Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Buddhism
The 2011 census in India revealed that 0.8% of the country's population is Buddhist. Bod-
hgaya, in the state of Bihar, is one of Buddhism's most sacred sites, drawing pilgrims from
right across the world.
Buddhism arose in the 6th century BC as a reaction against the strictures of Brahminical
Hinduism. Buddha (Awakened One) is believed to have lived from about 563 to 483 BC.
Formerly a prince (Siddhartha Gautama), the Buddha, at the age of 29, embarked on a
quest for emancipation from the world of suffering. He achieved nirvana (the state of full
awareness) at Bodhgaya, aged 35. Critical of the caste system and the unthinking worship
of gods, the Buddha urged his disciples to seek truth within their own experiences.
The Buddha taught that existence is based on Four Noble Truths: that life is rooted in
suffering, that suffering is caused by craving, that one can find release from suffering by
eliminating craving, and that the way to eliminate craving is by following the Noble Eight-
fold Path. This path consists of right understanding, right intention, right speech, right ac-
tion, right livelihood, right effort, right awareness and right concentration. By successfully
complying with these one can attain nirvana.
Buddhism had somewhat waned in parts of India by the turn of the 20th century.
However, it saw a revival in the 1950s among intellectuals and Dalits who were disillu-
sioned with the caste system. The number of followers has been further increased with the
influx of Tibetan refugees. Both the current Dalai Lama and the 17th Karmapa reside in In-
dia.
