History
The Buddha Gautama was born a Hindu Prince in the C6th BC but adopted aesthetic life, and achieved enlightenment at Gaya, near Benares. His teachings were codified in Pali, a Sanskrit-derived vernacular. In the C3rd B.C., the Emperor Asoka renounced war, converted to Buddhism and sent missionaries all over India and Sri Lanka where the principal religion early form of Buddhism, Hinayana, as in Burma and South East Asia. From AD 500, the influence of Tantric movement was felt and a pantheon of symbolic deities was adopted. This form, Mahayana, spread to Tibet, China and Japan. After AD 1000, Buddhist influence was reduced by Hun invasions, Islam and the adoption of the Buddha by Hinduism as an incarnation of Vishnu.
Names are now similar in both religions.
Deities
| Amitaruci | Brhadsphalas | Candavira | Candrakirti | Dharmadhatu |
Goddesses
| Cudabhiksuni | Dharmadhatu |
Buddha
Descended from Dhanuraja Drdhahanus
| Dayakurca | Devatideva | Drdahana | Sakyamuni |
Charioteer Chandaka (Sakyamuni's) Attendant Gomin Son
| Pururavas | also called: | Budhasuta | Eila |
Sons of Pururavas
| Dhanayus | Dhiman | Divijata |
Eyes Buddhacaksus
Buddhas
| Baharupa | Bahuksana | Bhismasvaraja | Boddhidharma | Brahmadhvaja |
| Brahmajetas | Cakrasmavara | Candragarbha | Candrasurya | Danyasarathi |
| Dasbala | Dhanibuddha | Dharmakara | Dipankara | Dundhabisvara |
| Ganendra | Gunaketu | Harsula | Hema |
Bodhi (f) Knowlege gained by Buddhas.
Patriarchs
| 8 Buddhanandi | 9 Buddhamitra | Drtaka |
Asvaghosa
| Bhadanta |
Saints
| Dhitika |
Bodhisattvas
Those who have only one level to go before enlightenment.
| Anantacaritra | Anantamati | Anantavikrama | Avalokitesvara | Bhadrapala |
| Bhuddisrigarbha | Danasura | Devasrigarbha | Dharmadhara | Durdharsakumara |
| Indrajalin | Manjusri, aka Balavrata |
This collection of names compiled by Kate Monk. Copyright January 1997, Kate Monk. Last updated December, 98. Copies may be made for personal use only.