{"id":2865,"date":"2026-03-02T15:31:55","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T10:01:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/?p=2865"},"modified":"2026-03-11T12:43:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T07:13:19","slug":"buddhism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/buddhism\/","title":{"rendered":"Buddhism, History, Types, Sects, Decline of Buddhism in India"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Buddhism<\/strong>\u00a0arose in the 6th century BCE in the Gangetic plain during a time of second urbanisation and social changes in India. As Buddha's teachings resonated with people discontented with Vedic rituals and caste system, Buddhism quickly spread across northern India. Political and economic support by merchants and artisans fostered Buddhist growth. Further, under the Mauryas, Buddhism expanded both in India and outside. Doctrinal debates within Buddhism led to the emergence of major schools like Theravada and Mahayana.<\/p>\r\n<p>Buddhism started to decline due to many socio-political factors. Its decline started with the Gupta dynasty, and by the 12th century CE, it almost disappeared in India; however, it continued to thrive in other Asian countries.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Various Sects of Buddhism<\/h2>\r\n<p>After Buddha's death, his followers interpreted his teachings in different ways, leading to doctrinal divisions and the emergence of distinct Buddhist sects.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The earliest division happened during the\u00a0<strong>2nd <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/buddhist-council\/\" target=\"_blank\">Buddhist Council<\/a> at Vaishali<\/strong>\u00a0around\u00a0<strong>383 BCE\u00a0<\/strong>when the monastic order divided into:\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The\u00a0<strong>Sthaviravadins\u00a0<\/strong>who adhered strictly to the Vinaya code of monastic discipline and<\/li>\r\n\t<li>The<strong>\u00a0Mahasanghikas<\/strong>\u00a0advocated more relaxed norms.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Around the 1st century CE, after the\u00a0<strong>Fourth Buddhist Council under Kanishka<\/strong>, Mahayana Buddhism emerged as a departure from Hinayana Buddhism.\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Mahayana<\/strong>\u00a0followers formed a distinct sect, worshipping\u00a0<strong>Buddha images as divine beings,<\/strong>\u00a0unlike non-theistic Hinayana.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li>In the 7th century,\u00a0<strong>Vajrayana Buddhism<\/strong>\u00a0emerged as a tantric branch of Mahayana. As Buddhism spread via trade networks, localised adaptations led to variants like\u00a0<strong>Tibetan, Chinese and Zen Buddhism.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\r\n\t<li>However, core teachings like the\u00a0<em><strong>Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path and Non-Self<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0remained common across sects. Divisions were based more on differing practices and interpretations rather than principles.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>The basic tenets of the various sects and subsects are described in the following table:<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<figure>\r\n<table>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\"><strong>Sects\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\"><strong>Tenets of the Sects of Buddhism<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p><strong>Hinayana<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p>(Lesser vehicle)\/<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Theravada<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>- Theravada, meaning<strong>\u00a0\"Teaching of the Elders\"<\/strong>, is the most conservative and orthodox form of Buddhism.<\/p>\r\n<p>- It emphasises attaining liberation from suffering through individual effort and meditation based on Buddha's earliest teachings in the\u00a0<strong>Pali Canon<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<p>- It believes in the historicity of a single Buddha, Gautama Shakyamuni.<\/p>\r\n<p>- Emperor Ashoka helped spread Theravada in India.<\/p>\r\n<p>- Emerging from the\u00a0<strong>Vibhajjavada school,\u00a0<\/strong>Theravada focuses on<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><em><strong>Monastic discipline, the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the three marks of existence, karma, rebirth,<\/strong><\/em>and practices like\u00a0<strong>jhana\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<strong>vipassana meditation.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n\t<li>It does not accept later Mahayana sutras.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>- Theravada is dominant in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, having spread there from India by the 3rd century BCE.<\/p>\r\n<p>- The\u00a0<strong>monastic sangha<\/strong>\u00a0and its strong connections with the laity are notable features of Theravada Buddhist societies.<\/p>\r\n<p>- The school upholds Buddha's original doctrines and disciplines, idealising the\u00a0<strong>arhat<\/strong>\u00a0who achieves nirvana through rigorous spiritual striving.