Islam and Buddhism/ Late

Today in class we talked more about the five major religions. We learned that the Islam people travel to Mecca(the birth place of Muhammad) and Medina which are both in Saudi Arabia. These two places are the holyest places in their religion. The main figure in Buddhism is Siddhartha Gautama who lived from 563 BC to 483 BC. He was seen as an enlightment teacher who sought to end suffering among sentient beings, and to help eliminate ignorance and craving, thus achieving nirvana( the highest happiness). He is know as Buddha which means "the enlighted one." Buddhism is niether monotheistic nor polytheistic becuase nirvana is achieved form within. They have no holy book but adherents believe in the Four Noble Truths. The four noble truths are suffering is an ingrained part of existance; the origin of sufferring is craving for sensuality, acquistition of identity, and annihilation; suffering can be ended; the was to end suffering is by following the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path  is rightview, right intention, right speech, right action, right livihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Their are 376 million Buddhist in the world. The mostly live in China, Japan, Mongolia, and South Western Asian Countries.