To live is to act, and our actions can have either harmful or beneficial consequences for oneself and others. Thus is born the basic principle of Buddhism. Buddhism is one of the major religions of the world and has been for more than two and a half millennia. Although it does not always appear to be a "typical" religion, Buddhism has persevered and thrived due to its positive teachings. It differs from other religions in that Buddhism is not based on the belief in a divine power, such as Christianity or Islam; on the contrary, Buddhism is more a way of life and a learning process than a set of divine commands. Buddhism is without a doubt an ethically acceptable form of religion because of the basic principles and truths that it teaches. .
Siddhartha Gautama was born around 563 B.C.E. He was raised in what is now known as Nepal, near the Himalayan Mountains. He belonged to Sakya tribe and his father ruled a small kingdom. He married his cousin (a common custom that is still practiced today), Yasodhara at nineteen, and she later gave birth to a son whom they called Rahula. Being raised in the palace, Prince Siddhartha was sheltered from the cruelty of the outside world. His father made sure that Siddhartha would grow up without ever seeing or experiencing suffering. Siddhartha's father's desire to shield his son from the evils of the world, while misguided, is ethically appeasing in any time. What parent does not wish to protect their child from reality? When Siddhartha Gautama finally was exposed to the world outside the palace in his twenties, he was in awe, showing keen interest in not only the treasures of the world, but its refuse. Siddhartha saw for the first time the poverty, sickness, and misery that others had to face, visions that had eluded him for so long. After seeing these sights he could not go back to his happy, yet ignorant existence behind the palace while so many others suffered.
