Religion

==== Buddhism ====
[[File:Open front door over Wat Mixay and praying bhikkhus, Vientiane, Laos.jpg|thumb|Wat Mixay Buddhist shrine in [[Vientiane]], Laos]][[Buddhism]] was founded by [[Gautama Buddha|Siddhartha Gautama]] in the 5th century BCE. Buddhists generally agree that Gotama aimed to help [[Sentient beings (Buddhism)|sentient beings]] end their [[dukkha|suffering (dukkha)]] by understanding the [[dharma|true nature of phenomena]], thereby escaping the cycle of suffering and rebirth ([[Saṃsāra (Buddhism)|saṃsāra]]), that is, achieving [[Nirvana (Buddhism)|nirvana]].
* [[Theravada]] Buddhism, which is practiced mainly in [[Sri Lanka]] and Southeast Asia alongside folk religion, shares some characteristics of Indian religions. It is based in a large collection of texts called the [[Pali Canon]].
* [[Mahayana]] Buddhism (or the Great Vehicle) under which are a multitude of doctrines that became prominent [[Buddhism in China|in China]] and are still relevant [[Buddhism in Vietnam|in Vietnam]], [[Buddhism in Korea|Korea]], [[Buddhism in Japan|Japan]] and to a lesser extent [[Buddhism in the West|in Europe and the United States]]. Mahayana Buddhism includes such disparate teachings as [[Zen]], [[Pure Land Buddhism|Pure Land]], and [[Soka Gakkai]].
[[File:Buda_souvenir_over_a_shelf.jpg|thumb|Buddha in a wood shelf in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil]]
* [[Vajrayana]] Buddhism first appeared in India in the 3rd century CE.<ref>Williams, Paul; Tribe, Anthony (2000), ''Buddhist Thought: A complete introduction to the Indian tradition'', Routledge, {{ISBN|0-203-18593-5}} p. 194</ref> It is currently most prominent in the Himalaya regions<ref>Smith, E. Gene (2001). Among Tibetan Texts: History and Literature of the Himalayan Plateau. Boston: Wisdom Publications. {{ISBN|0-86171-179-3}}</ref> and extends across all of Asia<ref>''Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary'', {{ISBN|4-7674-2015-6}}</ref> (cf. [[Mikkyō]]).
* Two notable new Buddhist sects are [[Hòa Hảo]] and the [[Navayana]] ([[Dalit Buddhist movement]]), which were developed separately in the 20th century.