The founder of Buddhism is Siddhartha Gautama, known now as Buddha, (The Awakened One), he lived in the northeastern part of the Indian subcontinent. Followers of Buddhism accept Buddha as their teacher, who has also shared the insights that he has gained to help end suffering by achieving ultimate understanding of the true nature of all things. The two major branches of Buddhism are Theravada and Mahayana, the first of which has a large following in Southeast Asia, and the second is found most often in Eastern Asia. Occasionally there is a third branch of Buddhism that is also practiced called Vajrayana. Many teachers in Buddhist schools do not agree on Buddha’s teachings, or more specifically the details of how they believe that Buddhism does not have a common core. Another of their disagreements is over the importance of certain scriptures in the Buddhist religion.

The religion itself came forth in Bihar India and the time where it grew, flourished, and thrived the most was during the reign of Maurya Empire. Around the 13^th century Buddhism dwindled and almost disappeared from India, but not without forever leaving the imprint of it’s past and teachings there. In 1891 Buddhism was revived in India when the Maha Bodhi Society was founded by Anagarika Dharmapala. One of the main things that the society was allabout was the spreading of Buddhism throughout India. Many temples were built to practice and worship Buddhism; a temple was even created at Sarnath which was the place where Buddha gave his first sermon. Following this revival there have been many movements in India that relate to Buddhism, some having to do with conversions and others with meditation ways. India was not the only place where Buddhism was practiced, people all around the world practice Buddhism including celebrities such as Orlando Bloom, Kate Bosworth, Brad Pitt, Sting, and George Lucas. Today Buddhism is almost not existent in India, but is thriving in neighboring countries, and around the rest of the world, the number of Buddhists in the world being estimated at about 350 million.

Some of the most important Buddhist teachings and beliefs include the Triple Gem, the Four Noble Truths, the Four Bodhisattva Vows, the Eight-Fold Path, the Five Precepts, the Ten Paramita, the Four Sublime or Uplifted States, the Five Powers or Spiritual Faculties, the Five Hindrances, the Four Bases or Frames of Reference of Mindfulness, and the Three Signs of Existence or Universal Properties. As one can see there are a lot of things that Buddhists are taught and that they believe, a lot of the time the things equate to the same thing, they believe what they are taught and they are taught about things that they believe in. The Triple Gem is Buddha (the one who was self awakened), the Dhamma (the teaching), and the Sangha (the awakened community, all beings). The rest of the beliefs and teachings are very specific in the wording, as they are almost like a code, some of them as a Buddhist you vow to uphold, therefore I am not going to try and re-word them as they should be left how they are. These are all taken directly from www.buddhanet.net word for word because they should be left how they are and should not be changed.

The Four Noble Truths, one of their most important beliefs and teachings are listed as follow

1. The Noble Truth of Dukkha - stress, unsatisfactoriness, suffering.
2. The Noble Truth of the causal arising of Dukkha, which is grasping, clinging and wanting.
3. The Noble Truth of Nirvana, The ending of Dukkha. Awakening, Enlightenment. ‘Mind like fire unbound.’
4. The Noble Truth of the Path leading to Nirvana or Awakening

The Four Bodhisattva Vows:

1. I vow to rescue the boundless living beings from suffering; (Link to 1st Truth)
2. I vow to put an end to the infinite afflictions of living beings; (Link to 2nd Truth)
3. I vow to learn the measureless Dharma-doors; (Link to 4th Truth)
4. I vow to realise the unsurpassed path of the Buddha. (Link to 3th Truth)

The Eight-Fold Path:

1. Right View, Understanding
2. Right Attitude, Thought or Emotion
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right livelihood;
6. Right Effort, Energy, and Vitality
7. Right Mindfulness or Awareness
8. Right Samadhi "concentration", one-pointedness. Integration of, or establishment in, various levels of consciousness.

The Five Precepts:

1. Abstain from killing living beings
2. Abstain from taking that which not given

3. Abstain from sexual misconduct
4. Abstain from false speech
5. Abstain from distilled substances that confuse the mind. (Alcohol and Drugs)

The Ten Paramita:

1. Giving or Generosity*
2. Virtue, Ethics, Morality*
3. Renunciation, letting go, not grasping
4. Panna or Prajna "Wisdom" insight into the nature of reality *
5. Energy, vigour, vitality, diligence *
6. Patience or forbearance; *
7. Truthfulness
8. Resolution, determination, intention
9. Kindness, love, friendliness
10. Equanimity.

* In Mahayana Buddhism, 6 are emphasised, they are, numbers l., 2., 4., 5., 6., Samadhi (see Path) & 4.

The Four Sublime or Uplifted States:

1. Metta — Friendliness, Loving-kindness
2. Karuna — Compassion
3. Mudita — Joy, Gladness. Appreciation of good qualities in people
4. Upekkha — Equanimity, the peaceful unshaken mind

The Five Powers or Spiritual Faculties:

1.Faith, Confidence
2. Energy, Effort
3. Mindfulness
4. Samadhi
5. Wisdom

The Five Hindrances:

1. Sense craving

The Four Bases or Frames of Reference of Mindfulness:

1. Mindfulness of the Body — breath, postures, parts
2. Mindfulness of Feelings, Sensations — pleasant, unpleasant and neutral;
3. Mindfulness of States of Consciousness;
4. Mindfulness of all Phenomena or Objects of Consciousness.

The Three Signs of Existence or Universal Properties:

1. Anicca — Impermanent

2. Dukkha — Unsatisfactory, stress inducing
3. Anatta — Insubstantial or Not-self