NAME ______________________________________ DATE _______________ CLASS _________
Geography and History Activity
netw rks
India’s First Empires
Trade and the Spread of Buddhism from India
When geographers study the movement of religious beliefs and traditions from one culture
to another, they can more easily analyze information related to cultural and social
geography. Defining the ancient world in terms of its religious development helps you
understand important aspects of ancient history. Regions can be identified by the cultural
aspects of the area during a particular historical time.
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of Siddhārtha Gautama,
known as the Buddha, who lived in northern India about 500 B.C. In the centuries after
Spread of Buddhism in the Gupta Empire, c. 320–500 A . D.
60°E
50°N
140°E
130°E
120°E
110°E
100°E
90°E
80°E
70°E
N
JAPAN
E
W
S
KOREA
Dunhuang
Kashgar
Luoyang
1
PERSIA
Peshawar
Th
Wu
Taxila
H
30°N
320 A. D. Gupta dynasty
begins in northern India.
t
ser
De
r
a Mathura
IM
INDIA
TIBET
AL
AYA
Pataliputra
2
Tolerant Hindu rulers
permit free practice
of Buddhism.
3
CHINA
Merchants spread
Buddhism along the
Silk Road and other
trade routes.
Nanhai
Prayaga
Pagan
20°N
4
0
Arabian
Sea
Throughout India,
most are Hindu,
some Buddhist.
Nandivardana
Ellorra
SOUTHEAST
ASIA
Angkor
Amaravti
South
China
Sea
Philippine
Islands
Bay of
Bengal
600 miles
600 km
0
Albers Equal-Area projection
Gupta Empire, 300–500 A.D.
Spread of Buddhism, 100–552 A.D.
Silk Road
Other trade route
Capital
Anuradhapura
Ceylon
Borneo
Su
0°
EQUATOR
INDIAN OCEAN
ma
tra
Srivijaya
Java
Caption: Although the Guptas practiced Hinduism, they also tolerated the spread of
Buddhism throughout their empire.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.
40°N
NAME ______________________________________ DATE _______________ CLASS _________
Geography and History Activity Cont.
netw rks
India’s First Empires
the Buddha’s death, Buddhism gradually grew in importance and expanded beyond the
borders of India as a result of trade and the efforts of Buddhist missionaries. The process
of cultural diffusion by which Buddhism spread from India to Central Asia, Southeast Asia,
and China can be seen during the period of the Gupta dynasty, which ruled northern India
from the fourth to the sixth centuries A.D.
In the Gupta Empire, trade was a key factor in the spread of Buddhism. Gupta India was at
the crossroads of an extensive network of land and sea trade routes that extended from the
Pacific Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. The ancient caravan routes across Central Asia
known as the Silk Road brought goods and travelers to and from the empire. Through ports
on the Bay of Bengal, India maintained an extensive seaborne trade with both Southeast
Asia and China. The map shows the movement of Buddhism as it stretched along these land
and sea trade routes linking India to Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and China.
Merchants traveling to and from India helped circulate the thought and culture of
Buddhism. Buddhist monasteries were established in oases and towns along the Silk Road.
In addition, large numbers of Indian Buddhist missionaries went from India to China to
preach. Many Chinese Buddhists, such as Faxien and Xuanyang, spent long periods in
Gupta India seeking original manuscripts of Buddhist texts and observing Indian society
and culture.
Directions: Answer the questions below in the space provided.
Understanding Concepts
1.
Explaining Why do geographers study the movement of religions from their place
of origin to other areas of the world?
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______________________________________________________________________
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2.
Making Inferences Why might the Silk Road have been the earliest route of cultural
diffusion for Buddhism beyond the borders of India?
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Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.
The term acculturation refers to a merging of cultures as a result of prolonged contact.
Significant acculturation resulted from the extensive contacts between India and China
during the Gupta Empire. In 379 A.D., the ruling dynasty declared Buddhism to be China’s
state religion. Indian techniques in sculpture and painting were also adopted by the Chinese,
and Indian music and science influenced Chinese thought as well.
NAME ______________________________________ DATE _______________ CLASS _________
Geography and History Activity Cont.
netw rks
India’s First Empires
3.
Making Generalizations What does the map indicate about the basic routes by which
Buddhism spread to China? To Southeast Asia?
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______________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Applying Concepts
4.
Analyzing Information Complete the following graphic organizer to show how the
establishment of Buddhism as a dominant religion in China might have been both a
cause and an effect of acculturation.
Cause(s)
Effect(s)
Making Connections Dominant religions can be used to define regions today. Name
three different regions and the dominant religion that affects the culture of each one.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.
5.
Establishment of
Buddhism as state
religion in China