Buddhism (Guardians)

Buddhism is a religion developed by the prophet and teacher Siddhārtha Gautama, better known as the Buddha, in the 5th Century B.C. after he reportedly gained enlightenment about the world's suffering and the need to obtain enlightenment to escape the cycle of death and rebirth in this world. Following this discovery, Buddha began to preach to anyone would listen, eventually developing a small band of followers. The new religion was not very successful by the time of the Buddha's death, as other faiths such as local polytheisms and Jainism remained more popular. The powerful Maurya Empire under Emperor Ashoka adopted Buddhism as its state religion, giving it a second life and propelling it to lands far distant from its native Indian birthplace.

While Buddhism was largely unable to penetrate far into the Asian and European lands of the west, it was wildly successful in other regions, gaining widespread popularity within India, China, Indochina, and other adjacent regions. Most notably, the religion, despite its overall fracturing into several different denominations, avoided the bitter disputes and conflicts that the other two global religions, Christianity and Zoroastrianism, had suffered in the past. As a result, Buddhism has almost a stereotype for being the most peaceful and benevolent of the three, although it should be noted that there are those that have proven this wrong time and time before.

Basic Principles
All Buddhists follow the teaching of the Buddha, which states that the world and its cycle of reincarnation is rife with prolonged suffering. Only through thoughtful study, meditation, and action can a Buddhist can, over time, spiritually break the cycle and escape from such worldly suffering. The length of time it takes to obtain enlightenment varies according to denomination, with some saying it takes many lifetimes following a monastic style of life, while others suggest it can be done by anyone in a single lifetime, given the proper circumstances.

To obtain enlightenment, the Buddha developed the Noble Eightfold Path, which is a set of values or actions a practitioner would have to undertake in order to move closer towards enlightenment. These are, in order, Right View, Right Resolve, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Samadhi, or meditative consciousness. Adhering to this Path will enable one to edge closer towards enlightenment.

Scripture
Compared to the other two world religions, Buddhism has a much less defined scripture, with major deviations between each denomination. The universally followed scripture is known as the Buddhavacana, or "Writings of the Buddha", which outlines in greater detail the Noble Eightfold Path and how to better reach enlightenment. In addition there are other important texts that were developed later, namely the Pali Canon and the Mahayana Sutras, both of which are major sources of knowledge for Therevada and Mahayana Buddhism, respectively.

Priesthood
Buddhism lacks a formal priesthood structure and is very decentralized as a result. Despite this, monasticism plays a huge role within Buddhism, larger compared to the monasticism present within Christianity. Buddhist monasteries are a common sight within Buddhist areas. Within the monasteries, a formal hierarchy may be maintained, with an abbot or abbotess at the head, but this is as far as the chain of command goes.

Places of Worship
The Buddhist house of worship does not have any official name and therefore can be called temples. Despite this, they are commonly called Stupas, after the large repositories of sacred relics of Buddhist leaders and saints.

The holiest Stupa, known as the Mahabodhi Stupa is located in Bodh Gaya, India, where the Buddha supposedly first gained enlightenment. Other important sites are located within the same region, namely the locations of his birth, death, and first teaching. While all Buddhists revere these sites, the separate denominations all have their own holy sites for members of their respective creed as well.

Denominations
Buddhism is divided into three main denominations, which are expanded upon below.
 * Mahayana: Mahayana Buddhism was developed as Buddhism spread to more populated areas outside of India, namely the areas of the Silk Road and China. Today it is the most practiced form of Buddhism in the world, with heavy populations in China, Korea, Jurchenia, and Japan. Within Mahayana anyone can obtain enlightenment regardless of whether they are a monk or not, perhaps even rising to the same level as the Buddha himself.
 * Theravada: Theravada is considered to be the first Buddhist denomination to exist, at least amongst the doctrines that are still practiced today. Theravada places heavy emphasis on a monastic lifestyle and religious rules in order to reach enlightenment over the course of several lifetimes. Theravada is widely practiced in northeastern India, southeast Asia, and Indochina.
 * Vajrayana: The smallest Buddhist branch and the most recent to emerge, Vajrayana Buddhism is practiced in Tibet and areas of Siberia and China. In Vajrayana enlightenment can be obtained, possibly even within a single lifetime, through the use of specialized techniques and practices taught by a teacher.