Top 11 Causes for the Rise of Buddhism in

India
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Buddhism gained wide acceptance and its popularity spread like wild fire throughout India.
Various causes were response accounted for the rise and spread of Buddhism. In recorded
time, every nook and corner of the country reverberated with the prayers of the monks
(bhikshus) and the lay-worshippers (Upasikas).

1. Influence of Time:

6th Century B.C. was an ideal time for the spread of Buddhism. It was a time when people
were fed up with the superstitions, complex rituals and rites and blind beliefs. The message of
the Buddha came as a welcome relief to people already groaning under the oppressive weight
of Brahmanism. They were easily drawn to Buddhism by the simplicity of its faith and its
religious tolerance.

2. Simple Doctrines:

As compared with Jainism, Buddhism was essentially simple. It did not confuse the people.
Rather its Arya Satya Eight-fold Path and concept of non-violence were so simple that
people could easily understand and follow these. Buddhism also lacked the severity of
Jainism, as well as the complexity of Vedic rituals. The people, already fed up with
Brahminical manipulations of Vedic religion, came to accept Buddhism as a soothing and
refreshing change.

3. Simple Language:

The Buddha spread his message in the simple language of the masses of people. The Prakrit
language which Buddha used was the spoken language of India. The Vedic religion was
understood only with the help of Sanskrit language which was the monopoly of the
Brahmins. Buddhism was easily understood and people accepted it after being convinced
about its simple philosophy and pleasing message.

4. Personality of Buddha:

The personality of the Buddha endeared him and his religion to the masses. The Buddha was
kind and ego-less. His calm composure, sweet words of simple philosophy and his life of
renunciation drew the masses to him. He had ready moral solutions for problems of the
people. His example of a prince renouncing the world to save humanity from sins and rebirth
and wandering from place to place to convince the people with his messages and sermons
came to naturally evoke awe, admiration and acceptance of the people for him and his
religion. The spread of Buddhism was thus rapid.

5. Inexpensive:
Buddhism was inexpensive, without the expensive rituals that characterized the Vedic
religion. Practical morality, not rites and expensive rituals, came as its beacon feature and
helped to set up a healthy tradition in society. It advocated a spiritual path without any
material obligations of satisfying gods and Brahmins through rituals and gifts. People
competed to embrace Buddhism.

6. No Caste Harried:

Buddhism did not believe in cast-distinctions. It opposed that caste system and regarded
people of all castes equally. Its followers sat together, forgetting their caste and discussed
ethics and morality. The non-Brahmins in particular were drawn to its fold. Its popularity
spread by leaps and bounds.

7. Royal Patronage:

Royal patronage of Buddhism also accounted for its rapid rise. The Buddha himself was a
Kshatriya prince. Kings like Prasenjit, Bimbisara, Ajatasatru, Asoka, Kanishka and
Harshavardhan patronised Buddhism and helped its spread throughout India and outside, as
well. Asoka deputed his children, Mahendra and Sanghamitra, to Sri Lanka for the spread of
Buddhism. Kanishka and Harshavardhan worked untiringly for the spread of Buddhism
throughout India.

8. Role of the Universities:

Prominent was also the role of the Universities at Nalanda, Taxila, Puspagiri and Vikramsila
in the spread of Buddhism. Students from various parts of India and from outside India,
reading in these universities, were attracted to Buddhism and embraced it. They also
dedicated themselves to the spread of Buddhism.

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The famous Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang was a student of the Nalanda University. Its
teachers like Shilavadra, Dharmapala, Chandrapala and Divakamitra were renowned scholars
who dedicated themselves to the cause of the spread of Buddhism. Others who followed it
were Dignnaga, Dharmakirti, Vasubandhu etc.

9. Buddhist Monks and Sangha:

The Buddhist monks and the Buddhist Order (Sangha) did incomparable service for the
spread of Buddhism. Prominent among Buddhas disciples were Ananda, Sariputta,
Maudgalayana, Sudatta and Upali etc. They were singularly determined and dedicated to
spread Buddhism throughout India. The Buddhist sanga came to establish its branches
throughout India. Soon local people were drawn to these branches of the Buddhist Order.
They either became monks (bhikshu) or Upasakas (lay-worshippers) and led lives of austere
serenity. Their example influenced more and more people to follow it. As a result. Buddhism
spread rapidly.

10. Buddhist Councils:

The Buddhist Councils played an important role for the teaching and spread of Buddhism in
India. Following the death (Mahaparinirvana) of Lord Buddha, the First-Buddhist Council
was held in 487 B.C. (or 486 B.C.) in the Magadhan capital at Rajagriha, under the leadership
of Ajatasatru and the presidency of Mahakashyap. Nearly 500 Buddhists attended this
council.

It was in this council that the teachings of the Buddha were compiled and codified into
scriptures called Tripitaka. The Tripitaka consisted of Sutra Pitaka, Vmaya Pitaka and
Abhidharma Pitaka Sutra Pitaka consisted of the advices of the Buddha, Vinaya Pitaka
prescribed the norms and rules of the sangha. Abhidharma Pitaka contained the Buddhist
philosophy. This council went a long way in making Buddhism popular.

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Exactly hundred years later, in 387 B.C. (or 386 B.C.) the Second Buddhist Council was
convened at Vaisali under the supervision of Kalasoka Kakavarni. This council relaxed some
of the principles of Buddhism like preserving salt, tacking lunch after mid-day, receiving gold
and silver and the like. Conflict of opinion split the Buddhist order into two groups or
factions. One was Sthavira and the other, Mahasanghika.

In 251 B.C. and during the illustrious reign of Emperor Asoka, the Third Buddhist Council
came to be held in Pataliputra, the coital of Magadha The renowned Buddhist monk
Mogaliputta Tissa presided over this council. An attempt was made in the council to discuss
the issues of conflicting ideas and arrive at a solution based on consensus. Many reforms
were also carried out in the Sangha. The prime objective was to restore purity by cleansing
the sangha of all perversions.

The Kushana Emperor Kaniska held the Fourth Buddhist Council at Kundalabana Vihar in
Kashmir during 1st century A.D. Vasumitra was its president and Ashvaghosha, its vice-
president. This council discussed extensively about the many latent problems confronting
Buddhism.

This council was unique because all discussions here were carried out in Sanskrit and an
analysis of Buddhism was made into the form of an encyclopedia of Buddhism called
Mahabivasha. Kaniska ordered the gist of all discussions to be engraved on copper-plates to
be preserved in stone-chambers of a stupa.

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A new branch under the leadership of Ashvaghosha came up. This faction was known as
Mahayana. Followers of this group came to practise worship of the Buddhas image. Thus,
the Fourth Buddhist Council split the Buddhists into two groups, namely, Hinayana and
Mahayana, The Mahayana sect was declared as the state-religion.

These Buddhist councils were being held with regular intervals. So the popular liking could
be kept sustained towards Buddhism. The people were closely following the deliberations of
these councils and were increasingly drawn into its fold. This accounted for the continuous
popularity of Buddhism.
11. Absence of Strong Rivals:

Right from its beginning in the 6th Century B.C., Buddhism had no rivals to reckon or
contend with. Though Jainism became popular, the severity of its laws made people far away
from it. The missionary zeal of Buddhism was conspicuously absent in contemporary
Hinduism. There was no reformer to cleanse the Brahminical faith and spread it among the
people in its pure form. Islam and Christianity were yet to be born. As a result. Buddhism
came to hold an unrivalled sway throughout India.