No Small Tree The Roots And Branches Of Buddhism

Buddhism, one of the longest-standing and widest-spread religions, has since its origins in northeast India - moved across Asia and the entire world, branching out and taking on divergent forms along the way.

- Sienna Lakin

Buddhism emerged in northeastern India between the 6th century and the early 4th century BCE - a time that witnessed a myriad of religions rising, clashing, and spreading.

Buddhism developed from the teachings of the Buddha ("The Awakened One" in Sanskrit), a teacher who lived in northern India. Like many of the sects that developed in northeastern India at the time, Buddhism was constituted by the teachings of the Triratna, the "Three Jewels" of Buddhism - Buddha (the teacher), dharma (the teaching), and sangha (the community). The dates of his birth and death are disputed. Whilst many scholars believe that the Buddha lived from around 563 to 483 BCE, others argue it was nearly 100 years later, from around 448 to 368 BCE.

Northeastern India - which was less influenced by Vedic tradition - became the new ground for Buddhism and its sects. Buddhism then spread from India to China, Korea, and Japan, as well as to Southeast Asia via Sri Lanka. Buddhism played a central role in the spiritual, cultural, and social spheres of Asia, and began to spread to the West from the 20th century onwards.

Two fundamental sects that arose at the time of the Buddha were the Ajivikas and the Jains. Diverging from other Buddhist denominations, both the Ajivikas and the Jains believed in the permanence of the elements that constitute the universe and the existence of the soul.

Over time, two major branches of Buddhism emerged, Mahayana ("Great Vehicle") and Theravada ("School of the Elders"), while a third, Vajrayana ("Diamond Vehicle"), is considered by scholars to be an aspect of Mahayana Buddhism or an entirely separate branch.