Buddhism, the Creation, the Spread, and the Application
At its starting point, Buddhism was but a tool to counteract the increasing power of the Brahman peoples, yet over time, Buddhism has become a lifestyle which appeals to a majority of the people in Asia, mostly China, however, it is important to consider the long history of Buddhism. The lifestyle dates back to the time of Siddhartha Gautama (563 BC - 483 BC) containing a long and rich history from when it was created, to how it spread, and how it was finally established in different parts of Afro-Eurasia. Buddhism began with Siddhartha Gautama as a form of challenging the traditional Brahmanical beliefs of the time by providing the peoples of South Asia with alternatives to establishing …show more content…
As such, a shift commenced within the established belief systems. Buddhism which initially did not support a life under deities began to experience a morphing from within. It was not long before Buddha himself was deified, well after the death of Siddhartha, marking the birth of the Mahayana Schools that promoted Mahayana Buddhism. Unlike its other counterpart, Mahayana Buddhism well-established the Bodhisattvas, a group of enlightened deity-like individuals who would stay behind from entering Nirvana in order to aid others in achieving Nirvana. Compared to traditional Buddhism, the Mahayana appealed best to foreigners for it changed the perception from all life being suffering into one that placed a priority on becoming wise and becoming awakened in order to achieve internal peace and happiness. As Mahayana Buddhism initiated its spread throughout Afro-Eurasia, the once humbled Buddha’s image faced modification at the hands of the artisans; he was no longer shown meditating, his once cloth-like robe became a monastic silk-like Roman toga, and he was now depicted with an ushnisha, a cranial
At its starting point, Buddhism was but a tool to counteract the increasing power of the Brahman peoples, yet over time, Buddhism has become a lifestyle which appeals to a majority of the people in Asia, mostly China, however, it is important to consider the long history of Buddhism. The lifestyle dates back to the time of Siddhartha Gautama (563 BC - 483 BC) containing a long and rich history from when it was created, to how it spread, and how it was finally established in different parts of Afro-Eurasia. Buddhism began with Siddhartha Gautama as a form of challenging the traditional Brahmanical beliefs of the time by providing the peoples of South Asia with alternatives to establishing …show more content…
As such, a shift commenced within the established belief systems. Buddhism which initially did not support a life under deities began to experience a morphing from within. It was not long before Buddha himself was deified, well after the death of Siddhartha, marking the birth of the Mahayana Schools that promoted Mahayana Buddhism. Unlike its other counterpart, Mahayana Buddhism well-established the Bodhisattvas, a group of enlightened deity-like individuals who would stay behind from entering Nirvana in order to aid others in achieving Nirvana. Compared to traditional Buddhism, the Mahayana appealed best to foreigners for it changed the perception from all life being suffering into one that placed a priority on becoming wise and becoming awakened in order to achieve internal peace and happiness. As Mahayana Buddhism initiated its spread throughout Afro-Eurasia, the once humbled Buddha’s image faced modification at the hands of the artisans; he was no longer shown meditating, his once cloth-like robe became a monastic silk-like Roman toga, and he was now depicted with an ushnisha, a cranial