Buddhism history is short. Buddhism: when it appeared, reasons, foundations of teaching and differences from other religions

Relig. Philos. doctrine that arose in ancient India in the 6th-5th centuries. BC e. and turned in the course of its development into one of three, along with Christianity and Islam, world religions. Founder B. Ind. Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who received ... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia

Religion founded by Gautam Buddha (6th century BC). All Buddhists revere the Buddha as the founder of the spiritual tradition that bears his name. In almost all directions of Buddhism there are monastic orders, whose members act as teachers for the laity and ... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

In the second half of the VI first quarter of the V century. BC e. another religiously philosophical doctrine arose, which entered into open confrontation with the Vedic religious mythological thinking and was so clearly manifested in the Vedas and epics. It is connected ... Encyclopedia of mythology

- (from Buddha). Religious teaching founded by Buddha; confessing this teaching and worshiping Buddha as a deity. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov AN, 1910. BUDDHISM [Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Buddhism - - ifgі Ondіstanda b.z.d. VI Vғ.ғ. Paida Bolgan Dini Philosophyalyk Ilim. Negizin kalaushy Siddhartha Gautama (Gotama), keyin ol Buddha dep atalgan (maynasy - kuzi ashylgan, oyangan, nurlangan). Ol uz uaғyzdarynda brahmanizmdі baylyk pen sәn ... ... Philosophies terminderdің sozdіgi

buddhism - a, m. bouddhisme m. One of the world's religions that emerged in the 6th century. BC e. in India and named after its legendary founder Gautami, who later received the name Buddha (enlightened); Buddhism became widespread in China, ... ... Historical Dictionary of Russian Gallicisms

Buddhism is now split into two distinct Churches: the South and the North. The former is said to be a purer form as it more strictly preserved the original teachings of the Lord Buddha. This is the religion of Ceylon, Siam, Burma and other countries, at that time ... Religious terms

Cm … Synonym dictionary

One of the three world religions. It arose in Ancient India in the 6th V centuries. BC in India and named after its legendary founder Gautama, who later received the name Buddha (enlightened). The founder is Siddhartha Gautama. Buddhism ... ... Encyclopedia of Cultural Studies

BUDDHISM - is now split into two different Churches: South and North. The former is said to be a purer form as it more strictly preserved the original teachings of the Lord Buddha. This is the religion of Ceylon, Siam, Burma and other countries, while ... ... Theosophical Dictionary

BUDDHISM, one of the three world religions along with Christianity and Islam. Bolivia arose in ancient India in the sixth and fifth centuries. BC e. and in the course of its development it was divided into a number of religious and philosophical schools. The founder of B. is the Indian prince Siddhartha ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Books

• Buddhism, Rhys-Davids. Professor Rees-Davids's book is a collection of six lectures given by him in the winter of 1894-1895 in different cities of America at the invitation of the American History Readings Committee ...

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Buddhism appeared in about 6-5 centuries. BC. in northeastern India as a result of the attainment of the Awakening ( bodhi) and the preaching of his teachings by the ascetic Gotama Buddha, a prince from the Shakya clan. It is believed that Bodh Gaya (modern state of Bihar in India) is the place of Enlightenment of Gotama. The first sermon of the Buddha took place in the town of Sarnath, near the city of Benares (the modern city of Varanasi, the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh).

Stupa at the site of the awakening of Gotama in Bodh Gaya	Stupa at the site of the first sermon Buddhas in Sarnath

A couple of centuries later, thanks to the support of King Ashoka of the Maurya dynasty, the Buddha's teachings spread throughout most of India, and then throughout the Asian continent. Buddhism made its way to Greece, and even to Egypt.

For a number of historical reasons, Buddhism by the 12th century AD. e. as a separate religion lost its influence in India, but in terms of philosophy continued to exert its influence on a number of religious and philosophical teachings of India.

