242 HISTORY OF LAJIAISM. 



to get a residue which may be treated as fairly historical, seeing that 

 the periods dealt with are so relatively recent. 



Buddhism arose in India and flourished there for about fifteen 

 . , centuries, until it was forcibly suppressed by the 

 Indian origin aud Muhammadan invaders in the latter end of the 

 growth. 12th century A.D. 



According to the best authorities, Buddhism was founded at 

 Benares about the 5th century B.C., when the 

 Its origin. newly-fledged Buddha preached his first sermon and 



made his first converts on the site now marked by the Sarnath stupa. 

 The new religion soon spread over the North-Western Provinces 

 and Oudh and extended down the Gangetic valley 

 ts sprea in n la. ^^ Bihar. But its wide dissemination dates from 

 the epoch of the Great Indian Emperor Asoka, in 

 j^J^tension outside ^j^^ g^.^j century B.C., who had his cajjital at the 

 city of Patna in Bihar. Asoka made Buddhism the 

 State religion ; and, besides diligently promoting it in his own territo- 

 ries, he sent swarms of missionaries into neighbour- 

 o ey on. -^^^ countries to preach the faith. From Asoka's 



son, Mahendra, Ceylon claims to have obtained its 

 Buddhism and the Pali alphabet; while the Asoka 

 missionaries Uttara and Sauna are similarly claimed by Burma. 



Buddhism spread through Afghanistan, Cashmere, and its adjoin- 

 ing principalities, into Mongolia and China, and 



Casliinere, Afghan- . i i rti • * t • • ii ^.i 



istan. aud Mongolia. through China to Japan, exercismg on all the 

 wilder tribes a marked civilizing influence. It 

 China and Japan. ^^^ established in China about 61 A.D. 



Up to the 7th century A.D. the people of Tibet were without a 



written language and were pure savages. Early 



^^Its late extension to -^^ ^j^^ j^]^ century A.D. was born Srong-tsan- 



gampo, whose ancestors since two or three genera- 

 tions had established their authority over Central Tibet, and had 

 latterly harassed the western boundaries of China ; so that the Chinese 

 Emperor was glad to make peace with the young prince and gave 

 him a princess of the Imperial house in marriage. Srong-tsan-gampo 

 had two years previously married the daughter of the King of Nepal ; 

 and both these wives being bigoted Buddhists, they speedily con- 

 verted Srong-tsan-gampo, who under their advice sent to India for 

 Buddhist books and teachers; hence dates the introduction of Bud- 

 dhism into Tibet. 



Four great councils are reported to have been held for the sup- 

 pression of heresy, viz. — 



(1) The Council held at Rajagriha under the presidency of 

 Maha Kasyapa immediately after Buddha's death. 



