Introduction

Siddhartha Gautama was a young Indian prince born in 563 BCE. He had every material thing he could want in life. One day though, he popped his head out of the palace. He saw that the world was a pretty rough place for people who aren’t rich princes. So what did he do? Siddhartha gave up his titles and worldly possessions. He began wandering the countryside, begging for food and living a simple life of self-control. As he adopted this lifestyle, he began preaching a new belief system, and people started calling him “the Buddha.” His teachings became Buddhism.

This isn’t just the story of one person though. The Buddha’s simple teachings quickly spread from India across Asia and beyond. As it traveled along trade networks, Buddhism touched the lives of millions of people. It became one of the world’s major belief systems.

Origins

In the sixth century BCE, India was changing. After hundreds of years of fighting, the Aryan people of northern India had built new kingdoms. Cities were growing again. Trade grew in India’s ports and along its roads. The Aryans introduced a new belief system called Brahmanism. Brahmanism was based on the Vedic texts of early Indian religion. It was ruled by a priestly class of rahmins. Brahmanism brought the caste system to India. It divided all people into a firm social hierarchy. In a hierarchy, people are ranked above or below one another based on their role in society.

Both Hinduism and Buddhism came from Brahmanism. They were very different from each other though. Hinduism kept elements of Brahmanism, such as the caste system. Buddhism turned away from many elements of the old religion. Buddhist beliefs challenged the social order. It said that priests do not have special knowledge of spiritual life. Instead, Buddhism suggested that anyone could have salvation and wisdom. The key was to let go of desire. In this way, Buddhist teachings turned away from the caste system and challenged the existing social order.

Calculus of enlightenment

Following Siddhartha’s path is not easy. Many people prefer a more comfortable life. Not every Buddhist was forced to adopt the Buddha’s lifestyle though. Buddhism offered believers a “middle path.” It was guided by the simple truths the Buddha learned when he was young. The story says Siddhartha had been meditating under a tree when he had a spiritual breakthrough. It showed him truths about the universe. He called these the “Four Noble Truths”:

1. life is suffering
2. suffering comes from desire
3. one must limit desire to limit suffering
4. to limit suffering, one must follow the “Eightfold Path.”

What did he mean by eight paths? Basically, Buddhism teaches people to control desire and limit suffering. The Eightfold Path has eight teachings. They include ideas such as right view, right action, and right effort. Buddhism says that following this path can lead a person to spiritual enlightenment.

The road to enlightenment was not easy though. It asked for a great deal of dedication. The women and men who followed this path often left behind worldly affairs. They often became monks or nuns. They would give up their possessions, give up romantic relationships, meditate, and live a life of peace.

Buddhism and social change

Buddhism challenged India’s caste system. It said that enlightenment was not limited to those of upper castes. Buddhism also welcomed women. It provided them new roles outside of the home. These differences made Buddhism popular in the lower castes of Indian society.

The road to enlightenment was difficult. Most people were unable or unwilling to give up their families and possessions. Buddhism was able to change though. As it spread, new versions grew to meet different people’s needs. For example, Mahayana Buddhism allowed people to work toward enlightenment even if they couldn’t become monks. It grew into the most widely practiced form of Buddhism in the world.