Buddhism
Buddha
means "the Enlightened One." Sidhartha Gautama, who probably lived around 563 to 483 B.C., was born into a wealthy Hindu family. He saw the suffering of the world and began his goal to find a release from this world of suffering and pain. Six years into this mission under a tree near the river Gaya he had an experience. During meditation he achieved "Enlightenment" and became the Buddha, or "Enlightened One."Basic Beliefs of Buddhism
The foundation of Buddhism is broken down into the "Four Noble Truths".
They are:
"The Middle Way" is achieved by knowledge of the Four Noble Truths and morality and meditation in the following eight steps
The Right View is having an understanding of the Four Noble Truths. Right Resolve is the decision to follow and observe them. Right Speech, Action, and Livelihood are the actions taken to avoid the desires of this life which produce suffering. Right Effort is the process of emptying your mind and directing your focus toward final freedom of the world or suffering. Right Concentration involves the higher state of mind and body control. Right Ecstasy is achieved when all natural sense experiences cease and universal knowledge is obtained. At this point you become one with the Impersonal, and have achieved what is termed Nirvana.
Buddha taught that the goal of human existence was to free oneself from the law of "Karma" (cause and effect of good and bad deeds) and achieve the state of "Nirvana," where one ceases desiring and thus eliminates suffering. Salvation or Nirvana is open to all true seekers.
Buddha did not believe in God and felt that the very concept of God or gods was holding people bound to this physical world of karma and suffering. Yet, Buddhism, with it many shrines and statues of Buddha, indulge in the very things that Buddha loathed.
Buddhism is nothing but one of the earliest forms of the New Age Philosophy. A works based belief, depending on your desire and will.