Buddhism is a non-theistic religion founded in India by a man named Siddhartha Gautama. From all his teachings, Siddhartha Gautama adopted the name Buddha, meaning "the enlightened one." Gautama, or the Buddha, lived and taught in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent between 566 BC and 480 BC. Buddhism has since expanded into Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia in the form of Theravada and into East Asia in the form of Mahayana. Today both of these forms are found throughout the world. Buddhism includes a number of traditions, practices and dogmas. Buddhism consists of several main ideals. First there is the idea of ​​the Four Noble Truths. Karma is another aspect of Buddhism. The ultimate ideal is the cycle of rebirth. The Four Noble Truths comprise the central teachings of Buddhism. They provide the framework for Buddhist philosophy. The Four Noble Truths explain the causes of dukkha and how to overcome it. Dukkha is suffering, anxiety and discontent. The Four Noble Truths are as follows: the truth of dukkha, the truth of the origin of dukkha, the truth of the end of dukkha, and finally, the truth of the path leading to the end of dukkha. Simply put, the Four Noble Truths are a contingency plan to address the suffering humanity is subjected to. The Buddha realized that there was suffering but did not find the answer to the suffering until he deprived himself of worldly possessions and meditated. The first truth recognizes the existence of suffering. The second tries to find the cause of suffering. It has been said that suffering occurs through desire and ignorance. Humanity tends to want what it cannot have. We ignorantly believe that the world is something it is not. The third…half of the document…all based on a system of ethics as seen in the core ideals I discussed above. Buddhism does not challenge the beliefs of cultural and national restrictions. It also affects a variety of different cultural conditions. Buddhism teaches how to achieve maximum satisfaction. It can be applied individually to aid one's religious development and emotional security. Therefore, the main ideal of Buddhism in the contemporary world is the idea that, regardless of the political and social environment, one is capable of finding happiness. Buddhism is valued in the world today because it does not focus on social and political endeavors. Instead, it involves achieving a state of happiness. The above-mentioned ideals can be easily incorporated into all societies. This is why Buddhism in the modern world is so strong. It has easily adapted to fit what the modern world has become.