Buddhism, also arose in India. Its founder, Siddhartha Gautama, became known as the Buddha, or “the Enlightened One.” The son of a prince, Siddhartha Gautama was raised in luxury, shielded from reality. At age 29 he left his palace and was shocked to see disease, poverty, and death. He left his family and spent years wandering, meditating and fasting, searching to understand human suffering. One day, sitting under a tree, Siddhartha Gautama suddenly understood. In that moment he became the Buddha. He devoted his life to teaching the way to enlightenment. The Buddha accepted some Hindu ideas, such as reincarnation, but not the Hindu gods or the Vedas. He taught ethics, or good conduct, more than ceremonies. He taught that desire caused suffering and that all people should practice poverty and nonviolence. A person of any caste could reach nirvana. Brahmins opposed these teachings, and Buddha gained few followers in India during his lifetime. After his death, however, Buddhism spread throughout Asia. It split into two branches. Theravada Buddhism followed Buddhism’s traditional beliefs. Its followers believe that the Buddha was a great teacher and spiritual leader. Followers of Mahayana Buddhism regard the Buddha as a god and savior. Mahayana took hold mainly in China, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan.