Buddhism is realized by Lord Gautama Buddha’s beautiful messages and his own method to make Indian culture more disciplined. Like Jainism, Buddhism too went a long way by influencing the ancient Indian culture with Buddhist art and architecture, Buddhist Heritage, Buddhist Paintings , language, literature. Gautama Buddha changed Indian society and culture with his great self-restraint in Buddhism.

How Buddhism Influenced India

The contribution of Buddhism in shaping various aspects of Indian society is never forgettable. The virtuous rules of Buddhism are simply based on charity, purity, self-sacrifice, truthfulness, and control over passion. It places great emphasis on love, equality, and non-violence.

• Lord Gautama Buddha gave us a straightforward, comprehensible, and popular religion. The Indian society respects Buddhism because of Gautama Buddha’s emotional element, easy ethical code, use of indigenous language and the way teaches the society.
• It rejected rituals, renunciation, and the domination of the ecclesiastical class. For the upcoming era in Indian religion, it has left a permanent mark.
• Buddhism left a major impact on Indian society, It has given serious impetus to democratic consciousness and social equality.
• Buddhism opens a new door for women and Shudras.
• Buddhists developed some high learning education centers such as Nalanda, Vikramshila, Taxila, Udyantpuri, Vallabhi.
• Buddhism helped the people’s language in the hands of literature.
• The major contribution of Buddhism in Indian culture is in the sphere of Buddist architecture, sculpture, and Buddhist paintings.
• Buddhist heritages create a glorious period in the history of Indian art and architecture.
• Buddhists assisted a new appreciation in the field of culture and established close ties between India and foreign countries.

How Buddhist heritages Influenced Indians

According to UNESCO, Buddhism has left many definite and indefinite heritages in the process of existence and development in Vietnam. Many large-scale pagodas of Vietnam still exist today which were built under the feudal dynasties. Some famous Buddhist heritages are mentioned below.

1.   Lumbini

Lumbini is considered as Gautama Buddha’s birthplace. It is one of the world’s most sacred sites and the ancient craftsmanship of Lumbini attracts pilgrimages for its beautiful heritages. According to history, the new born prince Siddhartha took his first seven steps from here and delivered the whole society the message of humanity.

2.   Buddhist Monuments of Sanchi

The great stupa is another name, created by Mauryan Emperor Ashoka and it is believed that it is the house of the ashes of Buddha. According to historians, it is the oldest Buddhist heritage.

3.   Paharpur

Paharpur is the most spectacular and magnificent Buddhist heritage in Bangladesh and the second largest single Buddhist monastery on the south of the Himalayas.

How Buddhist Paintings Influenced Indians

One of the definite figures of Buddhist art is the self-portrait of Buddha himself. The statues of Buddha have always been important messages, social symbols, and religious information. Some Buddhist paintings symbolize the value of history and contemporary society. These paintings are placed around the world.  Some of those paintings are…

• Portrait of Shun’oku Myoha
• Fasting Buddha Shakyamuni
• Reliquary in the shape of a Stupa
• Standing Buddha offering Protection
• Buddha Maitreya
• Head of Buddha