Timeline of Buddhism 年表

• c. 480–400 BCE (or c. 563–483)Life of Siddhartha Gautama, born at Lumbini (Nepal), awakened under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya. He gave his first sermon at Sarnath and died at Kushinagar aged about 80. Scholars debate the exact dates.
• Shortly after the Buddha's deathFirst Council at Rajagriha: the monks recite the Discourses (Sutta) and the Discipline (Vinaya).
• c. 4th c. BCESecond Council at Vaishali. The first split, between Sthaviras (Elders) and Mahasanghikas, follows.
• c. 268–232 BCEEmperor Ashoka spreads the Dharma across India and sends missions abroad, including his son Mahinda to Sri Lanka.
• c. 1st c. BCEThe Pali Canon is written down at Aluvihare, Sri Lanka. Early Mahayana sutras (Prajnaparamita) appear.
• 1st c. CEBuddhism reaches China along the Silk Road. Legend tells of the White Horse Temple in Luoyang (68 CE) and the Sutra in 42 Sections.
• c. 150–250Nagarjuna founds Madhyamaka (the Middle Way school of emptiness).
• c. 4th c.Asanga and Vasubandhu found Yogacara (Mind-Only).
• 372Buddhism reaches Korea (Goguryeo).
• 402–413Kumarajiva translates the Lotus, Diamond, Vimalakirti and Amitabha sutras into Chinese at Chang'an.
• 495The Shaolin Monastery is built on Mount Song for the Indian monk Batuo.
• c. 527Bodhidharma, by tradition, arrives at Shaolin and sits facing a wall for nine years. He is honoured as the first patriarch of Chan.
• c. 538–552Buddhism reaches Japan from Korea (Baekje).
• 538–597Zhiyi founds Tiantai on Mount Tiantai.
• 629–645Xuanzang's pilgrimage to India. He brings back 657 texts and translates the Heart Sutra (649).
• 638–713Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch, teaches sudden awakening. The Platform Sutra is compiled.
• 643–712Fazang systematizes Huayan (Flower Garland).
• 7th–8th c.Buddhism enters Tibet. Padmasambhava and Shantarakshita found Samye Monastery (c. 779).
• c. 8th c.Shantideva writes the Bodhicaryavatara (Way of the Bodhisattva).
• 9th c.The Five Houses of Chan arise, including Linji (Rinzai) and Caodong (Soto).
• 845Great Anti-Buddhist Persecution in China. Chan and Pure Land survive best.
• 868The Diamond Sutra from Dunhuang is printed: the oldest dated printed book in the world.
• 11th c.Tibet's "later spread": Atisha arrives (1042), and the Kagyu (Marpa, Milarepa) and Sakya schools form.
• 1125The Blue Cliff Record (Biyan Lu), the great koan collection, is compiled.
• 1158–1210Jinul unites Seon (Korean Zen) and doctrinal study in the Jogye tradition.
• 1191 / 1227Eisai brings Rinzai Zen to Japan. Dogen brings Soto Zen and founds Eiheiji (1244).
• 1228The Gateless Gate (Wumenguan) koan collection is compiled.
• 1173–1263Honen and Shinran found Japanese Pure Land (Jodo-shu, Jodo Shinshu). Nichiren (1222–1282) teaches devotion to the Lotus Sutra.
• 1236–1251The Tripitaka Koreana is carved on 81,258 wooden blocks, still kept at Haeinsa.
• 1357–1419Tsongkhapa founds the Gelug school in Tibet.
• 1578The title Dalai Lama is first given to Sonam Gyatso.
• 1654Yinyuan brings Obaku Zen to Japan.
• 1844–1881Western scholars publish translations, among them Max Müller's Dhammapada (1881).
• 1893World's Parliament of Religions, Chicago: Soyen Shaku and Anagarika Dharmapala introduce Buddhism to America.
• 1950s–1960sZen comes to America through D.T. Suzuki, Shunryu Suzuki (San Francisco Zen Center, 1962) and others.
• 1959The 14th Dalai Lama goes into exile in India. Tibetan teachers spread worldwide.
• 1970sChögyam Trungpa founds Naropa (Boulder, 1974) and Shambhala centers. The Insight Meditation Society opens (1976). The Minnesota Zen Meditation Center opens (1972).
• 1982Thich Nhat Hanh founds Plum Village in France. Engaged Buddhism grows worldwide.
• 1980s–todayShaolin and other Chinese temples are restored. Mindfulness enters medicine and schools.

The Buddha's dates are debated: many scholars favour c. 480–400 BCE, while tradition gives c. 563–483 BCE.