India's already established religion in many ways. Indus valley communities worshiped rivers (water) and had both male and female gods, while Aryans worshiped around a fire and believed in the forces of nature¹. This mixture of beliefs led to combining both of the religions. Aryans also presented the varna system (caste system), which divided the society into social classes based on wealth and power. The caste system had four hereditary classes called Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaisya, and Sudra.²
             Buddhism developed in India around 800-600 BCE during the time of revolution. New technology of iron and the upheaval of politics created a lustrous economy and corruption. Ultimately, imperialism was a key factor in creating states within India. At a time in need for rejuvenation, people were in search of freedom (such as the Wanderers). The wanderer movement was divided into two types of wanderers, those in search for purity and others in search of insight. The purity people thought that one is able to separate their mind from body by being in a meditating trance state until in a state of isolation. "The basic functional term would seem to be inviolability: the purity of the ultimate ego-boundary, just as the immobility of the mind becomes a means of
             ¹ BBC Home page. 7 Oct. 2002. 7 Oct. 2002 http://www.bbc.co.uk
             ² Word Reference. 7 Oct. 2002. 7 Oct. 2002 http://wordreference.com
             transcending the defilements of sensory input" (Prebish 8). On the other hand, wanderers in search of insight were for "the infinite maneuverability available to the one who knew how the universe worked" (Prebish 8).
             In the sixth century, Buddha was born, named Guatama Siddhartha. He belonged to a powerful warrior class and initially was a Hindu, but he saw the corruption of faith and political power. Buddhism started in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where Buddha spent most of his time. Buddha called for non-viole...