Buddhism

All about Buddhism, Buddhist travel and tourism, religious tour and trips. Photo tales of famous and hidden places. Buddhism is an Indian religion attributed to the teachings of the Buddha. Its the fourth-largest religion of the world with over 520 million followers, i.e over 7% of the global population, known as Buddhists, encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on original teachings attributed to the Buddha and resulting interpreted philosophies. Buddhism originated in ancient India as a Sramana tradition sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE, spreading through much of Asia. Two major extant branches of Buddhism are generally recognized by scholars: Theravada and Mahayana. Most Buddhist traditions share the goal of overcoming suffering and the cycle of death and rebirth, either by the attainment of Nirvana or through the path of Buddha-hood. Buddhist schools vary in their interpretation of the path to liberation, the relative importance and canonicity assigned to the various Buddhist texts, and their specific teachings and practices. Widely observed practices include taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, observance of moral precepts, monasticism, meditation, and cultivation of the Paramitas.