In its long history, Buddhism has taken on a wide variety of forms. Due to his calm and non-dogmatic nature, he always easily adapted to the previous culture and religious practice of people, among whom he spread, in turn, becoming the main source of a new culture and worldview. Buddhism has successfully merged with the local culture, and it is often difficult to find something in common that binds different currents of Buddhism into one and the same religion. The external aspects are so varied, ranging from the gentleness of the ceremonial Theravada Buddhism of Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, the contemplative and devotional practices of the Mahayana Buddhism of the Far East, to the mysterious ritualism of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. While the external aspects can be very different, they all have one common source - the life and teachings of the person we know as Buddha.
~ Bhikkhu Bodhi, "Some Foundations of Buddhism."

Buddhism, along with Islam and Christianity, is considered a world religion. This means that she is not identified by the ethnicity of her followers. Any person can practice it, regardless of race, nationality and place of residence. In this article, we will briefly review the main ideas of Buddhism.

Summary of the ideas and philosophy of Buddhism

Briefly about the history of the emergence of Buddhism

Buddhism is one of the most ancient religions in the world. Its origin took place in contrast to the then dominant Brahmanism in the middle of the first millennium BC in the northern part. In the philosophy of Ancient India, Buddhism occupied and occupies a key place, closely intertwined with it.

If we consider the emergence of Buddhism briefly, then, according to a separate category of scientists, this phenomenon was facilitated by certain changes in the life of the Indian people. Around the middle of the 6th century BC. Indian society was hit by a cultural and economic crisis.

Those tribal and traditional ties that existed before that time began to gradually undergo changes. It is very important that it was during this period that the formation of class relations took place. Many ascetics appeared, roaming the vastness of India, who formed their own vision of the world, which they shared with other people. So, in opposition to the foundations of that time, Buddhism appeared, which deserved recognition among the people.

A large number of scholars believe that the founder of Buddhism was a real person named Siddhartha Gautama , known as Shakyamuni Buddha ... He was born in 560 BC. in a prosperous family of the king of the Shakya tribe. From childhood he knew neither disappointment nor need, he was surrounded by boundless luxury. And this is how Siddhartha lived his youth, unaware of the existence of disease, old age and death.

The real shock for him was the fact that one day, while walking outside the palace, he encountered an old man, a sick man and a funeral procession. This influenced him so much that, at the age of 29, he joins a group of itinerant hermits. So he begins to search for the truth of being. Gautama tries to understand the nature of human troubles and tries to find ways to eliminate them. Realizing that an endless series of reincarnations is inevitable, if not getting rid of suffering, he tried to find answers to his questions from the sages.

Having spent 6 years wandering, he tested various techniques, practiced yoga, but came to the conclusion that such methods cannot be enlightened. He considered meditation and prayer to be effective methods. It was when he was spending time meditating under the Bodhi tree that he experienced enlightenment, thanks to which he found the answer to his question.

After his discovery, he spent a few more days at the site of a sudden insight, and then went to the valley. And they began to call him Buddha ("enlightened"). There he began to preach the doctrine to people. The very first sermon took place in Benares.

Basic concepts and ideas of Buddhism

One of the main goals of Buddhism is the path to nirvana. Nirvana is a state of awareness of one's soul, achieved through self-denial, rejection of the comfortable conditions of the external environment. Buddha, having spent a long time in meditation and deep reflection, mastered the method of controlling his own consciousness. In the process, he came to the conclusion that people are very attached to worldly goods, overly worried about the opinions of other people. Because of this, the human soul not only does not develop, but also degrades. Having achieved nirvana, you can lose this addiction.

The Inherent Four Truths Underlying Buddhism:

1. There is the concept of dukkha (suffering, anger, fear, self-flagellation and other negatively colored experiences). Everyone is under the influence of dukha to a greater or lesser extent.
2. Dukkha always has a reason that contributes to the emergence of addiction - greed, vanity, lust, etc.
3. You can get rid of addiction and suffering.
4. One can completely free oneself from dukha through the path leading to nirvana.

Buddha was of the opinion that it is necessary to adhere to the "middle path", that is, each person must find a "golden" mean between a wealthy, satiated with luxury, and ascetic, deprived of all the benefits of humanity, a way of life.

There are three main jewels in Buddhism:

1. Buddha - he can be either the creator of the teaching himself or his follower who has attained enlightenment.
2. Dharma is the teaching itself, its foundations and principles, and what it can give to its followers.
3. Sangha is a community of Buddhists who adhere to the laws of this religious teaching.

