How Did Buddhism Affect Many Religions

Religions in South and East Asia like Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, and legalism have all helped unite people and create a way of living in the “right” way. Not only did religion and beliefs bring people together as a whole but also gave them a standard on how to live their life. In south Asia the religions Buddhism and Hinduism helped unite India under religion. Legalism helped stop the warring states period in china. Religion is a powerful force that can help people in many ways but can also cause conflict between opposing religions.

Ashoka was one of the greatest emperor of the Mauryan dynasty of India. He was well known as a very violent and ruthless, and after a bloody battle to conquer the country of Kalinga, he felt guilty and change his way of thinking and acting. He felt shame for what he had caused and choose to practice Buddhism. “Ashoka repeatedly declare that he understood dharma to be thee energetic practice of the sociomoral virtues of honesty, truthfulness, compassion, mercifulness, benevolence, nonviolence, etc.” (Britannica). He preached the word of dharma all over and encouraged other to practice it too. He encouraged many others to help and care not only the human kind but also to care for the animal. After Ashoka’s death many

Just as Buddhism unified Japan during arduous times, it also helped unify India under Ashoka’s command. Ashoka fought great battles and imposed his rule on people southward along the eastern coast of India. The sufferings created by the war disturbed Ashoka and he found relief in the religion known as Buddhism. He adopted Buddhism to bring equality to all and found great comfort knowing the religion was so accepting.

When Ashoka originally became king in 273 B.C., he was just as ruthless as his grandfather. He would slay people he conquered with no mercy. However, one of his massacres took the lives of 100,000 captured people. After committing this act, he was horrified and ashamed of himself. He then vowed to follow the Buddhist teachings of “peace to al beings”.

Religion and politics are interdependent from the beginning. Political and religious power are interconnected. In 1905, the separation between state and religious institutions occurred. But, that doesn’t mean that religion has lost its important in terms of politics. Still, religion plays and important part in the political system. Religion influence the politics from the core. Religion is a mandatory part of politics which cannot be replaced (Fox, 2013).

Through history, religion has shaped civilizations in several aspects. In ancient Indian and Egyptian civilizations it was very strong shaping force in political structures, but both the religious beliefs and the resulting political system were different, just like pharaohs were different from rajas.

Throughout history, different civilizations have been exchanging and spreading ideas. Of these ideas, religion often spreads the most drastically, finding new roots in places throughout the world. These spreading religions can greatly affect the nations they spread to, often impacting the political, social, and economic aspects of an area. Religions such as Buddhism in Japan and Christianity in the Americas allowed their monarchies to strengthen their reign on their citizens, adapt their societies to the new theologies, and cultivate wealth through both trade and conquest.

Historically, religion and politics have always played a very significant part in our everyday lives, dating back to the ancient pharaohs of Africa to our modern day society, the relationship between religion and politics can be traced through centuries of human history in various civilizations. Both religion and politics prescribe, legislate, and enforce codes of behavior, promote collective action, and create group identification. There are numerous examples of how religion continues to contribute to the formation and evolution of political ideas and institutions. For a good example of how religion affects politics in our modern world we need not look very far but in our own backyard. The influence of Catholicism on Latin American politics, and the role religion plays on Middle Eastern politics have had a profound affect in those related societies. The Catholic charismatic movement has also become more and more politically active”.

The accomplishments and success of civilizations are closely linked to their religious outlook and the role of religion in their governments and society. Throughout history rulers have used the influence of religions to control their populations and provide the justification for their power. A society with a greater degree of separation between religion and government promotes a superior level of liberty and creativity amongst its people. By the time of the decline of the Roman Empire in the west, however, the world had come full circle to a return to theocratic dictatorship.

Religion was an idea in which it initiated change in the lives and countries of those who accepted it. It was a unifying agent that created many positive impacts on monarchies, however some negatives The expansion of Buddhism in Japan and the spread of Christianity in the Americas furthermore proves how impactful the spread on a religion can be. In both countries, monarchs benefited from the expansion of a particular faith, in all aspects. The political, social, and economical side was changed with the spread of a religion, and is demonstrated in society today, as Japan is a leading country Buddhists. Positive and negative social, political, and economic impacts were created due to the growth of Buddhism in Japan on the Japanese Monarchy and the spread of Christianity in the Americas on the Spanish monarchy as each created a change in the empire it

We are provided an insight to Buddha and Ashoka through Siddhartha’s Enlightenment, The Buddha’s First Sermon at Benares and Ashoka, “Pillar Edicts”. Though it seems that the edicts were more useful as a social contract, rather than a path to enlightenment, the influence of Buddhism is unmistakable. The Buddha would agree with Ashoka’s policies and beliefs because both are ways one can use to reach further self-enlightenment and continue further on the path to Nirvana.

Before I started reading the selection of the edict texts, Ainslee Embree seemed to assume that I thought Ashoka was an emperor who ruled over India and made new commands as king during his rule. I did not think that emperor Ashoka had practiced Buddhism. After I finished reading, Embree wanted me to believe that emperor Ashoka had practiced Buddhism and during his rule, he used the teaching of Buddhism to change many aspects of the Mauryan Empire. He was a firm believer in ruling over Mauryan with righteousness and felt he had a responsibility to make his people happy and well cared for so that they could lead a more life and find their place in heaven. Ashoka also exposed his people to the idea of vegetarianism and having respect for all

The Maurya Empire, also called Mauryan, was an extensive Iron Age historical power in ancient India between 322-185 BC. This occurred by the end of the sixth century. This Empire covered most of Northern India, when two new religions came across which were Buddhism and Jainism. Ashoka was a ruler of India who promoted the spread of Buddhism. He was known for being one of the most “remarkable and attractive rulers.” Ashoka was son of Bindusara, who had also been emperor of the Maurya Empire. He promoted Buddhist expansion by sending monks to inundate territories to spread teachings of Buddha. Buddhism was spread not only through India but through China, Asia and Japan as

Buddhism developed in India as a reaction against Hinduism in the fifth century b.c.e. (“Following the Buddha's Footsteps ”). It drew many of its beliefs from that religious context. Modern scholars believe the founder of Buddhism is Siddhartha Gautama. Siddhartha Gautama became Buddha; Buddha means the“Enlightened One” or the “Awakened One” (Friedlander). According to Buddhist teachings, there have been other Buddhas in the past, and there have been more after him. However, most scholars believe Gautama as the founder (Siderits). The Buddhist belief in reincarnation provides a distinct perspective on the termination of pregnancy. In their belief system there is an endless cycle of human existence due to re incarnation; it had no beginning

remarkable emperor in all of India. He focused more on religion after the war against Kalinga. When he was on the throne, he converted to Buddhism. He had a theory he could reign in peace. Since then, he created the spread of Buddhism. On one mission, Ashoka’s son, Mahinda went to Sri Lanka and southeast Asia. These lands and modern day countries practice Buddhism, such as China, Korea, Vietnam, Tibet, Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. This would not have happened if Ahsoka did not force a policy. According to World History