Buddhism: origins, fundamentals, and paths to enlightenment

Here you'll find a brief history of the oldest and most mysterious of the world religions - Buddhism, and of its most important elements: dharma, samsara, nirvana, the The Noble Eightfold Path and others. This is our first article in a series about Buddhism.

Buddhism is the oldest of the three world religions, along with Christianity and Islam. A world religion is one which, having originated on one territory, gradually transcends borders and infiltrates other cultures. Some people believe that Hinduism, Taoism, and Judaism are also world religions, but this is not the case, since each of these religions is practiced only in one culture or within one nationality.

Buddhism emerged in the 6th and 5th centuries BC in northern India, where the sage Shakyamuni Buddha lived and practiced. It is significant that within the context of this religion the Buddha is neither a deity nor the creator of the world. Buddhism has no single image of the creator at all, which distinguishes this religion from others.