Figure 1.--I believe thast this photograph in a Buddhist temple was taken in Japan, but am not sure. |
|
Buddha lived and persued his teachings in India 500 years before Christ. It was spread to China over the Silk Road. Of all the great religions, Buddhism is the most pacifistic. Buddhism was virtually unknown in the Western world until the 19th century. Although it originated in India, the joint actiins of Hindu and Muslim rulers have virtually obliterated it there. Some in the Islamic world even seek to obliterate the archeological evidence of Buddhism, such as the Taliban destruction of the ??? Buddhas in 2001. Although largely driven from India, Budhism in the late 20th century has come to resonate with many in the Western world. A key figure in the introduction of Buddhism to the West was Sir William Jones, the renowned "Oriental Jones". Jones in 1778, after the British conquest of India from the French, was offered the post of justice on the Supreme Court of Bengal. Unlike most British who spurned Indian culture, Jones actually learned Sanskrit, perhaps the first Westerner to do so. With his previous academic training and knowledge of languages (Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, and Persian), he was the first to grasp the similarities in these languages and their common origins that today has come to be known as the Indo-European language pool. Jones founded the Asiatic Societyb of Bengal and the societies periodic publications Provided a platform for researchers throughout India to share their findings. One such work mentioned a stone inscription in a palace known as Bod-dha-gaya that described "Bood-dha, the Author of Happiness ... the Supreme Being, the Eternal One." Other Westerners including George Turnour (Ceylon), Brian Hodgson (in the Himalayas), and James Prinsep (Bengal) began to realize that not only that Buddhism existed, but that it had been a widespread religion with different traditions. Princep managed to decipher Buddhist inspriptions and learned of King Ashoka that had spread Buddhism in India. Westerners gradually looked on Buddhism as esentially nihilistic, but gradually an appreciation for Buddhism has developed. [Allen] Today Westerners practice Buddhism in various forms and books and magazines discuss the teachins of Buddha and the practice of the religion.
Prince Buddha (Siddhrtha Gautama) awas born in what is now Nepal. (Nepal is the only modern state wher Buddhism is the state religion.) The actual date of his birth has eluded modrnn scholars because of the lack of written records.
The subsequent rise of Hinduism and Islam erased may traces of Buddhism in its Indian birthplace. The birth date has been variously estimated by historians as between 634-340 BC. A group of modern scholars belived that the nativity can definitely be placed in the 6th century BC. The work on which the new estimate is based comes from escavations at the Maya Devi Temple near Lumbini. There they have discovered an unknown wooden temple under the more recent brick temples. [Coningham] The original wood temple had an ooen place with a tree. The wood in the mple of course can be dattd. The cnfusion over his birth Probably comes from the Emperor Ashoka who was importnt in the spread of Buddhism (3rd century BC). Thus over time this period was confused with the earlier period in hich Buddhism was actully founded. The original wooden Maya Devi Temple matches Buddhist tradition that describes Prince Buddha as being born in a garden under a tree. Prince Buddah was the pride of his father. The young prince enjoyed all the erahly pleasures in large measure. Then he experienced a powerful religious relevation and left home. He wandered India as a religious pilgrim searching for enlightenment. After 6 years he found that enligtenment under a Bofhi tree, apparently a fig tree. The Buddha story is often told with mythological trappings, but is essentially an attempt to end human suffering. [Mishra]
Buddhism is unique among the great religious tradituiions in that there is no God or spernatural diety. Prince Buddha is a revered teacher, not a diety. Buddhism presumably because of its Indian roots, like Hibnduism adopted reincarnation. The primary objective in Buddhism is the path to Nirvana.
Four temples are assiciated wuth the life and techings of Buddha. His birth place was honored by the Lumbini temple. The first wooden temple was probably built by wearly adherents when Buddhism was still a cult. With the rise if Hinduism the temple was eventually forgotten and over grown by he jungle. It was not dscivered until the British Raj (1869). A large standstone column identified the temple as Lumbini and revealed that Ashoka had visited. Ashoka the Great (304232 BC) was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who managed to rule almost the entire Indian subcontinent. There are three other temples connected with Budda's life. He achieved enlightenment at the Bodh Gaya. He first preached at Sarnath. And he died at Kusingara at the age of 80 years.
