Buddhism

Buddhism held great influence in the ancient world and is still very popular today. Buddhism was spread to China from India and Central Asia and there it found a permanent home. It significantly impacted the Han and Tang dynasties of China in different ways and was characterized by its accepting nature, which brought the conversion of many Chinese women. Buddhism also gave much importance to its monasteries, and developed intellectually and impacted culture in China, Korea, and Japan.

Monks and merchants played a huge role in bringing Buddhism from Central Asia to China. The ruler of India, Ashoka, was a passionate Buddhist and helped to spread Buddhism to Central Asia. Ashoka actually caused most Central Asian city-states to become Buddhist centers. The form of Buddhism formed in Central Asia called Mahayana, in which Buddha assumed the role of God, was then taken to China and Japan by the monks and merchants through trade routes. These merchants and monks not only brought the Buddhist religion, they also brought ideas about the decoration and creation of temples and the portrayal of Buddha. The missionaries did not directly proselytize the Chinese people and allowed the religion to find its own place. They knew that Buddha once said "it is thirst which leads to renewed existence" and therefore found it important to learn from their surroundings. Because the missionaries choice, Buddhism was then able to assimilate into Chinese society because of it similarities to Daoism. Daoists believed Buddhism was an Indian version of Daoism and therefore both religions interchanged ideas, which caused Buddhism to become more acceptable. The new religion of Buddhism did not put an end to the separate Daoist ideals; it only displayed similar ideas and was then able to be absorbed into society.

During the Han dynasty, which ruled from 202 B.C to 220 A.D., Buddhism was accepted as another form of thought. The Chinese people were willing to accept separate truths that may satisfy different needs and different areas of life. Since Buddhism didn't contradict or replace Confucianism and Daoism philosophies, it was able to absorb itself into society. Although Buddhism was present during the Han dynasty, it was still viewed as the religion of foreigners until after the overthrow of the dynasty. The 350 years after the Han dynasty was brought down, China was disunited and filled with conflict and chaos. Through the duration of these three centuries, Buddhism appealed to the people and the message sank deep simply because it had something to offer to everyone. Sanghas were formed all over China and Indian missionaries traveled the long distance in order to teach.

The Tang dynasty, in power from 618 to 907 A.D., brought a prosperous time for Buddhism in China. During this time, Buddhist monasteries thrived and Buddhism was accepted and recognized as the dominant faith. The religion had formed an essential part of society and politics at the time, and the building of monasteries and ordination of monks was even promoted by the government. Although, this major success of Buddhism did not last forever and in the declining years (around 845 A.D.) of the Tang dynasty, an emperor ordered the monasteries to close and all monks and nuns to return to regular life. This change was greatly due to the resentment of Daoists and Confucians towards the growing triumph of Buddhism.

One major characteristic of Buddhism is its broad and accepting nature. The religion of Buddhism became important in all classes and was as much a religion for laypeople as it was for monks and nuns. The Buddhist concepts of karma, nirvana, and the transmigration of souls were an interesting intellectual challenge for Chinese scholars. For leaders, Buddhism offered a source of miraculous authority and a political device to unite all people. Lastly, to the middle and lower classes, Buddhism was very attractive