Introduction

Imagine you’re a young Indian prince living in the sixth-century BCE. You have every material thing you could want in life. Soon, you will inherit your family’s wealth and become a powerful warrior prince. One day though, you pop your head out of the palace and see that the world can be a pretty rough place for people who aren’t rich princes. What do you do? Well, if you’re Siddhartha Gautama, who lived from 563 to 483 BCE, you give up your titles and worldly possessions. You begin wandering the countryside, begging for food and living a life of self-control, refusing luxuries like ice cream and comfortable mattresses. As he adopted this lifestyle, Siddhartha began preaching a new belief system, and people started calling him “the Buddha.” His teachings became the foundation of Buddhism.

This isn’t just the story of one guy 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. Buddhism itself changed as it moved. In some places, like China, powerful leaders and movements adopted Buddhism, transforming it into one of the world’s major belief systems.

Origins

In the sixth century BCE, India was changing. After centuries of conquest, the Aryan people of northern India had established new kingdoms, cities were growing again, and 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 to India, which divided all people into a strict social hierarchy. In a hierarchy, people are ranked above or below one another based on their role in society. Brahmanism brought the caste system to India, which divided all people into a strict social hierarchy. In a hierarchy, people are ranked above or below one another based on their role in society.

Both Hinduism and Buddhism emerged from this earlier belief system. They were very different from each other though. Hinduism formalized elements of Brahmanism, such as the caste system. Buddhism rejected many elements of the old religion. Buddhist beliefs challenged the social structure that gave priests special access to 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 enjoy ice cream and mattresses. That’s okay. Not every convert to Buddhism was forced to adopt the Buddha’s lifestyle. Buddhism offered believers a “middle path,” which was guided by the principles the Buddha had 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? The Pali Canon, an early text of Buddha’s teachings, describes the Eightfold Path. It includes “[1] right view, [2] right intention, [3] right speech, [4] right action, [5] right livelihood, [6] right effort, [7] right mindfulness, [8] right concentration.”

Buddhism teaches that by controlling desire and limiting suffering, this path could lead a person to spiritual enlightenment. The road to enlightenment was not easy though. The Eightfold Path required 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 the structure of Indian society, where Brahmins had authority. It also challenged the caste system more broadly, 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 life of spiritual devotion. Most people who chose lives as monks or nuns did so because they had enough money to do so. Laborers and servants, for example, could not simply abandon their livelihoods.

Buddhism was able to change though. As it spread, new versions emerged 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 widespread form of Buddhism in the world. Buddhism’s rejection of the caste system and the openness of its “middle path” is what helped it spread across Asia.

From one Buddha to many Buddhisms

Though Buddhist beliefs began in India, they spread quickly. Buddhism moved through trade networks, traveling on Silk Road caravans through Central Asia to China and aboard merchant ships to Southeast Asia.

A big part of Buddhism’s success outside India was its ability to fit in with local beliefs. As it spread, Buddhism changed, blending with elements of different belief systems, a process known as “syncretism.” One example comes from China, where Buddhist ideas blended with Confucian and Daoist beliefs about honoring elders. Another example is Greco-Buddhism. Descendants of Alexander the Great’s empire still lived in Central Asia. When they converted to Buddhism, they blended it with elements of Greek culture.

After reaching China, Buddhism began to expand during the third century CE. An age of political change 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 individual could reach enlightenment by following its teachings. This message appealed to those, like women and peasants, who did not have as many rights in society. Second, Buddhism was missionary and had several powerful political supporters. Buddhists believed that their message could and should be spread to everyone and anyone.

Buddhism is one of the largest belief systems in the world, with about 500 million followers today. It has taken on many forms in many places. 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, created opportunities for women, and gave individuals 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 ability to change that allowed it to spread so far.