Difference between two buddisim?
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWO BUDDHISM
There were old and new forms of Buddhism
This older form of Buddhism was more popular in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand and other parts of South East Asia including Indonesia.
Mahayana Buddhism
The Kushana ruler Kanishka assembled a Buddhist council where scholars met and discussed important matters.
Ashvagosha, a poet penned the ‘Buddhacharita’, a biography of the Buddha. He and other Buddhist scholars started writing in Sanskrit.
Mahayana Buddhism now developed. This new form of Buddhism had two unique features.
On attaining enlightenment, they could live separately and meditate in peace. But instead of doing that, they stayed in the world to teach and help other people.
The worship of Bodhisattvas spread throughout Central Asia, China, Korea and Japan.
Buddhism also spread in western and southern India where many caves were excavated out of hills for the monks to live in.
These caves were made on the orders of kings, queens, merchants and farmers.
Many of these caves were located near passes through the Western Ghats.
These passes were well connected to the roads to the cities and ports nearby. Hence many traders stayed in these cave monasteries during their travels.
There were old and new forms of Buddhism
- Theravada Buddhism
- Mahayana Buddhism
This older form of Buddhism was more popular in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand and other parts of South East Asia including Indonesia.
Mahayana Buddhism
The Kushana ruler Kanishka assembled a Buddhist council where scholars met and discussed important matters.
Ashvagosha, a poet penned the ‘Buddhacharita’, a biography of the Buddha. He and other Buddhist scholars started writing in Sanskrit.
Mahayana Buddhism now developed. This new form of Buddhism had two unique features.
- Initially, the Buddha’s existence was shown in sculptures by using certain indications. For instance, his achievement of enlightenment was shown by sculptures of the ‘peepal tree’. His image was not present.
- But later the statues of the Buddha were made in Mathura and Taxila.
On attaining enlightenment, they could live separately and meditate in peace. But instead of doing that, they stayed in the world to teach and help other people.
The worship of Bodhisattvas spread throughout Central Asia, China, Korea and Japan.
Buddhism also spread in western and southern India where many caves were excavated out of hills for the monks to live in.
These caves were made on the orders of kings, queens, merchants and farmers.
Many of these caves were located near passes through the Western Ghats.
These passes were well connected to the roads to the cities and ports nearby. Hence many traders stayed in these cave monasteries during their travels.