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Buddhism has inherent tenets to be accepted across cultures, and primarily this is the reason for its international expansion. Comment.

Buddhism emerged as the most potent religious reformmovement after the Vedic period. Buddha’s teaching revolves around the middle path, self-help,and eight-fold path to achieve Nirvana. This ultimate aim signifies the extinction ofdesire, greed, ignorance, attachment and sense of ego. Basic tenets of Buddhism  Avoid the two extremes of indulgence of worldly pleasure. Instead, follow Madhyam marg.  Individualism and Self-help – everyone is responsible for their happiness in life  Four noble truths and ashtanga-marga to achieve Nirvana are the basic things in Early Buddhism, while Mahayana stressed universal salvation with the help of Bodhisattva. Buddhism spread from its homeland in India to the rest of Asia. Buddhism has been significant in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, where Theravada has been dominant. Mahayana Buddhism flourished throughout central Asia and in Tibet, China, Japan and Korea. The main mechanism for the transmission of Buddhism have been

1. Religious and diplomatic missions backed by the patronage of powerful kings like Ashoka and Kanishka
2. The work of scholars and intellectuals
3. Trade and commerce.
4. Emigration.
5. Media and Communications networks.

Much religious syncretism of Buddhism blends itself with local indigenous religions  Buddhism gave an overarching moral code that can subsume local traditions into it  There is a scope for political, economic and social integration in most Buddhist teaching  There are no antagonistic feelings towards any other religion in its teaching  It offers liberal entry to ‘other’ people into the mainstream society  The inherent nature of Buddhism has been proselytizing Although Buddha declined considerably in the land of its birth and spread in its neighbouring countries, mostly in East Asia, a certain section of India still follows the path of Buddhism.