have caused the confusion over its categorization. But this confusion only exists in our hemisphere. The Asians, who have long practiced the Buddhists doctrines don't concern themselves with labels. It is us Americans who feel the need to rationalize and analyze and hypothesize, but that is because to us, everything must be explained in detail and every aspect of something must be understood. This difference in our cultures has caused Buddhism to evolve to survive in our alien environment.
             Before we go into detail on the evolution of Buddhism in the states, it would be wise for us to familiarize ourselves with the fundamentals of Buddhism. In Christianity, the key word is sin, and the key concept is temptation. In Buddhism, the word is wisdom, and the key concept is suffering. According to Buddha, suffering is natural and must be overcome. The dukkha (suffering) is a condition of stress and conflict and Buddhism is a response to suffering. Only by understanding the nature of the suffering can one hope to overcome the self achieve satisfaction. Suffering is a result of wanting. You want a frivolous desire and do all that you can to get it. However, after quenching that desire, a new desire emerges and the cycle continues. This constant state of wanting and craving causes pain to you and those around you. Only by understanding that the cycle is infinite, and restraining one's self from such petty wants will one understand true happiness. This is the simplest way of explaining the fundamental idea on which Buddhism is based.
             Buddhism is not without its fables. One of the most important stories from the analects of the Buddha is the story of the four gates. This tale explains how Siddhartha Gautama (the prince who would become the Buddha) found the desire to create and organize the Buddhist faith. The tale states one night, Siddhartha, a man in his thirties who had never left the sanctuary of his castle, ...