| Buddhism
grew out of a period of change in Hinduism. Many ideas emerged
at this time which changed Hindu thought considerably, taking
it away from the old Vedic religion and in
a new direction. The concepts of reincarnation, samsara (the
cycle of birth and rebirth), and moksha (liberation from the
cycle) emerged.
The
Buddha was born Siddhartha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas
somewhere around 566 BCE. At the age of 29 he left his home
and family and renounced his life of privilege for the life
of an ascetic. He came to believe that neither extreme offered
the solution to happiness. He called this idea "The Middle
Way"; the path to Enlightenment (release from the cycle
of samsara).
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