What is Buddhism?
{{Buddhism}} [[File:Large Gautama Buddha statue in Buddha Park of Ravangla, Sikkim.jpg|thumb|A statue of Buddha in [[:en:Buddha_Park_of_Ravangla|Buddha Park of Ravangla]].]] '''Buddhism''' originated in the [[South Asia|Indian Subcontinent]], mainly in the [[North Indian Plain]], based on the teachings of [[Siddhartha Gautama]], later known as [[Gautama Buddha]]. A [[Buddha]] is one who is said to be awake to the truth of life. Over the centuries, his teachings spread to [[Nepal]], [[Central Asia]], [[Tibet]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Southeast Asia]], [[China]], [[Mongolia]], [[Korea]], [[Japan]], and now [[Europe]] and [[North America|North]] and [[South America]]. At least two major branches of practice and theory exist: [[Theravada]] Buddhism is most common in South East Asia; [[Mahayana]] further north. Buddhism exists in many different strands today, but all schools and sects share basic ideas. About seven percent of the people of the world are Buddhist. While many people see Buddhism as a [[religion]],<ref>Chambers Dictionary, 2006; Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 2003; New Penguin Handbook of Living Religions, 1998; Dewey Decimal System of Book Classification</ref> others see it as a [[philosophy]], and others as a way of finding [[wikt:reality|reality]].<ref>For example: Thich Nhat Hanh, ''[https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/241899.Old Path White Clouds|Old Path White Clouds] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230219085042/https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/241899.Old |date=2023-02-19 }}'' For example: Dorothy Figen, ''[http://www.buddhistinformation.com/is_buddhism_a_religion1.htm Is Buddhism a Religion?]{{Dead link|date=January 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}''</ref><ref>For example: Narada Thera, ''Buddhism in a Nutshell,'' http://www.buddhanet.net/nutshell03.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080217164236/http://www.buddhanet.net/nutshell03.htm |date=2008-02-17 }}</ref> == Background and Buddhist concepts == Siddhartha Gautama (563{{ndash}}483 [[