Buddhism is a non-theistic religion (no belief in a creator god), also considered a philosophy and a moral discipline, originating in the region of modern-day India in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. It was founded by the sage Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha l. c. 563 - c. 483 BCE) who, according to legend, had been a Hindu prince.
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Timeline
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c. 563 BCE - c. 483 BCEGenerally accepted dates of the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, by scholars.
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c. 400 BCEFirst Buddhist Council at Rajgir, Bihar, India; teachings and monastic discipline agreed to and codified.
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383 BCESecond Buddhist Council at which the Sthaviravada and Mahasanghika schools separate over differences in monastic discipline; the first schism in Buddhism.
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c. 200 BCE - c. 600 CEConstruction of the 30 Buddhist cave-shrines at Ajanta, many of which display features of Gupta architecture.
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c. 100 BCEBuddhist sutras began to be written down in Pali.
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c. 75 CE - c. 450 CEKushan rule in the Gandhara region, arguably the golden era of the Gandhara civilization in which art, architecture and the propagation of the Buddhist religion excelled.
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148 CEAn Shigao is the first Buddhist translator mentioned in Chinese sources who established a translation centre in the Chinese imperial capital, Luoyang.
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c. 200 CEThe Buddhist Lotus Sutra is written down in Pali language.
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c. 200 CE - c. 400 CEThe Buddhist Nirvana Sutra is written down in Pali language.
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c. 200 CEDhammapada is translated to Chinese and other Asian languages.
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372 CEA Confucian Academy is established in the Goguryeo kingdom of northern Korea and Buddism is adopted as the state religion.
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384 CEBuddhism is adopted as the state religion by the Baekje kingdom of western Korea.
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c. 450 CEBuddhist scholar Buddhaghosa writes his commentary on Dhammapada.
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538 CEAlternative date to 552 CE for the introduction of Buddhism to Japan from Korea.
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552 CETraditional date for the introduction of Buddhism to Japan from Korea.
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7 Feb 573 CE - 8 Apr 622 CEPrince Shotoku was the founder of Japanese Buddhism and of the Japanese nation. He is famous for his 17-article constitution, the first Buddhist constitution ever to be created.
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593 CEThe Shitennoji Buddhist temple is built in Japan.
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596 CEThe Hokoji Buddhist temple is built in Japan.
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607 CEThe Horyuji Buddhist temple is built in Nara, Japan during the reign of Regent Prince Shotoku.
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617 CE - 686 CELife of the Korean Buddhist philosopher Wonhyo.
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710 CEThe Buddhist Kofukuji temple is established at Nara, main temple of the Japanese Fujiwara clan.
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751 CE - 790 CEThe Buddhist Bulguksa temple complex is built east of Gyeongju, Korea.
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751 CE - 774 CEThe Buddhist cave temple at Seokguram (Sokkuram) east of Gyeongju, Korea is built.
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752 CEThe Buddhist Todaiji temple is founded at Nara, Japan.
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767 CE - 822 CELife of Saicho, founder of Tendai Buddhism in Japan.
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771 CEThe large bronze bell at the Buddhist shrine at Bongdeoksa, Korea, also known as the Emille Bell, is cast.
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774 CE - 835 CELife of the monk Kukai (aka Kobo Daishi), founder of Shingon Buddhism in Japan.
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c. 793 CE - 864 CELife of Ennin, the Buddhist scholar-monk and abbot of Enryakuji, who brought many esoteric teachings from China to Japan.n
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796 CEThe Buddhist To-ji temple near Heiankyo (Kyoto), Japan is founded.
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819 CEKukai (Kobo Daishi) establishes a monastery and headquarters for Shingon Buddhism on Mount Koya in Japan.
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838 CE - 847 CEJapanese Tendai Buddhist monk Ennin studies esoteric Buddhism in China.
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842 CE - 845 CEThe Chinese state persecutes Buddhist monks and their monasteries.
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849 CEEnnin leads the first imperial-sponsored esoteric ritual at Enryakuji, Japan.
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874 CEThe Buddhist Daigoji temple is founded by Shobo at Heiankyo (Kyoto).
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1164 CEThe Buddhist Sanjusangendo temple is founded at Heiankyo (Kyoto), Japan.
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1855 CEFirst Latin translation of the Dhammapada.
