Siddhartha Gautama founded Buddhism around 50 BCE; he was the son of a wealthy ruler who sheltered him from poverty, suffering and showered him with all the lavishness of life. Gautama unsatisfied with his prosperous life searched for life's meaning beyond his wealthy lifestyle. He left his lavish life and decided to experience a life of asceticism, the practice of severe self-discipline. After seeing the uselessness of asceticism, Gautama turned to meditation. In this state he realized a life of moderation would lead to happiness. His teaching included the Four Nobel Truths as described in The Humanities Culture, Continuity & Change by Henry Sayre.

1. Life is suffering.
2. Suffering has a cause, which is ignorance.
3. Ignorance can be overcome and eliminated.
4. The way to overcome this ignorance is by following the Eightfold Path or right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. …show more content…
Nonviolence became Ashoka's official policy during his rule; promoting vegetarianism, denouncing the unnecessary killing of animals, built hospitals for people and animals and built over 8,400 Buddha shrines. Buddhism would spread beyond the walls of India and by 600 CE Buddhism reached Japan. Each country accepted Buddhism into their homeland, the original practice developed and took on characteristics distinct to each