An Introduction to Buddhism

A Brief Introduction to Buddhism

Buddhism in History

Buddhism developed some 2,600 years ago with the birth and Enlightenment of the Lord Buddha in India. The Buddha was born Lord Siddhattha Gautama at Lumbini, in Nepal, the son of a royal family. He achieved Enlightenment at the age of 35, and died at the age of 80. Tradition has it that the Buddha's birth date, enlightenment, and death all occurred on the same day of the year. For the first three hundred years Buddhist teachings spread through India and the surrounding areas.

A. The Spread of Buddhism

After about 345 years after the Buddha's enlightenment, King Asoka of India convocated the "Third Buddhist Council" and, as a result of that counsel, sent a group of enlightened monks to bring the Buddha's teachings to other peoples in Asia. Two monks were sent to the Thai people; their names were Phra Soña and Phra Utara. At that time the area that is now Thailand was called "Suwannapoomi", in the area of the present day provincial capital Nakon Pathom.

B. Buddhism in Thailand

Historically, the race of people know as Thai have existed for 2,000 years. However, the Thai people have existed as a separate nation for only about 700 years. While their first capital city was Sukhothai, the capital has moved several times. The present capital of Thailand is Bangkok, or as it is known to Thai people "Khrungthep Mahanakorn," and has been the Thai capital since 1782 A.D. Buddhism is practiced in two major strains, Theravada Buddhism (or the Lesser Vehicle) and Mahayana (or the Greater Vehicle). While both versions were practiced in Thailand during its early history, the predominant strain in Thailand today is Theravada Buddhism. Thailand shares Theravada Buddhism with Sri Lanka, Burma, Cambodia, Laos. Mahayana is practiced mainly in China, Japan, Korea, and Nepal. The Dali Lama is the acknowledged leader of the Tibetan Mahayana sects. After Sukhothai was well established, Theravada Buddhism began to flourish in Thailand; this was principally accomplished by sending monks from Thailand to study in Sri Lanka.

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