Buddhism is probably the most tolerant religion in the world, as its teachings can coexist with any other religions. However, this is not a characteristic of other religions. The Buddhist teaching of God is neither agnostic nor vague, but clear and logical. From Gautama to the Zen Texts to happiness, Buddhism covers much terrain. Rather than having a single teaching, Buddhism has many teachings that revolve around one main concept: Nirvana. .
Buddhism began with Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, who was born in the sixth century B.C. Siddhartha grew up living the extravagant life of a young prince. His father was Suddhodana and was the ruler of the Sakya people. (Thera) As a child, Gautama's was sheltered from the outside world and its suffering. He only knew of the riches and wealth that his family possessed. (White) According to custom, he married a young girl named Yasodhara at the age of sixteen. His father had ordered that he live a life of total seclusion, but one day Siddhartha ventured out into the world and was confronted with the harsh reality of life and universal suffering. At age twenty-nine, he left his kingdom and new-born son to lead a plain, reclusive life and determine a way to relieve this universal suffering. Siddhartha meditated under a bodhi tree for six years, but he was never fully satisfied. One day, however, he was offered a bowl of rice from a young girl and he accepted it. At that moment, he realized that physical harshness was not a means of achieving liberation. From then on, he encouraged people to follow a path of balance rather than extremism. He called this path the Middle Way. .
Devotion to the pleasures of sense is a low practice of villagers, a practice unworthy, unprofitable, the way of the world on one hand; and devotion to self- mortification, which is painful, unworthy and unprofitable on the other. By avoiding these two extremes the Buddha has gained knowledge of that middle path which gives vision, knowledge, causes calm, special knowledge, enlightenment, Nirvana.
