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Article: Buddhism
- Article from:
- Encyclopedia of Science and Religion
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Buddhism
Originating with the life of the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, born in present-day Nepal in the sixth century b.c.e., varieties of Buddhism have developed and spread across the globe for the past 2,500 years. Though Buddhism by no means presents a uniform face in all cultures and time periods, Buddhist traditions do reveal certain common experiential contours, doctrinal themes, and ritual practices. Speaking experientially, Buddhism emphasizes disciplined introspection through a combination of meditative, recitative, and gestural sequences. Doctrinally, Buddhist teachings call attention to four primary themes: suffering, liberation, emptiness, and interdependence. And ...