To achieve all three gems, Buddhists resort to fighting three poisons:

• detachment from the truth of being and ignorance;
• desires and passions that contribute to the emergence of suffering;
• incontinence, anger, inability to accept anything here and now.

According to the ideas of Buddhism, every person experiences both physical and mental suffering. Disease, death and even birth are suffering. But such a state is unnatural, so you need to get rid of it.

Briefly about the philosophy of Buddhism

This teaching cannot be called only a religion centered on God, who created the world. Buddhism is a philosophy, the principles of which we will briefly consider below. Teaching involves help in directing a person to the path of self-development and self-awareness.

In Buddhism, there is no idea that there is an eternal soul atone for sins. However, everything that a person does and in what way will find his imprint - it will definitely return to him. This is not divine punishment. These are the consequences of all actions and thoughts that leave traces on their own karma.

In Buddhism, there are basic truths revealed by the Buddha:

1. Human life is suffering. All things are impermanent and transient. As it arises, everything must be destroyed. Existence itself is symbolized in Buddhism as a flame devouring itself, and yet fire can only bring suffering.
2. Suffering arises from desires. Man is so attached to the material aspects of existence that he is frantically hungry for life. The more this desire is, the more he will suffer.
3. Getting rid of suffering is possible only through getting rid of desires. Nirvana is a state, upon reaching which a person experiences the extinction of passions and thirst. Thanks to nirvana, a feeling of bliss arises, freedom from transmigration of souls.
4. To achieve the goal of getting rid of desire, one must resort to the eightfold path of salvation. It is this path that is called "middle", allowing you to get rid of suffering by rejecting extremes, which is something in between torturing the flesh and indulging in physical pleasures.

The Eightfold Path of Salvation involves:

• correct understanding - the most important thing to do is to realize that the world is full of suffering and sorrow;
• correct intentions - you need to take the path of limiting your passions and aspirations, the primary basis of which is human egoism;
• correct speech - it must be good, so it is worth watching your words (so that they do not ooze evil);
• right actions - one should do good deeds, refrain from non-virtuous actions;
• a correct way of life - only a worthy way of life that does not harm all living things can bring a person closer to getting rid of suffering;
• correct efforts - it is necessary to tune in to good, drive all evil away from yourself, carefully following the course of your thoughts;
• correct thoughts - the most important evil comes from our own flesh, getting rid of the desires of which you can get rid of suffering;
• correct concentration - the eightfold path requires constant training, concentration.

The first two stages are called prajna and involve the stage of attaining wisdom. The next three are the regulation of morality and correct behavior (shila). The remaining three steps represent the discipline of the mind (samadha).

Directions of Buddhism

The very first who supported the Buddha's teachings began to gather in a secluded place during that period while it rained. Because they renounced any property, they were called bhiksa - "beggars." They shaved their heads bald, put on rags (mostly yellow) and moved from place to place.

Their life was unusually ascetic. In the rain, they hid in caves. They were usually buried where they lived, and a stupa (dome-shaped crypt structures) was erected on the site of their graves. Their entrances were made deafly walled up and buildings for various purposes were erected around stupas.

After the death of the Buddha, a convocation of his followers took place, who canonized the teaching. But the period of the greatest flowering of Buddhism can be considered the time of the reign of Emperor Ashoka - III century. BC.

Can be distinguished three main philosophical schools of Buddhism , formed in different periods of the existence of the doctrine:

1. Hinayana... The monk is considered the main ideal of the direction - only he can get rid of reincarnations. There is no pantheon of saints who could intercede for a person, there are no rituals, the concept of hell and heaven, cult sculptures, icons. Everything that happens to a person is the result of his actions, thoughts and lifestyle.
2. Mahayana... Even a layman (of course, if he is pious), on an equal basis with a monk, can achieve salvation. The institution of bodhisattvas appears, who are saints who help people on the path of their salvation. The concept of paradise, a pantheon of saints, images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas also appear.
3. Vajrayana... It is a tantric teaching based on the principles of self-control and meditation.

So, the basic idea of \u200b\u200bBuddhism is that a person's life is suffering and one should strive to get rid of it. This teaching continues to spread confidently across the planet, gaining more and more adherents.

