Buddhism has a vast history of 2,500 years. The earliest form of Buddhism is called Theravada Buddhism. Here, Buddha is visualised as a monk. Gautam Buddha was a prince, who abandoned his kingdom and his family in search of the answer to life’s suffering. He concluded that all suffering comes from attachment to impermanent things.

This early form of Buddhism transformed a thousand years later into what is came to be known as Mahayana Buddhism. The focus was not just on outgrowing suffering, but also on compassion. Mahayana Buddhism introduces us to the concept of the Bodhisatva. The one who delays attaining nirvana until he can help elevate the suffering of his fellow human beings. This form of Buddhism became very popular in China and Japan. The older form of Buddhism spread to South East Asia.