Buddhism is an ancient religion that started in India around 6th and 4th centuries BCE which is also about the same time Buddha is considered to have lived in India. Buddha or Siddhartha Gautama, a prince in Eastern India which is now Nepal left his palace in search of truth. It is thought that when Siddhartha saw a dead and diseased man, it triggered questions in his mind. No one was able to give him satisfactory answers so he decided to leave the comforts of this life including his wife and child and look for answers.

He wandered around till me came to a place called Bodh Gaya and sat under a peepal or banyan tree and decided that he will not leave till he got his answers to his questions. It is thought that after 49 days of meditation under the tree, he got enlightenment. He had discovered the Noble Eightfold Path and became the enlightened one the “Buddha”.

He found that sorrows are the cause of sufferings of the world and in order to finish the sufferings one most follow the Eightfold Path. The Noble Eightfold Path included Right view, Right intention, Right speech, Right action, Right livelihood, Right effort, Right mindfulness and Right concentration.

These discoveries are now known as the "Four Noble Truths” and forms the basis of Buddhist teachings. Once one has mastered these teachings they can attain Nirvana. Nirvana is the perfect state where one is free from ignorance, greed, hatred and other grief and distressing states.

After he had got enlightenment, Buddha spent the rest of this life of about 45 years travelling around India particularly around the Indo Gangetic plains of North Eastern India preaching what he had obtained during this mediation. He founded the Sangha or an association who also travelled promoting the new teachings. His teachings became very popular amongst all classes of people.
In addition, Buddha also taught the nine virtues that one should have. These included;

Buddho – Awakened
Sammasambuddho – Perfectly self awakened
Vijja-carana-sampano – Endowed with better knowledge and ideal conduct
Sugato – Well gone or well spoken all the time
Lokavidu – Wise in the knowledge of the many worlds
Anuttaro Purisa-damma-sarathi – Unexcelled trainer of untrained people
Satthadeva-Manussanam – Teacher of gods and humans
Bhagavathi – The Blessed one
Araham – Worthy of homage

Buddhism today is a major religion of the world. More and more people are turning to Buddhism for inner peace and happiness. Buddha kept quite on the existence of God and in order for one to be free one does not need god hence it attracts a lot of people. In fact, in order for one to practice Buddhism one does not even need to convert from their ancestral faith but follow the noble path laid out of Gautama and become enlightened just like Buddha had done thousands of year ago. His teachings are still relevant today.

To find out more on Buddhism you can read the book called “Buddhism Made Easy: Buddhism for Beginners and Busy People” by Shalu Sharma, available on all Amazon stores.