The history of Indian religion prior to the time of Buddha, there were two religious traditions viz., the Indus Valley tradition and the Aryan tradition. In Buddhism we have a religion which draws most of its inspiration from the Indus Valley religion, the ideas of renunciation, meditation, karma and rebirth, ultimate liberation - the ideas which were important to the Indus Valley tradition. The Buddha himself indicated the Indus Valley origins of his tradition when he said that the path, which he taught, was an ancient path and the goal to which he pointed to be an ancient goal. At that time, there were already 62 religious cults in India alone. Since the existing religions during his time could not provide the answers to his questions, he decided not to use the ingredients or concepts of these religions to introduce what he himself had realised. The religious thinking in India at the time of Buddha and even today the basic ingredients of all religions are that "God created everybody; god is responsible for everything; god will reward, god can forgive all our sins; and god is responsible for our lives after our death; god will send us to heaven or he will send us to hell".

The Buddha as a man attained Buddhahood and proclaimed to the world the latent inconceivable possibilities and the creative power of man. Instead of placing an unseen Almighty God over man who arbitrarily controls the destinies of mankind, and making him subservient to a supreme power, he raised the worth of the mankind. It was he who taught that man could gain his deliverance and purification by his own exertion without depending on an external God or mediating priests. It was he who revolted against the degrading caste system and taught equality of mankind and gave equal opportunities for all to distinguish themselves in every walk of life. Irrespective of caste, colour or rank he established for both deserving men and women a democratically constituted celibate order. He did not force his followers to be slaves either to his teachings or to himself but granted complete freedom of thought. Likewise, Buddha's teachings spread all over India and other neighbouring countries

India is the birthplace of Buddhism and yet Buddhism disappeared from its birthplace. Because some non-Buddhist incorporated many good things from Buddhism in their books and spoke ill of the same. Thus everything possible was done to discredit Buddhism. On the other hand, some of the religious fanatics have persecuted the Buddhists, a process, which other foreign invaders of India followed, till Buddhism was practically driven out. Today, India is again appearing on the Buddhist map of the world due to the Angarika Dhammapala of Sri Lanka and great son of India Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar (Dr. B. R. Ambedkar) the architech of modern Indian constitution. He after studying all existing religions of the world embraced Buddhism along with his five lakhs followers on 14th October, 1956. Indians are awakening to their Buddhist past. Since then the Indians began to be surprised at the discovery of the Buddhist legacy. To talk of a "revival of Buddhism in modern India" is right in this sense of the discovery of the Buddhist heritage by Indians. The very symbols of independent India emphasize her abiding Buddhist heritage. The wheel in the centre of the Indian national flag is wheel of the Dhamma-chakra and the emblem of India is an adaptation of the Buddhist Emperor Asoka's lion at Sarnath, where the lord Buddha first declared the Dhamma chakka-Pavattana Sutta and the profound teaching of Buddhism. It is well known that art and architecture spread and developed along with Buddhism not only in India, but also Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Mangolia, Kampuchea, Jave in Indonesia, Nepal,China, Korea, Japan, Tibet etc. Now there has been a wide national awakening and a great revival of Buddhism and Buddhist culture. Numerous big and small Buddhist societies and organisations for social and cultural development have been formed throughout the country. Because at no time in history has the message of Buddha been more relevant than it is now to present day society of the nuclear age.