Most Buddhists, when asked, will tell you that Buddhism is not a religion but a teaching or guide to help one cope with the grim facts of life. In essence, Buddhism is about confronting and accepting death and suffering as an inevitable aspect of life. It teaches that resistence is futile, and happiness can only be found through knowledge. While most religions deal with danger and suffering through faith, Buddhism is all about wisdom. To the Buddhists, ignorance is the source of suffering, and suffering is the only true enemy of man. This concept may be difficult for many Christians to comprehend, and such ideas would undoubtedly seem out of place in a Christian land where man fights temptation and suffering is merely a byproduct. None the less, Buddhism has not only found its way to our shores, it thrives within our country. Its precepts of life and the way to attain true enlightenment have been used as the foundation of many of our stereotypical "western" concepts. The metaphysical attributes of Buddhism have influenced our western culture in many ways, both subtly and dramatically.
             The differences in Buddhism from just about every other religion are what lead many to the conclusion that Buddhism deserves its own category. Most religions concern themselves with explaining nature– Buddhism seeks to open the mind and reason out problems. This doctrine flies in the face of what we Americans consider to be the parameters for defining a religion. Another large difference is while other religions created deities that controlled nature and devised way to honor their gods, no omnipotent beings are found anywhere in Buddhism. According to the principles of Buddhism, man is the cause of all that surrounds him and human action is the underlying force, not a god or set of gods. Even so, it is hard to deny the spiritual properties of Buddhist movement. It is this aura of mysticism in the teachings of Buddha that...