Read on:

When Buddhism appeared, it interests everyone who begins to get involved in this world religion. It is noteworthy that if earlier it was mainly developed in Asian countries, then in recent decades it has found more and more followers in the West and in Russia. In this article we will tell you how the religion arose, what were the reasons, we will learn about the basics of this teaching.

Prerequisites

Before looking at when Buddhism came into being, let's look at the background that actually led to its emergence. It should be noted that this is a nasty teaching, which had its predecessors - lokayata and Jainism. The first current existed in Ancient India. Today his supporters are mistakenly considered atheists. The second is a India-based practice and philosophy based on the self-improvement of the soul to achieve omnipotence, omniscience and eternal bliss.

It is fairly well known where Buddhism came from. This happened in northeastern India. At that time, the ancient states of Licchavi, Koshala and Magadha were located there.

If very little is known about the first, then about Koshal we can say that it was a slave state in the territory of southwestern Nepal and the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Magadha is an ancient historical region in India ruled by Buddhist kings. It is believed that it was here that King Bimbisara lived, a contemporary of Buddha, who contributed to the development of this religion, and had a good attitude towards Jainism. This is where Buddhism came into being.

The reasons

World religion today originated in the middle of the first millennium BC. Very scanty and fragmentary information has been preserved about those times, which does not allow answering many important questions. For example, it is not known in what year Buddhism appeared. But you can reason with a certain degree of confidence what became the reasons for its development and consolidation in the minds of the Indians.

First, in the middle of the first millennium BC, the Vedic religion found itself in a deep crisis, which led to the emergence of a large number of alternative and unorthodox teachings. In most cases, they were created by ascetics, itinerant philosophers and shamans. One of them just became Siddhartha Gautama, the historical founder of this world religion.

Secondly, at that time, active processes of strengthening state power began. For this it was required to maximize the authority of the soldiers and kings as opposed to the brahmanas. The existence of such a conflict between castes can be judged from the pranic late Vedic literature. Buddhism became an alternative to Brahmanism, the doctrine was in opposition, and therefore it was chosen to strengthen the power of the Kshatriyas.

There is concrete evidence that when Buddhism appeared, it was a royal religion. For example, in the 7th-13th centuries, when the kings of individual Indian states stopped supporting him, he quickly disappeared from there. But in the countries in which the rulers provided him with patronage, he continued to flourish.

Siddhartha Gautama

The founder of the religion was born in 623 or 563 BC in the royal Indian lineage of the Iron Age Shakya. This happened in the south of modern Nepal.

After spending his youth in the luxurious palace of his father, Siddhartha accidentally faced the harsh reality of the world around him, coming to the conclusion that life is based on grief and suffering. After that, he refused to live in the palace, settling in the forest as a hermit and ascetic. In particular, he followed the practices of killing and tormenting his body.

Then he decided that extreme forms of asceticism would not lead a person to liberation from the suffering associated with death and birth. Therefore, he began to look for an intermediate path between the desire for self-mortification and sensual pleasures.

During his meditations, Siddhartha decided to do everything in order to find the truth, reaching Enlightenment at the age of 35. After that, he began to call himself Buddha Gautama or simply Buddha, which literally means "awakened".

The remaining 45 years of his life he spent wandering around Central India, in particular in the Ganges Valley. He had many students and followers. During the next four centuries they formed all kinds of schools and teachings.

First Buddhist Cathedral

It can be argued with great confidence that Buddhism appeared in the world when the first Buddhist Council took place. This happened in the 6th century BC.

According to legend, it took place after the Buddha reached nirvana. Then his disciples gathered, who from memory reproduced everything that he taught them. These were the rules and norms of the monastic community, the so-called disciplinary charter, teachings, sermons and philosophy. Now everyone understands in what century Buddhism appeared.

Split

The second Buddhist Council was held in 383 BC. It was conducted by King Kalasoka because of the conflict that arose between different Buddhist schools.

Traditionalists considered Buddha to be an ordinary person who managed to achieve enlightenment. They believed that any monk could repeat this experience, for which one should strictly follow the rituals and rules.

