Buddhism is one of the major religious and philosophical traditions in the world. It began over 2,000 years ago in northeast India, with the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha (the founder). Buddhism spread all over India, and then northward through the Himalaya mountain passes into China, Tibet, Korea, and Japan.

Southward, it reached Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, and Vietnam. During the 1900's, it spread to Europe, the United States of America, and Australia. Buddhism has always adapted well to other cultures, and has developed distinctive forms in different countries. The number of Buddhists in the world is estimated at well over 300 million.

The three jewels of Buddhism
People become or are counted as Buddhists if they "take refuge" in the Buddha, the dharma (the teaching), and the sangha (the community). These three refuges are also called the three jewels or precious things of Buddhism. In the Sanskrit language the word for the three jewels is triratna. At the beginning of most Buddhist gatherings and on special occasions, people say three times: "I go to the Buddha for refuge, I go to the dharma for refuge, I go to the sangha for refuge."

The Buddha was the founder of Buddhism. He was a religious teacher who lived in northeast India. Most scholars think he lived from about 563 to 483 B.C. However, some scholars claim he lived from about 448 to 368 B.C. By his own effort he attained enlightenment (a state of understanding truth) and then taught others how to do the same. The title Buddha means Enlightened One.

Buddhists follow Buddha by following this path to enlightenment in one of its forms. But Buddhists believe that taking refuge in the Buddha means more than just following him. It also means that a person has confidence in the nature of enlightenment, whether it is manifest in one's own life or in other beings.