Pilgrims meditate at the Maya Devi Temple, with ancient remains in the background, at Lumbini in Nepal. The site is said to be the birthplace of the Buddha.
Oldest Buddhist shrine —
Pilgrims meditate at the Maya Devi Temple, with ancient remains in the background, at Lumbini in Nepal. The site is said to be the birthplace of the Buddha.
Ira Block/National Geographic
Archaeologist Robin Coningham of Durham University in the United Kingdom emerges from the dig at the Lumbini Village Mound in Nepal. He led a study describing the oldest Buddhist shrine ever found.
Oldest Buddhist shrine —
Archaeologist Robin Coningham of Durham University in the United Kingdom emerges from the dig at the Lumbini Village Mound in Nepal. He led a study describing the oldest Buddhist shrine ever found.
Ira Block/National Geographic
Monks chant within the Maya Devi Temple, which enshrines the Buddha's birthplace, at Lumbini in Nepal.
Oldest Buddhist shrine —
Monks chant within the Maya Devi Temple, which enshrines the Buddha's birthplace, at Lumbini in Nepal.
Ira Block/National Geographic
Coningham works in the trench in the remains of an ancient monastery. The Maya Devi Temple is in the background.
Oldest Buddhist shrine —
Coningham works in the trench in the remains of an ancient monastery. The Maya Devi Temple is in the background.
Ira Block/National Geographic
Thai monks inside the Maya Devi Temple meditate over the remains of the oldest Buddhist shrine.
Oldest Buddhist shrine —
Thai monks inside the Maya Devi Temple meditate over the remains of the oldest Buddhist shrine.
Ira Block/National Geographic
Coningham, left, and Kosh Prasad Acharya direct excavations within the Maya Devi Temple. They uncovered a series of ancient temples; the oldest, they say, is from the sixth century B.C.
Oldest Buddhist shrine —
Coningham, left, and Kosh Prasad Acharya direct excavations within the Maya Devi Temple. They uncovered a series of ancient temples; the oldest, they say, is from the sixth century B.C.
Ira Block/National Geographic
Pilgrims meditate by a stone pillar erected by the ancient King Ashoka in the third century B.C., at the Maya Devi Temple.
Oldest Buddhist shrine —
Pilgrims meditate by a stone pillar erected by the ancient King Ashoka in the third century B.C., at the Maya Devi Temple.
Ira Block/National Geographic
A pilgrim meditates at a sacred "Bodhi tree" at the Sacred Garden of Lumbini. More than a million pilgrims visit Lumbini each year.
Oldest Buddhist shrine —
A pilgrim meditates at a sacred "Bodhi tree" at the Sacred Garden of Lumbini. More than a million pilgrims visit Lumbini each year.
Ira Block/National Geographic
Lumbini is one of four major sites of importance for Buddhists. The other locations revered by followers of Buddhism are Bodh Gaya (where he became a Buddha), Sarnath (where he first preached) and Kusinagara (where he passed away).
Oldest Buddhist shrine —
Lumbini is one of four major sites of importance for Buddhists. The other locations revered by followers of Buddhism are Bodh Gaya (where he became a Buddha), Sarnath (where he first preached) and Kusinagara (where he passed away).
national geographic
Oldest Buddhist shrine

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Here’s a look at Buddhism, the major religion of many countries in Asia.

Beliefs/Practices

Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) grew up in a wealthy family. He decided to follow a path of self-denial, but did not find truth until he sat down under a tree, now known as the Bo tree. There he was “enlightened” and obtained the knowledge he had been looking for.

According to legend, Buddha sat under the Bo tree for 49 days and was tempted by demons. He discovered four noble truths and the Eightfold Path to Nirvana, or ultimate bliss.

The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism: 1) suffering as a characteristic of existence, 2) the cause of suffering is craving and attachment, 3) the ceasing of suffering, called Nirvana, and 4) the path to Nirvana, made up of eight steps, sometimes called the Eightfold Path.

The Eightfold Path to Nirvana is to be “right” in all these areas: concentration, views, speech, resolve, action, livelihood, effort and mindfulness.

There are two major schools of Buddhism: Mahayana and Theravada or Hinayana. There is a third school, the Vajrayana, but it only has a small following.

Dozens of different sects of Buddhism are derived from these schools, all having different characteristics, but sharing the basic beliefs.

Buddhists believe in reincarnation and that one must stop the cycle of rebirth as a suffering, selfish individual, and must attain Nirvana, which is the highest point and the end of the self.

Karma is the belief that good deeds/behavior will be visited back on individuals as well as bad deeds/behavior. This is the basis for living a good, moral life.

The Pali Tipitaka is the earliest collection of sacred Buddhist writings; used mostly in the Theravada school. Translated, it means the “Three Baskets.”

Other Facts

According to Pew Research Center, there are approximately 488 million Buddhists worldwide.

Less than 1% of the general public in the United States is Buddhist.

Timeline

563-483 BC - Siddhartha Gautama, or Buddha, lives in India. Others (especially the Japanese) believe he lived about 100 years later, from 448 to 368 BC. India is in religious disarray at the time of Buddhism’s creation. People have become disillusioned with Hinduism.

150 AD - Trade brings Indian people and beliefs to Asia, particularly China.

3rd century - Teachings of Buddha are translated to Chinese.

4th century - Introduced to Korea.

6th century - Introduced to Japan.

1100-1200 - Muslims dominate India, and Buddhism becomes a very minor religion in the country.

1800s - Introduced to the United States, mostly on the west coast.

1959 - Dalai Lama, the Buddhist leader in Tibet, flees to India to escape Chinese rule.

Present - Buddhism remains a minority religion in its country of origin, India, with about eight million followers, or 0.7% of the total Indian population.