Supporters of liberal interpretations considered this approach too selfish, and the goal of achieving arhatism was completely unimportant. In their opinion, the truth should be the desire to achieve the full state of Buddha. When Buddhism appeared, this position was very common. Over time, this teaching developed into the Mahayana. Its supporters preached a lighter monastic charter, therefore they received support from the majority of supporters and monks even in places where Buddhism originally appeared.

The council ended with the condemnation of the latter, who left the meeting in protest. After that, they settled in Central Asia and in the northwest of modern India.

This was not the last division of this religion. A total of 18 schools were allocated. Knowing where Buddhism originated, many followers of this belief strive to find themselves in these places.

Buddhism and Christianity

Today, there are four main religions in the world, which have the most supporters and followers. These are Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Judaism. When someone asks what came first, Buddhism or Christianity, the answer in this case is obvious to everyone who is familiar with world history.

A new era is being counted from Christianity, when Jesus Christ was born. When Buddhism appeared as a religion, everyone who deals with this issue is known. This happened in the 6th century BC.

World religions

It is more difficult to decide which of the religions is the most ancient, to figure out when Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism and Islam appeared. Historians claim that Judaism will be the most ancient of these four. At the same time, it is believed that the Hebrew religion originally existed, which appeared in the XI century BC, simultaneously with the emergence of the state among the Jewish people and its division into classes.

Judaism came to replace it only in the 7th century BC, having arisen about a hundred years earlier than Buddhism. In this case, even the year is known. In 621 BC, King Josiah of Judea issued a decree prohibiting the worship of all gods except one. After that, the authorities began to actively fight polytheism, their images were destroyed, the sanctuaries were destroyed, the Jews, who continued to offer sacrifices to other gods, were subjected to severe punishments up to the death penalty.

Islam is the youngest of these four religions. It originated in the 7th century AD in the west of the Arabian Peninsula.

Differences from other popular beliefs

Discussing the differences between Buddhism and other religions, among the main ones they highlight its incredible diversity and flexibility. At a time when most of the world's religions have all the time strived to at least formally adhere to orthodoxy, Buddhism easily adapted any system of beliefs to its needs, without exception.

He easily tuned in to animism, polytheism, shamanism, esoteric teachings. It belongs to the religions of the law of nature. In Buddhism, the existence of gods is not denied. The main feature in this is that the inviolable law of nature is considered the highest power. According to him, absolutely everything exists in the world, including the gods.

This higher power is impersonal, it has no interests of its own, like, for example, the gods of polytheistic and monotheistic religions. She has no opponents, it makes no sense to try to negotiate with her or try to appease.

Already a consequence of this is the absence of the concept of missionary work, the denial of science and other religions, the impossibility of religious wars.

Buddhism in Russia

The first evidence of the existence of this religion in our country dates back to the 8th century AD. They are associated with a state called Bohai, which was located on the site of the modern Amur and Primorye. That's when Buddhism appeared in Russia.

It finally took root in our culture in the 17th century, when some Kalmyk tribes received Russian citizenship. Soon this religion spread to the territory of Buryatia. Tibetan and Mongolian lamas settled here, who, apparently, fled from persecution in their homeland. In 1764, Empress Catherine II even approved the post of head of the Buddhists of Transbaikalia and Eastern Siberia. It is believed that it was then that Buddhism became one of the state religions in the country.

In the XX century

In the 1930s, after several uprisings in Buddhist monasteries against Soviet rule, the government decided to start a fight against Buddhists. By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, most of the clergy were repressed, not a single monastery remained. To a large extent, this had to be done because of the extensive intelligence work of the Japanese, who declared their support for their fellow believers, proposing to create a puppet Pan-Mongolian Buddhist state within the USSR.

Many monks who were dissatisfied with the Soviet regime agreed to cooperate. Only after the defeat of Japan in World War II, a partial revival of this religion began on the territory of the Soviet Union.

Currently, there are several Buddhist regions in Russia, departments of Sinology and Sanskritology have been opened in some large universities, and the most important Buddhist treatises are translated into Russian. Traditionally, this religion is practiced in the Trans-Baikal Territory, Buryatia, Tuva, Kalmykia, and Altai. The total number of ethnic Buddhists is about 900 thousand people.

Doctrines

Despite different schools, all Buddhist teachings are based on four doctrines.

