Buddhism

The religion based upon the doctrine originally taught by the Hindu sage Gautama Siddartha surnamed Buddha ldquothe awakened or enlightenedrdquo in the sixth century b c and adopted as a religion by the greater part of the inhabitants of Central and Eastern Asia and the Indian Islands Buddhas teaching is believed to have been atheistic yet it was characterized by elevated humanity and morality It presents release from existence a beatific enfranchisement Nirvacircna as the greatest good Buddhists believe in transmigration of souls through all phases and forms of life Their number was estimated in 1881 at 470000000