<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Sub-sects-<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Sarvastivada:<\/strong>\u00a0One of the early Buddhist schools, it believed in the existence of all dharmas in the past, present and future. It was influential in northwestern India and Central Asia.\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Vaibhasika<\/strong>: A later form of Sarvastivada, its main object is to expose Abhidhamma philosophy. Key classical texts of this school are\u00a0<strong>Abhidharma-kosa\u00a0<\/strong>(Vasubandhu)<strong>\u00a0and Milinda panho<\/strong>\u00a0(discussion between Nagasena and Meander I).<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Sautrantika<\/strong>: An offshoot of the<strong>\u00a0Sarvastivada\u00a0<\/strong>and based on\u00a0<strong>\u2018Sukta pitaka\u2019,<\/strong>\u00a0it came up against the naive realism and pluralism of Vaibhasikas. Main teachers of this school are\u00a0<strong>Kumaralat\u00a0<\/strong>(a contemporary of Nagarjuna),\u00a0<strong>Yasomitra\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<strong>Harivarman<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Sthaviravada:<\/strong>\u00a0The original Theravada school from which the Pali Canon emerged. It emphasised the Four Noble Truths and liberation through arhatship. Dominant in south India and Sri Lanka.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Vibhajjavada:<\/strong>\u00a0An offshoot of the Sthaviravada school, it compiled the Pali Canon. Its teachings form the basis of modern Theravada Buddhism.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Sammitiya:<\/strong>\u00a0An early school, it differentiated between the definitive and interpretative teachings of the Buddha. It died out in medieval times.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>- The Theravada school descends from the Vibhajjavada tradition and is considered the most orthodox and conservative surviving early Buddhist lineage today.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p><strong>Mahayana<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p>(Greater Vehicle)<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>- Em\u0435rg\u0435d around 1st century BCE during th\u0435 Fourth Buddhist Council, \u0435mphasizing th\u0435\u00a0<strong>conc\u0435pt of Bodhisattvas\u00a0<\/strong>- enlightened beings who d\u0435lay nirvana to h\u0435lp oth\u0435rs.<\/p>\r\n<p>- Th\u0435 Gupta \u0435mp\u0435ror\u00a0<strong>Harshavardhana<\/strong>\u00a0patroniz\u0435d Mahayana, \u0435stablishing monast\u0435ri\u0435s and supporting the translation of t\u0435xts into<strong>\u00a0Sanskrit.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p>- From Kashmir, Mahayana spr\u0435ad to C\u0435ntral Asia, China, Kor\u0435a, Japan and Vi\u0435tnam.<\/p>\r\n<p>- Mahayana is considered mor\u0435 progressive than th\u0435 old\u0435r Theravada tradition. It is inclusiv\u0435 of lay followers unlik\u0435 Th\u0435ravada's monastic focus.<\/p>\r\n<p>- K\u0435y Mahayana conc\u0435pts includ\u0435:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Bodhisattva\u00a0<\/strong>(on\u0435 who d\u0435lays nirvana to h\u0435lp oth\u0435rs) and\u00a0<strong>Buddha-natur\u0435<\/strong>\u00a0(potential for enlightenment in all beings).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Scriptur\u0435s lik\u0435\u00a0<strong>Lotus Sutra\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<strong>Heart Sutra<\/strong>\u00a0\u0435mphasiz\u0435 th\u0435 virtu\u0435s of compassion and wisdom.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>- Sub-s\u0435cts include\u00a0<strong>Yogacara and Madhyamaka<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Madhyamaka:<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Madhyamaka comes from Buddha\u2019s famous\u00a0<strong>\u2018middle position\u2019 (madhyama pratipad)<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Also known as\u00a0<strong>Sunyavada,<\/strong>\u00a0it was systematised by Nagarjuna. His famous work is\u00a0<strong>MulaMadhyamikaKarika<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Yogacara,\u00a0<\/strong>also known as\u00a0<strong>Vijnanavada,<\/strong>\u00a0is the only idealistic school in Buddhism and Indian philosophy in the strict sense.\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>It is not only idealism but also absolutism.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>It focuses on the workings of the mind and the nature of consciousness.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>As a metaphysical system, it comes up against the extreme nihilism of Madhyamika.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>- Mahayana's universal ideals appealed to the masses as it spread via\u00a0<strong>Silk Route trade networks<\/strong>\u00a0to China and East Asia.<\/p>\r\n<p>-\u00a0<strong>Sculptural Buddha images<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara<\/strong>\u00a0embodied Mahayana's spiritual themes.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Zen<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>- A\u00a0<strong>sub-school of the Mahayana sect<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p>- Emphasises the\u00a0<strong>practice of meditation<\/strong>\u00a0to achieve enlightenment. It is also known as\u00a0<strong>Chan\u00a0<\/strong>in China and Son in Korea.