1. There is dukkha, that is, an analogue of suffering, anxiety, dissatisfaction, concern, anxiety, fear.
2. The cause of dukkha is the pursuit of sensual pleasures, desires based on a person's misconception about the baseness and insignificance of his own "I".
3. One can free oneself from dukkha, for this one must stop the action of its causes.
4. There is a path that leads to deliverance from dukkha. Through him, the Buddhist attains nirvana.

Middle way

The Buddha's teaching is based on the existence of a middle path, which must be completed anew in every situation. According to him, Buddha does not accept either hedonism or asceticism.

It is also important to remember the three turns of the wheel of Dharma. First, Buddha preaches about the four noble truths, then about emptiness, and finally about the nature of his teaching.

Jewels of Buddhism

It is noteworthy that one cannot become a Buddhist at birth. This should be a conscious decision by an adult who understands the three main jewels.

These include the Buddha, the dharma (the teaching itself) and the sangha, that is, a community by which they mean both all Buddhists in the world in general, and a small group of those close to the faith.

Hello dear readers - seekers of knowledge and truth!

Buddhism in our time is so widespread that, probably, in every corner of our planet there is a person who, if he does not profess it, then at least is clearly interested in it. This article will tell you in which countries Buddhism is practiced, and also tell about its features, depending on the location on the map and national mentality.

Buddhism on the world map

The oldest of the world's religions appeared in the middle of the first millennium BC. During this time, it managed to take root at its origins - in India, weakened due to the emergence of Hinduism there, “spread” throughout Asia and bring its knowledge, like streams, to many states in the world.

As early as the 4th century it reached Korea. By the 6th century he reached Japan, and in the 7th century he burst into Tibet, where he became a special direction of philosophical thought. The islands of Southeast Asia were conquered by Buddhism gradually - from about the 2nd century, and by the beginning of the second millennium it was widespread.

The "capture" of Mongolia by this religion lasted for many centuries - from the 8th to the 16th centuries, and from there, by the 18th century, it reached the border of Russia represented by Buryatia and Tuva. In the last two centuries, Buddhist teachings have covered tens of thousands of kilometers and have attracted the interest of the inhabitants of Europe and America.

Today Buddhism has become the state religion of Thailand, Cambodia, Bhutan and Laos. It has largely affected the lives of people from most of Asia. By the number of followers, you can rank the countries:

1. China
2. Thailand
3. Vietnam
4. Myanmar
5. Tibet
6. Sri Lanka
7. South Korea
8. Taiwan
9. Cambodia
10. Japan
11. India

In addition, there are many followers of the Buddha in Bhutan, Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia.

Curiously, in each country Buddhism took on its own, not similar to others, outlines, new forms of this philosophy, directions of thought appeared. This was due to folk characteristics, religions and cultural traditions that had existed there earlier.

In Europe, Buddhism spread to the largest and most powerful countries. Here at the beginning of the XX century. the first Buddhist organizations appeared: Germany (1903), Great Britain (1907), France (1929). And today in the United States, Buddhism boasts an honorable fourth place in the number of followers, following Christianity, Judaism and atheism.

There is a World Brotherhood of Buddhists whose purpose is to spread and support Buddhist thought in the world. It includes 98 centers from 37 states. Thailand was chosen as the site for the headquarters of this organization.

Top Buddhist countries

Even scientists find it difficult to say how many Buddhists live on the planet. Someone calls the “modest” figures of 500 million, while others say that their number ranges from 600 million to 1.3 billion. All of these people come from dozens of different countries. It was difficult, but we have compiled a list of the most interesting "Buddhist" countries.

India

India opens this list thanks to its status as the homeland of Buddhism. Two and a half millennia ago, Prince Siddhartha Gautama appeared in the northeast of this country, and now these places are shrines in themselves. Many Buddhists make pilgrimages here and seem to be returning to the past.

Here, in a place called Bodh Gai with its Mahabodhi temple, Siddhartha understood what enlightenment is. Here is the city of Sarnath - Buddha read the first sermon. Further - Kushinagar - and the saint attained complete nirvana. However, today, among the believers in India, the proportion of Buddhists is less than one percent.

