Introducing Buddhism course,

tutor: Mike Horne

ca. 560 BCE Buddha born; left palace at age of 29; became enlightened at age of 35 and taught for 45 years. First Council held at Rajagaha 3 months after death of Buddha. Second Council held a hundred years later at Vesali
325 BCE Alexander the Great invades NW India
264-227 BCE Emperor Asoka unites N India, becomes a B'ist; initiates Third Council; sends Missions to Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Greece, Egypt, etc.
ca 25 BCE Fourth Council in Sri Lanka; Pali Cannon written
ca 1st Cen. CE Fourth Council in India; Sanskrit Cannon written. B'ism spreads to China
ca 2nd Cen. Nagarajuna establishes the Madhyamika School
372 B'ism spread to Korea
ca 450 Buddhaghosa, Indian scholar, writes Visuddhi Magga
ca 498-561 Bodhidharma founder of Zen in China
ca 500 Pure Land School established in China
552 B'ism arrives in Japan
602 Hiuen Tsiang born; introduced Indian scriptures to China; hero of "Monkey"
610 B'ism becomes state religion in Japan
638-713 Hui Neng Sixth Zen Patriarch in China
ca 640 B'ism arrives in Tibet
ca 720 B'ism established in Thailand
ca 750 Padmasambhava founds Nyingma School in Tibet
767-822 Dengyo Daishi, founder of Tendai School in Japan
793-4 Council in Tibet rejects Ch'an in favour of tantric Buddhism
867 death of Lin-Chi (founder of Rinzai Zen in China)
868 oldest known printed text Chinese translation of Diamond Sutra
980-1052 Atisa founded Kadham pa school in Tibet
1052-1135 Milarepa in Tibet (Kagya school)
1079-1153 Gampopa disciple of Milarepa
1133-1212 Honen Shonin, founder of Jodo shu ('Pure Land School') in Japan
1141-1215 Myoan Eisai founder of Rinzai Zen in Japan
ca 1170 Fifth (Theravada) council held in Sri Lanka
1173-1262 Shinran Shonin, founder of Jodo-Shin Shu in Japan
1197 Nalanda University destroyed; Buddhism starts to decline in India following Moslem invasions
1200-1253 Eihei Dogen founder of Soto Zen in Japan
1173-1262 Shinran Shonin founder of Jodo Shin shu ('True Pure Land School') in Japan
1222-82 Nichiren Shonin founder of Nicheren B'ism in Japan
1357-1419 Tsongkhapa (a.k.a. Je Rinpoche) founder of Gelug school in Tibet
1360 B'ism becomes state religion of Thailand
1543-1588 3rd Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso
1617-1682 5th Dalai Lama Ngawang Losang Gyatso
1643-1694 Basho, writer of poetry in Japan
1686-1769 Hakuin Zenji reformer of Rinzai Zen in Japan
1870-1966 D T Suzuki
1871 Sixth (Theravada) Council held in Mandalay, Burma
1875 Theosophical Society founded by Madame Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott.
1876-1933 13th Dalai Lama Tubten Gyatso
1879 Sir Edward Arnold publishes The Light of Asia
1881 Pali Text Society formed.
1893 Parliament of World Religions in Chicago
1904 British invasion of Tibet
1924 Buddhist Society founded in London by Christmas Humphreys
1935 14th Dalai Lama born Tenzin Gyatso
1950 China invades Tibet
1959 Dalai Lama flees to India