Buddhism is a rich religion that affects the lives of millions of people throughout the world. Most importantly, Buddhism is a religion for all people. The religion emphasizes personal enlightenment as opposed to salvation from a higher being. The religion teaches that salvation lies in your own hands, and you are ultimately responsible for what you do, and the consequences that you face. Buddhism molds several ideologies and religions into its practices, appealing to a wide number of people, searching for salvation. Buddhist thought has helped to shape the lives of people as well as political institutions. In Japan “Shintoism, the ancient cult over which the imperial family presided, had been largely eclipsed by Buddhism” (Ralph et al 34). Aspects of the religion have also moved into the U.S.,

Growing interest in Asian culture and spiritual values in the West has led to the development of a number of societies devoted to the study and practice of Buddhism. Zen has grown in the United States to encompass more than a dozen meditation centers and a number of actual monasteries (McDermott 2).

The Buddhist religion encompasses a large spectrum of people all diverse but united under the words and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama.

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