Buddhism is a religion that dates back to one man searching for liberation. His discovery and teachings would lead many others on a path to enlightenment.

History

Its founder, Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, also called Shakyamuni, can be dated back to the sixth century BC in Northeastern India.
Siddhartha Gautama grew up in a wealthy family where his father did not want him to see the outside world.
After convincing his father to let him see the outside world, he saw the reality of
- An old man close to death
- A diseased man
- A funeral
- A religious monk
These four sights led Siddhartha Gautama down a path of self-denial in search for liberation.
He sat under a fig tree, and after nearly starving himself to death, he was enlightened and discovered the path to address suffering.
Siddhartha had now become a Buddha and began teaching the way to enlightenment.
His first converts were five of his companions, and his teachings began to spread across the region.
Buddhism spread from India to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, then throughout northern and eastern Asia, and eventually into China, Japan, and the United States.
Today, Buddhism is one of the greatest missionary religions, joining Christianity and Islam, with approximately 376 million adherents.

Basic Views

A non-theistic worldview
- God or gods are irrelevant in helping one achieve enlightenment.
- There is no concept of sin, but human suffering comes from ignorance.
- Does not depend on “blind faith.”
- Instead of relying on external saviors or abstract beliefs, Buddhism urges people to look within to trust personal experience.
All-embracing/universal truths
- Everything in life is impermanent and constantly changing.
- Because nothing is permanent, a life based on possessing items or persons does not satisfy a person.
- There is no eternal, unchanging soul; the “self” is just a collection of changes within one’s character or attributes.
All about self-empowerment
- The key to liberation lies within us.
- Our happiness and spiritual growth depends on us.
- It is a personal journey of self-discovery.
Afterlife
- Believe in karma or rebirth.
  - Karma is actions driven by intentions that have either good or bad results.
  - Karma leads to what one might be born as in the next life.
- The ultimate goal for a person is to achieve Nirvana.
  - The end of the cycle of death and rebirth.
  - The cessation of all existence.