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Buddhism grew steadily in India for two centuries after the death of its founder, Siddhartha Gautama (who later became known as the Buddha). Gautama founded a system of beliefs that rejected many of the ideologies and ritualism of Hinduism, which was the dominant religion of the time. Buddhism was also made accessible to the common people, unlike Hinduism whose reservoirs of knowledge and philosophy were reserved only for the educated elite. Buddhism addressed the disparities between various groups within the Hindu hierarchy, and therefore appealed strongly to people of lower castes who were often underprivileged and marginalised. However, Buddhism also gained support from members of the ruling class, most notably that of the Mauryan emperors, who embraced Buddhism and made it India's official religion. Thus, the success of Buddhism in India can be attributed to its egalitarian and accessible nature, its willingness to address the numerous social disparities of the...

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