<\/p>\r\n<p>- It is particularly associated with Japan, where it developed into several distinct sub-schools.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Vajrayana<\/strong><br \/>\r\n(Diamond Vehicle)<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>- It emphasises the use of\u00a0<strong>rituals, mantras, and tantra\u00a0<\/strong>to achieve enlightenment in a single lifetime.<\/p>\r\n<p>- Practised mainly in\u00a0<em><strong>Tibet, Bhutan, and parts of Nepal and Mongolia.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Navayana\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<p>- It's a modern Buddhist movement that emerged in India in the late 20th century.<\/p>\r\n<p>- It is a reformist movement that seeks to reinterpret Buddhism in the context of the caste system in India, with a focus on social justice and equality.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<h2>Spread of Buddhism<\/h2>\r\n<p>During the lifetime of the Buddha, Buddhism was accepted by a large section of the people.<\/p>\r\n<p>For example, the people of Magadha, Kosala, and Kaushambi embraced Buddhism. The republics of Sakyas, Vajjis and Mallas also followed the process. The appeal of Buddhism for a large section of the population was because of the following factors:<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Social and Economic changes:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Many\u00a0<strong>people were disenchanted with the caste system<\/strong>\u00a0and the\u00a0<strong>rigid social hierarchy\u00a0<\/strong>and were seeking a more egalitarian and inclusive spiritual path.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Influence of the Buddha's teachings:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The Buddha's\u00a0<strong>teachings were compelling and resonated<\/strong>; emphasis on\u00a0<strong>compassion, non-violence<\/strong>, and the importance of personal responsibility appealed to many.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Conversion of rulers and elites:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The conversion of rulers and elites played a significant role in the spread of Buddhism.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>For example, according to tradition, Ashoka sent his son\u00a0<strong>Mahendra\u00a0<\/strong>and his daughter\u00a0<strong>Sanghamitra\u00a0<\/strong>to Sri Lanka to preach Buddhism. He also established many monasteries and contributed liberally to the sangha.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Monastic network:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The establishment of a network of monasteries and the spread of the monastic tradition contributed to the spread.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Accessibility of the Buddha's teachings:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>It was accessible to people from all walks of life, regardless of their caste or social status.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Use of Popular Language:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The use of Pali to explain the doctrines also helped in the spread of the religion, Unlike Brahmanical religion, which had limited itself to the use of Sanskrit.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Spread of Buddhism Outside India<\/h3>\r\n<p><strong>Spread of Hinayana Buddhism<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Ashoka sent Buddhist missions to different places like Srilanka, Myanmar and Thailand during his reign. This laid the foundations for Theravada Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Spread of Mahayana Buddhism<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The Kushan Emperor,\u00a0<strong>Kanishka,<\/strong>\u00a0patronised Mahayana Buddhism and supported the Fourth Buddhist Council in Kashmir. This helped spread Buddhism to Central Asia.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Buddhism spread to Central Asia and China through merchants and monks travelling along the Silk Route from India.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Important Buddhist centres developed along the Silk Route like\u00a0<strong>Kashgar, Khotan, Bamiyan,<\/strong>\u00a0etc.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Chinese monks like\u00a0<strong>Fa-Hien\u00a0<\/strong>and<strong>\u00a0Hiuen Tsang<\/strong>\u00a0travelled to India and brought back texts and ideas of Mahayana Buddhism. This was then propagated in China.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>In China, it interacted with the local Confucian and Daoist traditions.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Buddhism came to Japan from China and Korea in the 6th century CE. Different schools like Zen and Pure Land developed here using some local traditions.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Spread of Vajrayana Buddhism<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>It was developed in India around the 8th century.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>In Tibet, Vajrayana interacted with the Bon religion.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Monks like\u00a0<strong>Atisha Dipankara and Padmasambhava<\/strong>\u00a0helped spread this Sect in Tibet (mainly) and Southeast Asia.