11/14/2010

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Spread of Buddhism:Spread of Buddhism:China, Korea, & JapanChina, Korea, & Japan

What do you remember about What do you remember about Buddhism?Buddhism?

� Karma

� Reincarnation

� “Life is full of suffering” (Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path)

� Nirvana (NOT THE BAND!!)

The Spread of BuddhismThe Spread of Buddhism

The Spread of BuddhismThe Spread of Buddhism

Buddhism starts in

India (500s BCE)

Traders & missionaries

spread Buddhism to China (100s

CE)

Buddhism arrives in

Korea from China

(300s CE)

Buddhism spread to

Japan from Korea(500s

BCE)

Significance of BuddhismSignificance of Buddhism

� Collapse of Han Dynasty led to…

◦ Chaos

◦ Warfare

◦ Starvation/famine

� People were attracted to Buddhism’s message of salvation

◦ Life is full of suffering

◦ The way to end suffering is to end all desires

ReviewReview

� What are the major ideas or beliefs of Buddhism?

� How did it spread to Japan & Korea from China?

� Why was Buddhism important in China?