| Buddhism is the fourth largest religion in the world, being | | | | Theravada or Hinayana - the Lesser Vehicle: |
| exceeded in numbers only by Christianity, Islam and | | | | Hinayana is practiced in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, |
| Hinduism. It was founded in Northern India by the first | | | | Cambodia and Laos. The Lesser Vehicle Buddhism is |
| known Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. In 535 BCE, he | | | | based on the teaching of the Vinaya Pitaka. Vinaya |
| attained enlightenment and assumed the title Lord | | | | Pitaka thought that Buddha was a man, a very special |
| Buddha (one who has awakened). Siddhartha | | | | man, a very special person but nevertheless human. |
| Gautama was born in Lumbini, now part of Nepal. | | | | The Theravada believes that there is no reality |
| Top 10 countries with the highest percent of Buddhists. | | | | corresponding to the concept of God that we can rely |
| Rank Country % Buddhist Population | | | | on for salvation. |
| 1 Thailand 94% 61,517,708 | | | | Mahayana - the Greater Vehicle |
| 2 Cambodia 93% 12,654,574 | | | | Mahayan accommodated and change it's religious |
| 3 Mongolia 93% 2,595,882 | | | | beliefs and practices to the religious expectations and |
| 4 Myanmar 90% 38,618,517 | | | | ideas of people. The Mahayanas interpreted and |
| 5 Bhutan 74% 1,651,895 | | | | transformed the Buddha and his teachings into divine |
| 6 Japan 71% 90,466,243 | | | | being of personal nature and transcendence. |
| 7 Sri Lanka 70% 14,045,343 | | | | Mahayanas believes that people can achieve Buddha |
| 8 Laos 60% 3,730,284 | | | | hood based on their ethics, enlightenment and |
| 9 Vietnam 50% 41,767,788 | | | | compassion and one may become a Bodhisattva, a |
| 10 Singapore 43% 1,880,931 | | | | saviour, who helps others. |
| There are basically two type of Buddhism: | | | | There are four variants of Mahayana Buddhism: |
| There are many different variations which have | | | | 1. Tibetan Buddhism |
| developed with little conflict. This has been because at | | | | 2. Zen Buddhism |
| its core is a philosophical system to which such | | | | 3. Pure Land Buddhism |
| additions can be easily grafted. | | | | 4. |
| The main branches: | | | | |