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Tibetan Buddhism combines Indian Buddhism and local Tibetan beliefs.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>The main feature of the Tibetan Vajrayana is the spiritual head in the form of reincarnated lamas, considered as Bodhisattva of compassion, i.e. Avalokitesvara (Chenrezig).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Buddhism died in India, its birthplace, but somehow managed to be prominent in much of Asia as Hinayana (Southeast Asia), Mahayana (in almost the rest of Asia), and Vajrayana (Tibet).<\/p>\r\n<h2>The Institution of Sangha in Buddhism<\/h2>\r\n<p>The Buddha established the Buddhist Sangha or religious order, which played a key role in propagating his teachings. Many of his sermons were delivered at\u00a0<strong>Shravasti,<\/strong>\u00a0an important centre.<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Patronage and Support:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The wealthy merchants such as\u00a0<strong>Anathapindika<\/strong>\u00a0became ardent supporters, donating generously to the Sangha. This allowed Buddhism to spread as monks travelled and preached.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Membership Policy:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The Sangha had an open membership policy, allowing those above fifteen years irrespective of caste or gender, except criminals and diseased persons.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Though initially reluctant, the Buddha later allowed women to join after requests from\u00a0<strong>Ananda<\/strong>\u00a0and<strong>\u00a0Mahapajapati Gotami.<\/strong>\u00a0New monks and nuns had to shave their heads and wear yellow robes.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Routines and Practices:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Monks had to go on daily alms rounds to beg for food while preaching Buddhism. During the four months of monsoon, they meditated in a fixed abode.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Education Initiatives:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The Sangha also promoted education among the masses, providing access to non-Brahmins deprived under Brahmanism.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Governing Principles:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The Sangha was governed democratically with a\u00a0<strong>code of conduct<\/strong>\u00a0for monks and nuns. It had powers to enforce discipline and punish erring members.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Thus, the organised Sangha, with its membership policy, routines, education initiatives and governing principles, helped popularise Buddhism in India.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Factors leading to the Decline of Buddhism<\/h2>\r\n<p>The d\u0435clin\u0435 of Buddhism can be attributed to a compl\u0435x int\u0435rplay of various historical, social, and cultural factors that varied across different regions and time periods. H\u0435r\u0435 \u0430r\u0435 s\u043em\u0435 \u043ef th\u0435 k\u0435y factors that have been identified as contributing to th\u0435 d\u0435clin\u0435 of Buddhism in c\u0435rtain ar\u0435as:<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Ideological Decline:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Buddhism was founded on egalitarian ideals opposed to Brahmanical supremacy and Vedic rituals. However, similar problems of hierarchy, corruption and complex rituals emerged in institutional Buddhism over time.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>For instance, the accumulation of wealth and power within monasteries undermined Buddhism's essence. Monks' involvement in worldly matters contradicted Buddhist principles.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Multiple divisions into sects and subsects led to a loss of Buddhism's original philosophical core.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>These structural and ideological issues resembled problems in Hinduism, eroding Buddhism's separate religious identity.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Hinduism's Reform and Assimilation:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>On the other hand, Hinduism reformed itself by adopting Buddhist practices like\u00a0<strong>vegetarianism\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<strong>opposing animal sacrifice<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Hindu leaders like<strong>\u00a0Adi Shankaracharya\u00a0<\/strong>established\u00a0<strong>(mathas)\u00a0<\/strong>monasteries on the Buddhist model to revive Hinduism while critiquing Buddhist philosophy.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Fundamental philosophical similarities between Buddhism and Hinduism on concepts like\u00a0<strong>karma, dharma and moksha\u00a0<\/strong>enabled Buddhism's gradual assimilation into Hinduism from 500 CE onwards.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Buddha emerging as an avatar of Vishnu in Hindu texts facilitated the assimilation.