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Buddhism started when a man named Siddhartha Gautama started to ask questions and found the answers about the meaning of life

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Siddhartha spent many years traveling, searching for the answers to his question

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Siddhartha almost gave up on his quest for answers, but he kept searching

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He found the answers after 7 weeks of deep meditation under a tree.

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After that, he spent 7 more weeks meditating under the same tree, which was later called the Tree of Wisdom by his followers, then, he explained his ideas to companions.

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He sat down under a tree near the town of Gaya, near the Ganges river and meditated

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The tree he sat under to meditate was near the town of Gaya, close to the Ganges river

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Siddhartha was about 35 years old when he was enlightened, and from that point on he was called Buddha, or the "Enlightened One".

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To free his mind of daily concerned, Siddhartha fasted, or didn't eat food, and meditated, so he could find the answers.

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as he traveled, he gained many followers, those followers were the first believers in Buddha.

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He spent the rest of his life traveling and spreading his ideas

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The first Teachings of Buddhism were just ideas. The ideas were, people want what they like but do not have, wanting to keep what we like and already have, and not wanting what we dislike but have.

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there are 4 noble truths that are the guidelines for Buddha's teachings.

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The first truth is are, Suffering and unhappiness are part of human life. No one can escape sorrow.

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The second truth is, suffering comes from our desires for pleasure and material goods. People cause their own misery because they want things they cannot have

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The third truth is, People can overcome their desires and ignorance and reach Nirvana, a state of perfect peace. Reaching nirvana would free a person's soul from suffering and from the need for further reincarnation.

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The fourth truth is, People can overcome ignorance and desire by following an eight-fold path that leads to wisdom, enlightenment, and salvation.

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the eight-fold path goes 1 right thought 2 Right intent 3 right speech 4 right action 5 right livelihood 6 right effect 7 right mindfulness 8 right concentration

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The Buddha believed that the eight fold path was a middle between human desires and denying oneself any pleasure.

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The Buddha also believed that people should over come their desires and instead be reasonable and not stare their bodies or cause themselves unnecessary pains.

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There are no gods in Buddhism.

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some of Buddha's teachings challenged traditional Hindu ideas

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Buddha rejected many ideas in the Vedas

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Buddha challenged the Hindu priest.

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The Buddha did not believe in rituals were necessary for enlightenment

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The Buddha opposed the caste system

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The Buddha's opposition to the caste system won him many Hindu herders, farmers, artisans, and untouchables

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The Buddha did not reject the Hindu's idea of reincarnation

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The Buddha also gained rich followers because many rich and powerful Indians liked his ideas about avoiding extreme behavior and seeking salvation.

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The Buddha didn't like the caste system because he thought that a particular person shouldn't be confined to a particular place

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the Buddha didn't agree with a lot of Hindu teachings