Religion

(Buddhism)

Buddhism

• About 400 million adherents

– difficult to quantify due to syncretism

• the combination of different beliefs

• Three branches

– Mahayana (56%) (China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam)

– Theravada/Hinayana (38%) (Southeast Asia)

– Tantrayana/Vajrayana (6%) (Tibet, Mongolia)

Origin and Diffusion of Buddhism

Why is Buddhism not practiced in India

today?

– Syncretism

– absorbed into Hinduism

Buddhist Places of Worship • stupas

– Mark location of relics

collected by Buddha’s

followers in South Asia

• pagodas

– Evolved from stupa

concept (i.e. repository

for relics)

– Mostly found in East

Asia (China and

Japan) • Also part of Shinto

landscape

• Asoka’s pillars

– know Asoka, most

important figure in the

diffusion of Buddhism

Buddhism Calendar

• Universalizing, so

holidays will be based on

what?

– Life of the founder

• Birth at Lumbini

• Enlightenment at Bodh

Gaya

• 1st Sermon at Deer Park

• Death at Kushinagara

View of Buddha

• Mahayana

– Buddha elevated to divine

– Not as strict in requiring

monastic lifestyle

– Boddhisatvas

• Enlightenment guides

• Theravada

– Buddha = teacher, example

– Requires monastic sacrifice

• Tantayana

– More mystical

– Mixes in demons and other

deities

– Practice “sky burial”

Buddhist Symbols