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Buddhist monasticism is one of the earliest surviving forms of organized monasticism and one of the fundamental institutions of Buddhism. Monks and nuns, called bhikkhu ( Pali , Skt. bhikshu ) and bhikkhuni (Skt. bhikshuni ), are responsible for the preservation and dissemination of the Buddha's teaching and the guidance of Buddhist lay people.
Buddhist Jack Maguire has suggested that in the 4th century, Christian monasticism developed in Egypt, and it emerged with a corresponding structure comparable to the Buddhist monasticism of its time and place. [40] In Alexandria, Indian gravestones dating from the Ptolemaic period (c. 305 BC – 30 BC) have been discovered in Alexandria. [42]
In other religions, monasticism is generally criticized and not practiced, as in Islam and Zoroastrianism, or plays a marginal role, as in modern Judaism. Many monastics live in abbeys , convents , monasteries , or priories to separate themselves from the secular world, unless they are in mendicant or missionary orders .
Most scholars believe there is no historical evidence of any influence by Buddhism on Christianity. [verification needed] Leslie Houlden states that although modern parallels between the teachings of Jesus and Buddha have been drawn, these comparisons emerged after missionary contacts in the 19th century and there is no historically reliable evidence of contacts between Buddhism and Jesus. [28]
' the awakened one '), [4] [f] [g] was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia [h] during the 6th or 5th century BCE [5] [6] [7] [c] and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist legends, he was born in Lumbini, in what is now Nepal, [b] to royal parents of the Shakya clan, but renounced his home life to live as a ...
[37] All Buddhist institutions had been severely damaged by the war with the Cholas, and the three main traditions had fragmented into eight sects. Parākramabāhu united all of these into a common community, which seems to have been dominated by the Mahāvihāra. However, this did not bring an end to sectarian competition completely. [37] [40 ...
[30] [31] Religion scholars specialized in the academic study of Western esotericism recognize that Theravada Buddhism had been influential on the philosophical and religious thought of the English occultist and ceremonial magician Aleister Crowley, [32] although he eventually distanced himself from Theravada Buddhist teachings and founded his ...
The education system that emerged, particularly from 320 BCE to 500 CE, featured an open framework where learning was free for all including non-Buddhists. [3] The monks used their temples to teach and since these were not enough to address the educational needs of the entire country, learning centers were also built in connection with the monasteries. [4]