The Different Paths of Buddhism: A Narrative-Historical Introduction

Chronology

257 CHRONOLOGY Western Dates Major Events 563–483 B.C.E. Life of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha 327–325 B.C.E. Invasion of northwest India by Alexander the Great 322–185 B.C.E. Mauryan Dynasty; Buddhism spreads throughout northern India 269–232 B.C.E. Reign of King Azoka, advocate for Buddhism 247 B.C.E. King Tissa officially adopts Buddhism in Sri Lanka 200 B.C.E.–200 C.E. Rise of Mahayana Buddhism; Buddhism spreads to south India, central Asia, and China. 140–115 B.C.E. Reign of Greek King Milinda (Menander) 29 B.C.E. Portions of Buddhist canon take written form in Sri Lanka 50–200 C.E. Reign of Kushana Dynasty in northwest India and central Asia 78–101 C.E. Reign of Kushana king Kanishka, patron of Buddhism 200 C.E. Nagarjuna, founder of the Madhyamika school of Mahayana philosophy 320–540 Gupta Dynasty rules India 300 Buddhism introduced into China 344–413 Kumarajiva translates Sanskrit texts into Chinese 372 Buddhism arrives in Korea through China 400 AsaNga and Vasubandhu found Yogacara school of Mahayana; Buddhaghosa active in Sri Lanka 402–411 Fa-hsien, Chinese Buddhist pilgrim, visits India 476–542 T’an-luan, the first Chinese master of Pure Land Buddhism 500s Chinese monk Chih-i founds T’ien T’ai school of Buddhism 552 Korea introduces Buddhism to Japan 629–645 Hsüan-tsang, Chinese Buddhist pilgrim, visits India 607 Prince Shotoku founds first national Buddhist temple in Nara, Japan 624 Jojtsu and Sanron schools established in Japan 654 Hosso school enters Japan 658 Kusha school established in Japan 671–695 Travels of Chinese monk I-tsing 700s Fa-tsang founds Hua-yen school of Chinese Buddhism 710–794 Nara Period in Japan; Buddhism becomes a state religion in 728 736 Kegon school established in Japan 738 Ritsu school established in Japan 740–798 Mahayana Buddhism established in Tibet 750 Construction of Borobudur stupa on the island of Java (Indonesia) 760–1142 Pala Dynasty rules northeast India and supports Buddhism 805 Saicho establishes Tendai school in Japan 830 Kukai establishes Shingon school in Japan 1000–1100 Revival of Theravada in Sri Lanka and Burma 1042 Indian monk Atiza arrives in Tibet 1044–1077 Theravada Buddhism established in Burma 1150 Construction of Angkor monastery and temple in Cambodia 1175 Honen establishes Jodo school of Pure Land Buddhism in Japan 1200 Rinzai school of Zen founded by Eisai and Soto school by Dogen in Japan 1201 Shinran establishes Jodo Shinshu sect of Pure Land Buddhism in Japan 1220 Muslim invasion of northern India; destruction of Buddhist centers 1253 Nichren founds a sect named for himself in Japan based on the Lotus Sutra 1275–1317 Thai king recognizes Buddhism 1300s Tsong Khapa reforms Tibetan Buddhism and forms Gelugpa school 1327 Cambodian king establishes Theravada Buddhism 1360 King of Laos establishes Theravada Buddhism 1700s Japanese Zen master, painter, and poet Hakuin reforms Rinzai school of Zen 1874 Friedrich Max Müller begins to edit the Sacred Books of the East series 1879 The Light of Asia by Edwin Arnold published 1880 Henry Steele Olcott helps Buddhist revival in Sri Lanka 1881 Pali Text Society founded for translation of Theravada canon 1891 Mahabodhi Society founded 1893 World Parliament of Religions meets in Chicago 1931 Buddhist Society of America founded in New York City 1937 Soka Gakkai founded in Japan 1944 Buddhist Churches of America organized to unite Pure Land sect’s Buddhist temples in north America CHRONOLOGY 258 1950 World Fellowship of Buddhism organized in Sri Lanka; Chinese Communists begin to attack Buddhism 1956 Celebration of 2,500 years of Buddhism; B. R. Ambedkar’s revival of Buddhism in India 1958 Sarvodaya Zramadana Movement begins in Sri Lanka 1959 Fourteenth Dalai Lama establishes Tibetan exile community in northern India 1960 Nichiren chapter founded in California 1968 Tarthang Tulku propagates Tibetan Buddhism in the United States 1970 Chogyam Trungpa Tulku begins to spread Tibetan Buddhism in United States 1989 Fourteenth Dalai Lama awarded the Nobel Peace Prize CHRONOLOGY 259 ...