, but even today it is widely followed in the south-east and East Asian countries. In mid- twentieth century it was revived by Dr.B.R.Ambedkar.

Gautama Buddha was born as Siddhartha in 563 B C. He belonged to sakya clan to it's king suddhodhana the ruler of Kapilvastru and his wife mahamaya.Siddartha was born in a park lumbini near Kapilvastru.

Siddhartha grew in luxury as a royal prince. 

His mother mahamaya dreamt of a white elephant with tusks entering her womb when she was pregnant. Learned men prophesied that the child would either become "a universal emperor or a universal teacher".

He married yashodhara and had a son named raghula. When he was riding on his charoit with his charioteer one day outside the place ,he saw an old man ,sick man, a corpse and a religious mendicant. He left his palace at that night in search of eternal truth. He rode in his chariot pulled by his favorite horse Kanthaka and driven by his charioteer channa far away from the city. 

At beginning he joined Alara kalama as a disciple for a brief period and he was not satisfied with their principles and path. Shortly he left from it. One day he ate rice boiled in milk given by his assistant sujata began meditation under a pipal tree in bodhhgaya. After 49 days of meditation he attained enlightenment ,at the age of 35. There after he came to be called bhuddha or enlightened. He then delivered his first sermon in a deer Park in saranath near varnasi.

This event is described as "dharmachakra-parivartana" or 'wheel of the great law'. He established Sangha and spread his ideas far and wide. He travelled eight months of a year and spread his ideas. At the age of 80 he passed away in kushinagara . This is known as parinirvana. The prominent disciple of Buddha were Asvajit, upali ,mogllana,sariputra, and Ananda.

BHUDDHIST COUNCILS

 Over period of time ,four bhuddist councils were held. First council was held at Rajgriha. It was headed by upali. Upali recited the vinayakapidaka and Ananda recited suttapidaka.

The second bhuddist council was held at vaisali a century after bhudda's death. Bhuddist order split into two,one was called Sthaviravadins or ' believers in the teachings of the elders' and the other known as mahasanghikas or ' members of the great community'.

The third bhuy council was held at pataliputhra . It was convinced by Asoka . The Sthaviravadins established themselves strongly and expelled the heretics.

Fourth bhuddist council was held at Kashmir during the reign of kanishka .

BHUDDIST SECTS

There are three main sects. New ideas were created new sects.

Hinayana

It's followers believed in the original teaching of bhudda. They sought individual salvation through self -respect and meditation and not believe in idol-worship.

Mahayana

It's followers believed in the heavenliness of bhudda and they believed in idol-worship.

Vajrayana

It's followers believed that salvation could be the best attained by acquiring the magical power ,which they called vajra.

EIGHT FOLD PATH OF BHUDDHA

Right to speech

Right to action 

Right to livelihood

Right to understanding

Right to thought

Right to mindfulness

Right to effort 

Right to concentration

DECLINE

Bhuddism faced divisions from time to time and various principles followed in these divisions, normal people confused that which principle was original,this affect it's purity.

Since the times of fourth bhuddist council held during the reign  of kanishka, Sanskrit had come to be adopted, thereupon it become unintelligible to common people. This is the main reason for it's decline.

Finally the invading of arbs and Turks forced the bhuddist monks to flee from India and seek asylum in Nepal ,Tibet  and ceylon .This is how bhuddism faded away from India.

  

In India lot of Kings got inspired by Buddhism and blind non violence dissolved their army and weapons that further be the reason for the invasion of Mugals. Also Buddhism started opposing the non vedic rituals which got into Hinduism causing it's decline.