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 and saw that the world was a pretty rough place for people who aren’t rich princes. What did he do? Well, Siddhartha gave up his titles and worldly possessions. He began wandering the countryside, begging for food and living a 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 the core of 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 people¹ of northern India had established new kingdoms. Cities were growing again. Trade thrived in India’s ports and along its roads. The Aryan conquests of India introduced a new belief system called Brahmanism. Brahmanism was based on the Vedic texts of ancient Indian religion. It was ruled by a priestly class of brahmins. Brahmanism brought the caste system to India, which 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 the same earlier belief system. They were very different from each other though. Hinduism formalized elements of Brahmanism, such as the caste system. Buddhism turned away from many elements of the old religion. Buddhist beliefs challenged the social order that gave priests special knowledge of spiritual life. Instead, Buddhism suggested that anyone could gain salvation and wisdom by letting go of desire. In this way, Buddhist teachings rejected 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 principles the Buddha gained when he was young. Buddhist sources say Siddhartha had been meditating under a tree near the Ganges River when he had a spiritual breakthrough. It revealed to 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 includes eight teachings 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. The Eightfold Path asked for a great deal of self-sacrifice and dedication. The women and men who followed this path often left behind worldly affairs. They often became monks or nuns. They would take vows of poverty, give up on romantic relationships, meditate, and live a life of peace.

Buddhism and social change

Buddhism challenged how Indian society was run. It challenged the caste system, because enlightenment was not limited to those of upper castes. Buddhism also welcomed women, providing new roles outside of the home. These differences made Buddhism appeal to many in the lower castes of Indian society.

The road to enlightenment was difficult. Most people were unable or unwilling to abandon their families and possessions for a spiritual life. Most people who chose lives as monks or nuns did so because they had enough money to do so. Laborers and servants could not simply abandon their livelihoods.

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. Buddhism’s push against the caste system and the openness of its “middle path” is what helped it spread across Asia.

From one Buddha to many Buddhisms

Buddhist beliefs began in India. They spread quickly though. Buddhism moved through trade networks. It traveled with merchants through Central Asia to China and then on ships to Southeast Asia.

A big part of Buddhism’s success outside India came because it could fit in with local beliefs. As it spread, Buddhism changed, blending with elements of different belief systems. This is known as “syncretism.” Chinese Buddhists blended its ideas with Confucian and Daoist beliefs about honoring elders. Greco-Buddhism blended its beliefs with Greek culture.

After reaching China, Buddhism began to expand during the third century CE. It was an age of political change in China. It led many people to look for meaning in new kinds of communities. For many, Buddhism offered a fresh start. From China, Buddhism spread to Korea and Japan. There too, Buddhism blended with local practices.

Why did Buddhism spread around the world? First, it offered a universalist message. It said that every person could reach enlightenment using its teachings. This message appealed to those, like women and peasants, who did not have as many rights in society. Second, Buddhism was missionary. Buddhists believed that their message could and should be spread to everyone and anyone. It also had important political supporters that helped to spread its message.

Buddhism is one of the largest belief systems in the world. About 500 million people follow it today. Though it began in India, Buddhism became less popular there over time. In countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia, Buddhism is today the main belief system.

Wherever it went, Buddhism changed how communities were organized. It challenged social hierarchy. It created opportunities for women. It gave people of all classes a role in spiritual practice. Buddhism changed each new society it touched, and those societies changed Buddhism. Indeed, it was Buddhism’s openness to change that allowed it to spread so far.

1 The Aryans were warrior pastoralists from northern India who conquered much of India between 1500 and 500 BCE. They spoke Sanskrit, which is an Indo-European language related to Persian and even (distantly) to English.