Buddhism, the first millennium

An understanding of the early history of Buddhism must come as much from an appreciation of the spirit imparted to it by its founder as from the accumulation of facts and theories, for the Indian people of the time were little inclined to keep detailed historical records, and, like other early religious leaders and great thinkers, the Buddha himself left no writings from his own hand. Thus much that would be of interest and value to modern scholars does not exist. A major effort to formulate the Buddhist canon took place not long after the death of the Buddha, at what is known as the First Council. Subsequently there arose differences of interpretation and a schism between the monastic community and the lay community. Nevertheless, Buddhism survived and developed. It came into contact with the West as early as the period when the latter was under the influence of the Greek states, and it spread eventually into Southeast