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