Buddhism has a vast literature spanning many centuries and languages. Some of the earliest Buddhist texts provide great insights into the origins and development of Buddhist thought and...
Tripitaka or Three Baskets is a traditional term used for various Buddhist scriptures. It is known as pali Canon in English. The three pitakas are Sutta Pitaka, Vinaya Pitaka...
Four Noble Truths: Four noble truths were taught by Buddha in Dhammachakraparivartan. They are the core teachings of Buddhism. Dukkha or “Sorrow” : The world is full of...
Gautam Buddha founded Buddhism and is known as Supreme Buddha or ammāsambuddha or samyaksaṃbuddha. He was born in Lumbini, a little principality of Kapilvastu in modern day Nepal....
Buddhahood in Sanskrit is Buddhatva. In Pali is it called Buddhatta or buddhabhāva. It is the state of perfect enlightment attained by a Buddha. The perfect enlightment is...
The Later Vedic society was divided into 4 varnas viz. Brahmins, Kshatriya, Vaishyas and Shudras. Birth had become the basis of varnas and two higher varnas viz. Brahmins...
Various aspects of life in Maurya era are as follows: Social Life There was a well developed “caste” system as per the accounts of Megasthenes. Megasthenes writes that...
The inscriptions and edicts of Asoka refer to a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Asoka, as well as boulders and cave walls, made by the Emperor Asoka...
Ashokavardhana or Asoka was governor of Taxila and Ujjain during the reign of his father Bindusara. The Sri Lankan texts represent Asoka as “wading through a pool of...
Chandragupta was succeeded by his son Bindusara. His other name is Amitraghata which means destroyer of foes. The Greek scholars write him as “Amitrachates” or “Allitrochates“. Chanakya served...
