Buddhism is one of the oldest religions still in practice today. Like so many of the great religions, and as the centuries have passed, it has become divided into a number of different traditions. This is a rather common situation that arises once the main founder or teacher or philosopher is no longer the only one providing the spiritual insight or path or teachings.  Fortunately, most of these traditions still share a common set of fundamental beliefs and truths.

In Buddhism, one of the more fundamental beliefs is often referred to as reincarnation. This is the concept that people are reborn after dying.

The belief is that each person goes through a number of cycles of birth, living, death and rebirth on his path to spiritual enlightenment. However amongst Buddhists this is further defined and differentiated: there is reincarnation, and there is rebirth.

In rebirth, the person does not necessarily return to Earth as the same entity ever again. Siddhartha Gautama compared it to a leaf growing on a tree. Once the leaf had fallen, a new leaf will replace it. It will be similar to the old leaf, but it is not identical.

After many such cycles, if a person releases their attachment to desire and the self, they can attain Nirvana. This is a state of liberation and freedom from suffering.

It is not widely known that Buddhism has more that 365 million followers. It comprises 6% of the world's population and is the fourth largest religion in the world, with Christianity, Islam and Hinduism in that order having greater memberships than Buddhism.

Buddhism was founded in Northern India by Siddhartha Gautama, he was the first Buddha. One of the many things he taught were what became known as The Four Noble Truths:

1. There is suffering.
2. There is a cause for suffering.
3. There is a cessation of suffering.
4. There is a path leading to the cessation of suffering.

Buddhism later died out in India, but had become established in Sri Lanka. From there, it expanded across Asia, evolving into these forms:

Theravada Buddhism - has been the dominant school of Buddhism in most of Southeast Asia since the thirteenth century, with the establishment of the monarchies in Thailand, Burma, Cambodia and Laos.

Mahayana Buddhism - is mostly found in China, Japan, Korea, Tibet and Mongolia.

Vajrayāna Buddhism - Some consider this to be a part of Mahayana Buddhism; others view it as a third Buddhist path.

Tibetan Buddhism, Zen Buddhism and Modern Buddhism Zen Buddhism are becoming increasingly popular in the West