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description: Buddhism has captivated many millions of people around the world its vitality and adaptability enabling it to transform the civilizations of India Southeast Asia Tibet China Korea and Japan and also become a lively component in the cultures of Europe Australia and the Americas. But have you ever wondered how a religion that doesn't even have a god could have accomplished this?Now you have the opportunity to have your questions answered as this series of 24 lectures by an award-winning teacher traces the history principles and evolution of a theology that is both familiar and foreign.You'll learn the astonishing story of Siddhartha Gautama - who was to become the Buddha or enlightened one - the Indian prince who abandoned wife son and a privileged life to seek the meaning of life and death and whose awakening and subsequent teachings have since impacted the world as few others have.And you'll learn what happened after his death as his followers began to share his teachings about the Four Noble Truths and the Path to Enlightenment. You'll see how Buddhist beliefs underwent significant and even radical change with different varieties of Buddhism having to take shape as those beliefs spread across India Central Asia China Japan and virtually every corner of the Western world such as becoming more respectful of one's duties to family and ancestors in China or becoming reconciled with local deities in Japan.
language: English
title: Buddhism
publisher: The Great Courses