Buddhism A Pathway to Enlightenment, from Shady Beginnings

Buddhism: A Pathway to Enlightenment, from Shady Beginnings A boy is the heir to the throne of a great tribe. His father, the current king, wants his son to be king too but is warned that he will either be an outstanding king or an extraordinary sage, so he must act before his child can be affected. The young prince is kept away from any forms of negativity that this cruel world could possibly show him. Unfortunately for his father, the boy witnesses the exact things that the king has attempted to keep him from, and he leaves all the riches behind so that his journey to enlightenment can begin. This is the story of how Buddhism began. Buddhism is one of the major religions of the world. It is also very different from the other popular religions. Although it first originated in India, its founder’s unusual teachings have spread to the western world in addition to other Asian countries, including Japan, China, and Thailand. In fact, Buddhism is the â€Å"oldest and most widesp read of all the world faiths† (Wilkinson 8). Unlike most religions, Buddhism is non-theistic, meaning that it is not based on the belief of a god or gods; instead, it is worked around the principles of a man who found enlightenment. This man was born in the 5th century BCE, or before common era, as Siddhartha Gautama but is more commonly known as Buddha, or â€Å"the enlightened one.† (Wilkinson 6) His father was the ruler of the Shakya tribe, which made him a prince. However, he left the riches and wealth