Buddhism is deeply woven into the texture of culture in several Asian countries, although not in India where it originated. ry Buddhist boys becomes a kind of junior monk for some period in their lives. This tradition varies somewhat from country to country and the various schools of Biddhism. This experience may be for year or two or only the duration of a rainy season, for a few days or perhaps a lifetime if he chooses to become a monk. The shorter periods are commonly in countries in whivh Buddhists are not a majority. In commemoration of Buddha's Great Renunciation, thThe boys are known as noviaties, although few have any intention to become monks. The entry of a boy into the Novitiate is commonly the occasion for an important celebration. In addition to family celebrations there are also public festivals. These festivals including dancing and the display of bright colors. Affluent families make important purchaes for the event. Even poor parents do their best and save money so they can fiove their sons a Shin-pyu (making a Holy One) as the festival is called. The Shin-pyu for an affluent family can be a grand affair. The age of the boys can vary. The Buddha himself ordained his 5-year-old son Rahula, but most Buddist scholars see this as an exception rather than a standard. More common todays is to see boys becoming novotiates (nen) as pre-teens, about 10-12 years of age. Monks (phra) are older, commonly becoming monks at 15-20 years of age. Theravada Buddhism doctrine states that a novitiate must be at least 15 years of age to become a monk. Novices pray together with the monks. They act as servants to the monks as well as go out with their bowls to receive food donations. The novitiates commonly eat communally.
Buddhism has grown from a small relgious community in India to a major religion, primarily in Asian countries. Buddha lived and persued his teachings in India 500 years before Christ. Although Buddhism originated in India, today there is essentially only argeolgical remains to remind us of Buddhism in India. The joint actions of Hindu and Muslim rulers have virtually obliterated it there. Some in the Islamic world even seek to obliterate the archeological evidence of Buddhism, such as the Afghan Taliban destruction of the monumental Bamiyan Buddhas (2001). This was one more example of the intolerance too often exhibited by Islamicists toward other religions. Far too many Muslims believe that God has given them not only the right, but the obligation to control people's religious onservations--inclusding that of fellow Muslims. One Muslim writes, "These powerless idols are currently being worshipped by many people around the world. The Taliban destroyed these idols, thus doing a obligation in the religion of Islam, which is the destruction of all idols which are being worshipped a side of Allah (swt). It is obligatory to reject the Taghut and to destroy everything that is being worshipped other than Allah (swt) in Islam. Allah (swt) said in the QurŽan, Surah 2:256." They were two 6th century statues of standing buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan. They were built 507-554 AD. Buddhism originated in India and traveled east along the Silk Road to China where it prospered at the same time it declined in India. Buddhism also became imnportant in Southeast Asia (especially Burma and Thailand), Sri Lanka, Tibet, Korea, and Japan. Buddhism reached Japan after Shinto, a native religion, had become well established. Buddhism came later (6th century AD). Unlike the experience in other countries, the two religions in Japan managed to coexist and the Japanese were able to adopt both rather than exclusively select one.
Other important teachers have followed Buddha. Perhaps the most important is the philosopher Nagyaharajuna who developed important insights that some scholars believe invove deeper implications than Buddha's original teachings. [Mishra]
Of all the great religions, Buddhism is the most pacifistic.
There are several different schools or traditions in Buddhism. Theravada Buddhism dominated in Southeast Asia. Mahayana Buddhism pursued the Bodhisattva. There is also a tradition of celestial Buddhas. The Dharm became establoshed in Tibet and several different schools developed there. Zen Buddhism seems to hacve a particular appeal in the West,
Buddhism was virtually unknown in the Western world until the 19th century. Although largely driven from India, Budhism in the late 20th century has come to resonate with many in the Western world. A key figure in the introduction of Buddhism to the West was Sir William Jones, the renowned "Oriental Jones". Jones in 1778, after the British conquest of India from the French, was offered the post of justice on the Supreme Court of Bengal. Unlike most British who spurned Indian culture, Jones actually learned Sanskrit, perhaps the first Westerner to do so. With his previous academic training and knowledge of languages (Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, and Persian), he was the first to grasp the similarities in these languages and their common origins that today has come to be known as the Indo-European language pool. Jones founded the Asiatic Societyb of Bengal and the societies periodic publications Provided a platform for researchers throughout India to share their findings. One such work mentioned a stone inscription in a palace known as Bod-dha-gaya that described "Bood-dha, the Author of Happiness ... the Supreme Being, the Eternal One." Other Westerners including George Turnour (Ceylon), Brian Hodgson (in the Himalayas), and James Prinsep (Bengal) began to realize that not only that Buddhism existed, but that it had been a widespread religion with different traditions. Princep managed to decipher Buddhist inspriptions andlearned of King Ashoka that hadspread Buddhism in India. Westerners gradually looked on Buddhism as esentially nihilistic, but gradually an appreciation for Buddhism has developed. [Allen] Today Westerners practice Buddhism in various forms and books and magazines discuss the teachins of Buddha and the practice of the religion.
Allen, Charles. The Search for the Buddha: The Men Who Discovered India's Lost Religion (Carrol & Graf: 2003), 322p.
Conningham, Robin. (Durham University) Antiquity (November 3013) Conningham is the lead author of the paper. The research was financed by the Japanese and Nepalnese Governments and the National Geographic Society.
Mishra, Oankaj. An End to Suffering: The Buddha in the World (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2004), 422p.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Teturn to the Main religious traditions page]
[Teturn to the Main religion page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]