What is Buddhism? Well you probably know it’s a religion, but what do they believe in and how do they follow this religion? Read the facts.
- Buddhism is derived from Buddha, which refers to Buddha Sakyamuni which means “Sage of Sakya”.
- The followers of this religion are better known as Buddhists.
- Buddhist do not believe in a god or gods. Neither do they worship the Buddha; they do however, follow the teachings of the Buddha.
- An Indian Prince by the name of Siddhartha Gautam is considered to be the founder of this religion. It was started around 520BC.
- The prince belonged to a very rich family, and at the age of 29, he left his family and kingdom in the quest for peace and enlightenment.
- The prince attained enlightenment under a fig tree or bodhi tree which is situated in Bodh Gaya, Bihar.
- With over 360 million followers, it is considered to be the fourth largest religion in the world.
- The word Buddha means the one who has awakened. This word comes from the language Pali, one of the most ancient languages in the world.
- The three basic teachings of this religion, also known as the “Three Jewels” are Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.
- Buddha refers to Sakyamuni, Dharma refers to the teachings of Sakyamuni and the Sangha are monks who follow Dharma.
- This religion was found in the north-eastern part of India which is now called as Nepal.
- The parts of the world in which Buddhism is largely followed are China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia.
- The sacred scriptures of this language are collectively known as Pali Canon and they consist of different Mahayana Sutras.
- The place of worshipping for this religion is known as a monastery which is a type of meditation hall.
- According to the teachings of Buddhism, nothing in this world is permanent, everything is only temporary.
- The three basic teachings of this religion are wisdom, concentration and discipline.
- The major day for celebration among the followers is the birthday of “Gautam Buddha”.
- The mantra for Buddhist monks is Om Mani Padme Hum.
- Buddhism is divided into three main categories: Theravada, Vajrayana and Mahayana.
- The three delusions according to Buddhism are ignorance, desire and anger.
Written By Jamie Ward
Jamie Ward is a part-time web developer and blogger. He enjoys writing about religion, technology and space. He is currently studying both computing and religion in his spare time.


