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563 BCE
Birth of Siddhartha Gautama
Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of the Buddhist teachings, is born. He is born into aristocracy, and lives a luxurious life until he decides to escape his home and see the world outside. During his outing, he sees an old man, a sick man, and a dead man. After seeing these men, he discovers human suffering for the first time, and is no longer satisfied with his old way of life. -
528 BCE
Siddhartha Gautama obtains enlightenment
Siddhartha Gautama meditates under the Bodhi tree and after 7 days reached enlightenment. After reaching enlightenment, he amasses a great number of followers and teaches them what would come to be known as the main principles of Buddhism: The Four Noble Truths, and the Eight-Fold Path. -
483 BCE
Siddhartha Gautama dies
Siddhartha Gautama dies after eating a meal. Some people say that the meal had poisonous foods included unknowingly in it, and some other people say that the Buddha's stomach could not handle eating the meat and died. Before he dies, he lets his followers know that he has taught all that he had to teach them. -
Period: 268 BCE to 232 BCE
Ashoka's reign over the Maurya Dynasty
Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya Dynasty was responsible for the wide spread of Buddhism throughout all of Asia, sending missionaries to several different countries to spread the religion. -
250 BCE
Third Buddhist Council is held
The Third Buddhist Council is held. It is at this council that the Emperor Ashoka decides to send missionaries to various countries to spread Buddhism. This council is also notable for the fact that there were many "false" monks who had infiltrated the religion, and this was the main focus of the Third Buddhist Council. Thousands of monks were tested on their beliefs and those with heretical beliefs were expelled. -
25 BCE
Fourth Buddhist Council is held
The fourth Buddhist council is held, and during this council, the Theravada's Pali Canon is written down to be preserved. The reason that a council was convened was that due to a food shortage in Sri Lanka, many monks had died, and with the, their oral history and knowledge. To combat the inevitable deaths of Monks who would take their knowledge and teachings with them, the Buddhist monks who convened the meeting took to writing down the teachings so that they would not be lost. -
Period: 1 CE to 200
Buddhism enters China
Buddhism enters China and is merged with Taoism. Mahayana Buddhism was the most popular school of Buddhism in China. -
538
Buddhism is introduced to Japan
Buddhism is introduced to the country of Japan through Korea, and quickly gains popularity. The introduction of Buddhism to the island nation brought with it a new vigor into the arts and literature. Many different schools and sects spawned throughout Japan teaching their own brand of Buddhism, amassing followers throughout different regions. -
Period: 617 to 649
Songsten Gampo's reign over Tibet
Songsten Gampo was a ruler of Tibet that is said to have introduced Buddhism into Tibet. During his reign, he had many Buddhist temples erected to promote the religion and its worship. -
1193
Nalanda University is destroyed
The Nalanda university, where Buddhist teachings were taught and learned, is destroyed by Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji during a Muslim conquest in that region. This led to the death of Buddhism in India. -
1391
Gedun Drupa is born
Gedun Drupa, posthumously considered to be the first Dalai Lama is born. The Dalai Lamai, in Tibetan Buddhist tradition, is considered to be the reincarnation of Avalokiteśvara, a Bodhisattva. The Dalai Lama is said to reincarnate forever, instead of reaching Nirvana, so that they may continue their holy work in the world.
