Brief History Of Buddhism

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father was the
ruler of the small kingdom near the Indian/Nepal border. As a child, his
future was foretold by sages. They believed that he would someday be a
fellow sage or leader of a great empire. He led a very pampered and
sheltered life until the age of twenty-nine. It was at that time that he
realized that he had led an empty life. He renounced his wealth and
embarked on a journey to seek truth, enlightenment, and the cycle of
rebirths.

In the first years of his journey, Siddhartha Guatama practiced
yoga and became involved in radical asceticism. After a short time, he
gave up that life for one of a middle path between indulgence and self-
denial. He meditated under a bo tree until he reached true enlightenment
by rising through a series of higher states of consciousness. After
realizing this religious inner truth, he went through a time of inner
struggle. Renaming himself Buddha (meaning enlightened one), he wandered
from place to place, preaching, spreading his teachings ...

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of laity, and the nature of arhat.

Pataliputra, now Patna, was the sight of the third council. It was
called by King Asoka in the 3rd century BC, and was convened by
Moggaliptta. The purpose was the purify the sangha of the false monks and
heretics who had joined the order because of its royal associations.
During the council, the compilations of the Buddhist scriptures
(Tipitaka) and the body of subtle philosophy (abhidharma) to the dharma
and monastic discipline were completed. Missionaries were sent forth to
many countries as a result of the council.

King Kanishka patronized the fourth council in 100 AD. Historians
are not sure if it was held at either Kasmir or Jalanhar. Both ...

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