How a merchant-class philosophy became the dominant spiritual force of ancient India

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Born in the 6th or 5th century BCE, Buddhism emerged as a Middle Way between extreme indulgence and self-mortification. By aligning with trade routes and securing royal patronage, it transformed from a local monastic movement into a sophisticated, empire-spanning religion before nearly vanishing from its Indian homeland by the 12th century.

Buddhism originated in the Kingdom of Magadha, where Siddhartha Gautama, a member of the Shakya republic, sought a path beyond the asceticism of his time. His teachings, centered on compassion and self-restraint, found early support from Emperor Bimbisara. This royal endorsement facilitated the creation of viharas, eventually leading to the region being renamed Bihar. The religion expanded rapidly, aided by the merchant class, who found its egalitarian focus a refreshing alternative to the rigid Brahmin caste system.

The Mauryan Empire, particularly under Emperor Ashoka, served as a crucial catalyst for Buddhist expansion. Following his conversion after the Battle of Kalinga, Ashoka utilized his vast domain—stretching from Afghanistan to Mysore—to propagate the faith. He established monuments at significant sites, such as the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya and the Deer Park in Sarnath, where the Buddha delivered his first sermon. This era saw the formation of the first Sangha and the beginning of a long tradition of Buddhist councils intended to codify doctrine.

As the religion matured, it split into various schools, including the early Mahasamghika and Sthaviravada. By the fifth century CE, Mahayana Buddhism gained prominence, introducing the veneration of Bodhisattvas alongside the Buddha. Centers of learning like Nalanda flourished under the Pala Empire, which supported a network of five great mahaviharas. However, the influence of Buddhism in India began to wane after the Gupta Empire, and by the end of the 12th century, following Turkic Muslim invasions, the faith had largely disappeared from the subcontinent, leaving behind only isolated remnants.

Today, the legacy of Buddhism in India is marked by modern revivals, including the Dalit Buddhist movement and the arrival of the Tibetan diaspora. Despite its historical decline, the religion remains a vital part of India's cultural heritage, with archaeological sites like Lalitgiri continuing to reveal the deep continuity of Buddhist practice across centuries.

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