World Religions
Opening the Doors of Understanding
Welcome to the World Religion Convention
Buddhism Introduction: Workshop 1B
Buddhist monks in the traditional orange robe for the branch Theravada of Buddhism
  • How did Buddhism come into existence?
  • Who was the founder?
  • What do Buddhists try to accomplish during their life?

Buddhism was founded in the northern part of India around 520 B.C.E. by Siddhartha Guatama. Buddhism is defined as the system taught by the Buddha, or the founder.” The son of a king, he grew up in a small kingdom in northern India.

There are around 630-631 million Buddhists in the world. It is most popular in Asian countries such as China, Japan, Korea and other places in Southeast Asia.

Though most Buddhists don't say that they do not believe in a god or afterlife, most Buddhists strive for one thing in their life: enlightenment. This is when one ascends or rises above suffering and desire.
For a Complete Explanation of "enlightenment", Go To:

Buddhist Beliefs
To Learn More About the Monks Depicted at the Top of the Page, Go To:

Buddhist Branches
Sample Buddhist Music