Who was the leader of Buddhism in history?

Answer 1

Buddha?

Answer: The Dalai Lama is considered the leader of the Gelug School of Buddhism as well as the political leader of Tibet. The Karmapa is the leader of the Kagyu schools of Buddhism.
Buddhism has no single overall leader or hierarchy. There are different Buddhist traditions, called lineages, such as Tibetan Buddhism, or Theravada Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, etc, but each lineage might or might not have a Lineage Master (like the Dalai Lama, who is the Lineage Master for the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism). To explain this you need to understand how Buddhism is taught.

Buddhist masters are monks who have learned the teachings sufficiently and has the ability to speak authoritatively about the teachings. They have received permission to do this from their master. This permission is called being given transmission. The monk could then go to another area, open a monastery and then teach others. If one of his monks then learns the teachings sufficiently, the new master could give transmission to his student, and the cycle continues. Please note that learning the teachings of the Buddha is not memorization, these masters must completely understand and be able to explain the teachings in their own words, and apply them to modern conditions.

So Buddhism has a very diffuse structure.

Answer 2

Buddhism developed after the Shakyamuni Buddha became enlightened and shared some of his understanding with others. Those students studied his teachings, meditated and sometimes became enlightened themselves. In turn, they taught what they learned to other interested people, and eventually there was a community or Sangha of practitioners of the teachings of the Buddha. Once that community matured and the practicies were codified to some extent, it became known as Buddhism.

Answer 3

As regards prophets - Prophets are individuals sent by a deity to convey a message or mission. Buddhism has no deity, hence no prophets. Buddhism is a nonprofit organization.

As regards leaders - Buddhism is not unified as a one stream organization, It is divides into several major streams and numerous sects. Like Christians, there is no one living leader that speak for all believers. There are several leaders such as the Dalai Lama who are both well known and are leaders of sects, but they have no control or leadership over Buddhism in general. As to "important " leaders, each group regards their leader as important.

Answer 4

The founder of the religion as a whole was Siddhartha. The major sects all have different leaders that are in charge of them.

Answer 5

Siddhartha Gautama from the Northeast of India.

Answer 6

The founde of the faith is Siddhartha Gutauma. Who lived in what is now Nepal about 500 years before Christ lived.