Timeline

Timeline for development and spread of Buddhism

Birth of the Buddha, c. 566 BCE in Lumbini in modern-day Nepal
China Buddhists celebrate the Buddha’s birthday on the 8th of the 4th month in the lunar calendar.

Death of the Buddha, c. 486 BCE in modern-day Kushinagar, India

Buddhism flourishes in India under King Asoka, c. 272-231 BCE

First carving of monumental shrines at Bijar, India c. 272-231 BCE

Third Council of Buddhist Monks at Patna, India c. 250 BCE

Buddhist settlement at Bactria (modern-day Afghanistan), 0-100 CE

Mahayana schools develop at Gandhara (modern-day Pakistan), 0 – 100 CE

White Horse temple at Luoyang (in modern-day Henan province, China), c. 68 CE

Greco-Roman art style introduced at Gandhara (modern-day Pakistan), 100s CE

Ruler Kusana disseminates Buddhism throughout Central Asia, 144-172 CE

An Shi Gao translates scriptures to Chinese in Luoyang (modern-day Henan province, Chinese), 148 CE

Buddhist shrines at Giaur Kala (Merv or modern-day Mary in Turkmenistan), 200s CE

c. 300s CE, 53 meter Buddha carved in Bamiyan cliffs, Afghanistan

Buddhist art found in Kabul Valley, Afghanistan, 300s CE

Kumarajiva at text translation bureau, Chang’an (modern-day Xi’an, China), 344 – 413 CE

Mogao Caves begun by monks at Dunhuang (modern-day Gansu, China), 366 CE

Fa Xian’s Silk Road pilgrimage to India, 399 – 414 CE

Buddhism transmitted to Korea, 400s CE

Buddhist caves established at Kizil (modern-day Kucha, Xinjiang Province, China), 450 – 750 CE

Longmen cave artwork begun at Luoyang, 494 CE

Persian monk Bodhidharma, first patriarch of the Chan school (modern-day Mount Song, Henan Province, China), 500s CE

Buddha’s birthday image processions in Luoyang, 503 – 528 CE

Buddhism migrates from China and Korea to Japan, 600s CE

Chinese monk Xuan Zang’s journey to India, c. 629 CE

Buddhism in Tibet takes on local traditions, 800 – 1300 CE

Marco Polo introduces Buddhism to Europe (Venice), 1254-1324 CE

Immigrants bring Buddhism to San Francisco, North America, 1899 CE

Master Hsing Yun establishes Fo Guang Shan in Taiwan, 1967 CE

Hsi Lai Temple founded near Los Angeles, 1988 CE

Nan Tien Temple built near Sydney, Australia, 1995 CE

Fo Guang Shan temples begin in Central and South America, 1992 CE

By 2000 CE, Fo Guang Shan expands outreach to Five Continents

Fo Guang Shan’s tooth relic shrine completed, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 2011 CE

Pictures by Nancy Cowardin 2013

Timeline of Luoyang as China’s Capital
Luoyang is one of China’s ancient capitals.

Dynasty	Dates	# Years
Eastern Zhou	770-256 BCE	514
Eastern Han	25-220 CE	195
Wei (Three Kingdoms)	220-265	45
Western Jin	265-316	51
Sub-total		805
Northern Wei	495-534	39

Luoyang is the location of the first Buddhist temple in China, the White Horse Temple. The Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) used Luoyang as its capital from 495 to 534. Luoyang is known for its peony flowers.
Buddhist Festivals
Image Processions
Image processions were a meeting point including the people in the procession, music from Kucha, and devotional societies.

Buddhist Literature Timeline

Compiled by Venerable Jue Wei of Fo Guang Shan Hsi Lai Temple

Last edited on April 8, 2013