Thailand

Everyone who has been to Thailand knows which religion is most widespread in the country and how much Thais love it. Buddhist, statues and other paraphernalia in this exotic country are countless.

Buddhism is accepted here as the state religion. According to the Constitution, the king must be a Buddhist.

The Thai direction of this philosophical thought is also referred to as "southern Buddhism." People's way of life is greatly influenced by a strong belief in the laws of karma. Men are required to go through monasticism. In the capital, Bangkok, special Buddhist universities have been established.

Sri Lanka

Legends say that Buddha personally sailed to the former Ceylon to drive out evil spirits. So he gave birth to a new religion here, which is now practiced by more than 60% of the population. Even the current landmarks and cultural monuments have a religious connotation.

Vietnam

Socialism rules in Vietnam, and formally the main religion in the country is considered to be its absence - atheism. But among religions, Buddhism is in the first place: about one-tenth of the 94 million people in one way or another recognize the Mahayana teachings. Supporters meet in the south and number in the tens of thousands.

Taiwan

The main religion of Taiwan is Buddhism; it is practiced by about 90% of the island's population. But this teaching is more like a symbiosis with Taoism. If we talk about strict Buddhism, then 7-15% of people adhere to it. The most interesting feature of the Taiwanese line of thought is its attitude to nutrition, namely vegetarianism.

Cambodia

The history of Buddhism in Cambodia can be called truly tragic. But looking ahead, we can say that everything ended well.

There were more than three thousand Buddhist temples in the country until the political figure Pol Pot came to power and staged a "cultural revolution". Its result was the reckoning of the monks to the lower class and their subsequent repression and destruction. Few of them were destined to be saved.

After the Republic of Kampuchea was created, all the forces of the authorities were thrown into the restoration of Buddhist religious thought among the population. In 1989 it was recognized as the state religion.

China

In China - one of the components, along with Confucianism and Taoism, the so-called San Jiao - "three religions" - on which the religious views of the Chinese are held.

In the early 90s of the last century, there was a conflict between the authorities and Tibetan Buddhism, which they wanted to suppress by engaging in the "patriotic education" of monks. Today, the state structures of China tightly control the activities of religious organizations, including Buddhist ones.

Myanmar

The absolute majority, namely 90% of the inhabitants of Myanmar, consider themselves Buddhists. These are such peoples as Burmese, Monas, Arakans, and they can be attributed to several schools of Theravada.

The Buddhist ideas of the Burmese - followers of these schools - are mixed with the pre-existing cult of spirits. The Mahayana is supported mainly by the Chinese living in Myanmar.

Tibet

Buddhism came to Tibet from India, and, absorbing the ideas and traditions of the ancient Tibetan religion Bon, firmly rooted here, becoming the main religion of the country. The three main schools - Gelug, Kagyu and Nyingma - are considered the most influential.

In the middle of the 20th century, China was seized by the country, persecution of monks began, many temples and monasteries were ravaged by the occupiers, and the XIV Dalai Lama and his supporters were forced to flee to India.

Nevertheless, Tibetans, both living at home and fleeing from the Chinese authorities abroad, cherish and support Buddhist traditions and way of life.

Japan

Japanese Buddhism covers most of the inhabitants, but it is divided into a huge number of directions and trends. Some of them took Buddhist philosophy as a basis, the second - the recitation of mantras, the third - meditation practices.

Intertwining with each other, they formed all the new schools that are successful among different segments of the population. All of them can be roughly divided into two groups: classical schools and neo-Buddhism.

It is the Japanese preachers who study Buddhist teachings who most actively bring this knowledge to the “non-Buddhist” world, primarily to Europe and America.

Russia

Even in Russia, the ideas of Buddhism are well known, and in such national republics as Kalmykia, Buryatia, Tuva, they almost completely captured the minds of people.

Most belong to the Tibetan Gelug and Karma Kagyu schools. In the largest cities - Moscow, St. Petersburg - Buddhist communities have long existed.

Conclusion

Over the long centuries of its existence, Buddhist teachings have completely changed the consciousness of the Eurasian society. And every day this philosophy expands its boundaries, first of all - in the minds of people.

Thank you very much for your attention, dear readers! Join us on social networks, we will seek the truth together.