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