A religion and philosophy founded by Gautama Buddha (Siddhartha) in the 6th century BCE, teaching the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path as the way to end suffering and attain nirvana.
- Gautama Buddha (about 563 to 483 BCE) was born at Lumbini (in Nepal), attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, delivered his first sermon (Dharmachakra Pravartana) at Sarnath, and attained mahaparinirvana at Kushinagar.
- Core teaching: the Four Noble Truths (suffering exists, has a cause, can end, and there is a path to end it) and the Eightfold Path (the middle path between indulgence and severe asceticism).
- The Tripitaka (three baskets) in Pali are the canonical texts: the Vinaya, Sutta, and Abhidhamma Pitakas.
- Four Buddhist councils were held; the fourth, under Kanishka in Kashmir, is linked to the split into the Hinayana (Theravada) and Mahayana schools, with Vajrayana emerging later.
- It spread widely under Ashoka, who sent missionaries (including his children Mahendra and Sanghamitra to Sri Lanka); the religion centres on the Triratna of Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha.
The four life-event sites (Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar), the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path, the Tripitaka, the councils, and the Hinayana-Mahayana split are heavily tested.
Hinayana or Theravada (older, no idol worship of the Buddha originally) versus Mahayana (Buddha worshipped, bodhisattva ideal); Buddhism uses Pali texts (Tripitaka), Jainism uses Prakrit (Angas).
Founded by Gautama Buddha; Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, Pali Tripitaka, four councils, and the Hinayana and Mahayana schools.