Buddhism <Back to Last Page >     <Glossary Index>

Related Terms • Four Noble Truths • Mahayana Buddhism

Definition: Now one of the world's major religions, Buddhism is based upon the teachings of Siddhartha Gutama Buddha in reaction to the animism and pantheism which were common in India at the time. The principle beliefs of Buddhism are expressed in the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

There are three main schools of Buddhism today. the first is Therevada (Doctrine of the Elders), which is the surviving form of Hinayana, or Lesser-Vehicle and can be found in Ceylon, Burma, and other areas of Southeast Asia. The second is Mahayana, or Great-Vehicle, and can be found in China, Korea and Japan. The third is Vajrayana, or Diamond Vehicle, and can be found in Tibet and some surrounding areas.

In India, where Buddhism originated, it can now only be found in very small numbers.

Also Known As: none

Alternate Spellings: none

Common Misspellings: none

Related Resources:

What is Atheism?
The definition of atheism causes many people problems. Too often, people have the wrong idea of what atheism really is and what atheists really believe.

What is Agnosticism?
Misunderstandings about agnosticism are just as frequent as misunderstandings about atheism.

What is Theism?
What is the difference between monotheism and monolatry? Between pantheism and panentheism? How about between animism and shamanism? Or theism and deism? What the heck is henotheism? For that matter, what is and is not a religion?

What is Religion?
A system of human beliefs, ideals and practices which is harder to define than it may at first appear.

Further Reading:

Ultimate Journey
In 629, the Chinese Buddhist monk Hsuan Tsang left the Tang dynasty capital Chang-an (current-day Xian) and traveled to India to see the main shrines of his religion. His path was difficult, taking him across deserts and mountains. His record of the 15-year-long voyage not only served generations of travelers, but also generations of scholars and school children until, eventually, it ended up largely forgotten. Read Review... | Compare Prices The New Buddhism
Buddhism has become very popular in the West over the past couple of decades, but to what degree has Buddhism been changing the West, and to what degree has Buddhism itself undergone change? According to William Coleman, Buddhism has changed a lot, yet nevertheless, it is fundamentally the same as it has always been. But how can this be? Read Review... | Compare Prices

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