Buddhism is more than a religion; it’s a way of living, a philosophy, and a moral guide that doesn’t focus on a god or creator. It began in what is now India, around the 6th and 5th centuries BCE, founded by Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha. His story starts with him as a wealthy prince who, after realizing the extent of human suffering, left his comfortable life to find a way to help people live without pain.
He tried extreme spiritual practices but eventually discovered what he called the “middle way,” a balanced life path. Through this journey, he became “the Buddha” or “the enlightened one” and found inner peace. He saw that people suffered because they clung to things and expected them to last forever, even though life is full of change. He taught that freedom from suffering could be achieved by accepting this change and letting go of attachment.
The Buddha’s teachings come down to some key points: The Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths explain that life involves suffering, that desire causes suffering, that ending desire ends suffering, and that there’s a path to follow for a peaceful life. The Eightfold Path is a guide for living a mindful, ethical life, including having the right intentions, actions, speech, and a balanced mental state.
In Buddha’s time, many questioned the religious practices of orthodox Hinduism. Buddhism was one of several new philosophies but only gained significant popularity during the reign of King Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. Ashoka embraced Buddhism and helped spread it across India, Central Asia, and beyond. Today, Buddhism has evolved into various schools, each emphasizing different aspects of the Buddha’s teachings. There are three main branches:
- Theravada: This school focuses on individual enlightenment, seeing Buddhism as Buddha originally taught.
- Mahayana: The most popular, emphasizing compassion and helping others reach enlightenment.
- Vajrayana: This branch believes that everyone has the potential to be enlightened and encourages people to explore Buddhism at their own pace.
Across these branches, Buddhists agree on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Although Buddhists don’t “worship” the Buddha as a god, they often honor him through statues, which remind them of his teachings.
The Buddha believed that everyone has the power to overcome suffering by following his teachings, without needing to rely on a god. His goal was to show people that life’s pain and troubles stem from our own minds and that we have the tools to find inner peace.
Today, there are more than 500 million Buddhists worldwide, each following their unique path inspired by the Buddha’s message: peace comes from within, and we each have the power to find it.
