An Introduction to Buddhism

Buddhism began in the late sixth century BCE in the Ganges river valley of India. Although included in the category “religion” it is unique among the major faiths in a few respects. First, rather than speculating about the divine, Buddhism restricts itself to the human, focusing on the challenges of earthly life and offering advice on how to overcome them. Second, Buddhism is non-hierarchical — anyone can become a “buddha” (i.e. an…