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[Gaze at a Buddha statue and you are probably only seeing a reflection of one specific aspect or discipline of Buddhism.|A statue of Buddha usually reflects the region and Buddhist discipline from where it was created]. [Buddhism is a religion based on the teachings of Buddha which are referred to as “Dharma” or "the Dharma."|The religion of Buddhism follows "the Dharma," teachings of the Buddha.]  Buddhist believe they are on a spiritual journey to attain a state of complete enlightenment known as Nirvana.   Over time the Buddhist religion has evolved, fractured and adapted as the religion spread to the continent of Asia and around the globe.  Today, there are three major sects of Buddhism and several smaller variants of the religion.  

All Buddhists accept Buddha as their spiritual teacher.  This is similar to the Christian belif in a single God..  The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path are core principles and philosophies of the faith.  All believe that Buddhahood is the highest possible state that can be achieved.  The different Buddhist religions are all united under some core Buddhist principles.

[Around 300 BC, the Theravada, or “Traditions of the Elders” was first established|The Theravada or "doctrine of the Elders" was established around 300 BC.].  [This religion centered around the teachings of Buddha and|Based on the teachings of Buddha, it] encouraged [the sangha (followers)|it's followers] to [use meditation as a means to teach the mind and eliminate suffering|teach the mind to eliminate suffering through the use of meditation] with the [ultimate goal of reaching Nirvana|goal of achieving Buddhahood].  Theravada Buddhism [gave life to the Tripitaka, the Pali|established the] canon of Buddhist [teachings|scriptures] and the [Ten Precepts which govern the lifestyle of Buddhist monks|laws governing the practices of Buddhist monks referred to as the Ten Precepts].

[This discipline of Buddhism|Theravada Buddhism] [originated in India|began in India] and [migrated to|moved through] southeast Asia into [Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Vietnam|Thailand, Burma, Vietnam, Sri Lanka] and other Asian countries.  [As it was adopted by the indigenous peoples|As this form of Buddhism was embraced by the indigenous people], the Theravada was [altered to incorporate|adapted to include] the religious [viewpoints|beliefs] of the various [geographic regions|regions]. [It is still practiced|this form of Buddhism is still popular] in [Sri Lanka, Laos and Cambodia|Laos, Sri Lanka and Cambodia] today.

[Mahayana, or Eastern Buddhism,|Eastern Buddhism known as Mahayana] [expands the Pali Canon and includes| broadens the Buddhist scriptures to include] other religious [texts and philosophies|philosophies and texts] that [encourage altruism and the need to live a life of universal compassion|champion of belief in universal compassion and altruism].  [This is central to their belief in|These beliefs are central to their concept of] an “Awakened mind.”  [Practiced primarily in China, Korea and Japan, Mahayana Buddhism|Mahayana Buddhism is most popular in Korea, Japan and China. It] incorporates elements of [mysticism and cosmology|cosmology and mysticism].  [Mahayana Buddhism itself|This form of Buddhism] has [splintered into two variants|divided into two main sects].  Zen Buddhism, which focuses more on internalization of the spiritual path and self-reliance and Pure Land Buddhism which teaches that dedication to the Amitabha Buddha is required to reach Nirvana.

[Although deeply influenced by Mahayana Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism or Vajrayana is another distinct discipline of the Buddhist faith.| Vajrayana or Tibetan Buddhism is very similar to Mahayana Buddhism with subtle variations].  [Also known as “tantric Buddhism,”|referred to as Tantric Buddhism,] Vajrayana [incorporates text and scriptures from both Mahayana and Theraveda Buddhism|melds the scriptures and text of both Mahayana and Theraveda Buddhism] along with Buddhist Tantras.  [A major difference of Vajrayana Buddhism is that it teaches that Buddhahood can be achieved in a single life time without need for reincarnation|Vajrayana teaches that it is possible to achieve Buddhahood in a single lifetime without the journey of reincarnation].  

[The method in which one achieves enlightenment is the most significant difference between the various types of Buddhism|The Path to Enlightenment and Buddhahood is the most significant difference between the various Buddhist disciplines].  [While all believe in the core principles of meditation and spiritual questing guided by the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, the attainment of Nirvana varies considerably|each value meditation and spiritual journey guided by the eightfold Path and the four Noble truths, but the attainment of Buddhahood differs in each version of the Buddhist faith].