Religion is nothing new. There are probably hundreds of thousands if not millions of religious beliefs in this world, but one of the oldest faiths is Buddhism.
History of Buddhism
Buddhism was founded in India by Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Buddha. He was not a god nor divine being, but rather, he was an extraordinary man who grew up in a wealthy family. Despite living a comfortable life, he decided to give up his lavish lifestyle and dedicate his life to those in need.
After leaving his kingdom, Gautama went on a spiritual journey to deliver peace and truth to the people around him. He encountered countless religious figures and scholars during his travels, but not many of them held the same principles he did.
One day, Buddha left his child and wife and moved to the forest. There, he was on the brink of starving to death, but his renunciation of modern civilization did not lead him to the answers he was seeking. Instead, he sat down beneath a tree and began meditating.
This was an essential turning point in his life. From this point in time, he started to teach Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold Path to others. He wandered across India, preaching his beliefs to anyone who would lend an ear. His views on religion and life had affected numerous people belonging to different castes.
At the age of 80 years, Buddha passed away. However, he had already garnered a following of thousands of people whom believed everything Buddha had taught. After his death, his teachings were preserved and spread across many countries in Asia.