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Lower castes found Buddhist egalitarianism attractive, causing the acceleration of the assimilation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Loss of Royal Patronage:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Decline of major Buddhism-following dynasties like the\u00a0<strong>Kushanas<\/strong>\u00a0and the shifting of royal patronage towards Brahmanical Hinduism under the\u00a0<strong>Guptas\u00a0<\/strong>accelerated the decline of Buddhism.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>This lack of state support led to the decay of Buddhist sanghas and monasteries.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Lack of Vernacular Lit\u0435ratur\u0435:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Unlike early Buddhist scriptures composed in\u00a0<strong>Pali, l<\/strong>ater were written in\u00a0<strong>Sanskrit,<\/strong>\u00a0meaning their ideas did not penetrate the vernacular-speaking masses in inland India.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>This restricted Buddhism's expansion beyond urban elite groups.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Foreign Invasions:<\/strong><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Invasions from the north-west by non-Buddhists like the\u00a0<strong>Huns and Turks (Khilji)\u00a0<\/strong>led to vandalism and persecution of Buddhist monks and devotees.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>These assaults disrupted Buddhist monasteries, pilgrimage sites and institutions like Nalanda.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>The destruction of the Mahayana Buddhist sites in northern India by Islamic invaders from 1100 CE sealed Buddhism's demise in the land of its birth. D\u0435spit\u0435 this d\u0435clin\u0435, Buddhism's impact r\u0435mains \u0435vid\u0435nt through its profound influ\u0435nc\u0435 on Asia's cultural and spiritual landscap\u0435.<\/p>\r\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%;height: 156px\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 25px\">\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 50%;height: 25px;text-align: center\" colspan=\"2\"><strong>Other Related Posts<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 25px\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 25px;text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/what-is-aryan-invasion-theory\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>What is Aryan Invasion Theory<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 25px;text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/buddhist-council\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Buddhist Councils<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 25px\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 25px;text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/varna-system\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Varna System<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 25px;text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/mahayana-vs-hinayana-buddhism\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Difference between Mahayana and Hinayana<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 25px\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 25px;text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/mahajanapadas\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Mahajanapadas<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 25px;text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/theravada-buddhism\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Theravada Buddhism<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 31px\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 31px;text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/buddhism\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Buddhism<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 31px;text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/bodhisattva\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Bodhisattva<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 25px\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 50%;height: 25px;text-align: center\" colspan=\"2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/teachings-of-buddha\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Teachings of Gautama Buddha<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Buddhism, founded by Siddhartha Gautama in 6th century BCE, is a global religion rooted in ancient India. It addresses suffering, existence, and enlightenment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":16682,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[128,40],"class_list":{"0":"post-2865","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-notes","8":"tag-buddhism","9":"tag-quest"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2865","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2865"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2865\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19558,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2865\/revisions\/19558"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2865"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2865"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2865"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}