Question

The following documents provide information about Hinduism, Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Examine each document carefully. In the space provided, answer the question or questions that follow each document. Document 1 - Buddhism . . . The Buddha is reported to have exhorted [urged] his monks to “go and travel around for the welfare of the multitudes, for the happiness of the multitudes, out of sympathy for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans. No two should go in the same direction.” Although this last admonition [caution] seems not to have been heeded [obeyed], it is true that Buddhist “missions” were not large and well-organized movements, and instead often took the form of itinerant monks (or groups of monks) traveling by land and sea in the company of traders and royal emissaries. According to traditional accounts, the first foreign mission was to the island of Sri Lanka, and was led by the son of Asoka. . . . Source: Donald S. Lopez, Jr., “Buddhism in Practice,” Asian Religions in Practice, Princeton University Press, 1999 1. According to this excerpt from “Buddhism in Practice,” how did Buddhism spread from its place of origin in ancient India to other parts of Asia? What the monks did to spread buddhism is go across water and land with traders and royal emissaries

Answer 1

Buddhism was not a religion of large-scale missionary culture. For centuries, the Buddha's teachings spread peacefully and heterogeneously across the Indian subcontinent, and from there to all of Asia. With each new culture it reached, Buddhist methods and styles were being modified to fit the local mentality without compromising the essential points of wisdom and compassion.

The spread of Buddhism was spontaneously carried out by the Buddhists, who voluntarily followed Buddha's instructions. In some cases the expansion took place organically, because of the interest of the population in the beliefs of foreign Buddhist merchants who crossed the water and spread the Buddhist values. In other cases, rulers adopted Buddhism in order to help develop ethical values ​​in their people.

It should be emphasized here that the message of Buddha did not have any coercive or compulsory aspect; on the contrary, the Buddha's message was simply helping other people overcome inner unhappiness and suffering.