Almost 90 percent of Myanmar's population practices Buddhism, a major religion with some 300 million followers worldwide. Its two main branches are the Theravada and Mahayana doctrines. While Theravada Buddhism focuses on individual enlightenment, the Mahayana tradition seeks to bring salvation to all humans. One main difference between Mahayana and Theravada is that in the former, the Buddha of the future Meitrya plays a significant role and not in the latter, which focuses on the teachings of Gautama Buddha. A Buddhist monk, the Agga Mha Panditta Ashin Thittila put it this way;
Theravada Buddhism is not a religion in a sense in which that word is commonly understood, it is not a system of faith or worship. It is a path to follow for harmonious living and its essence is Metta, loving kindness to all creature and self.
Buddhism began about 2,5oo years ago. Buddha means "Enlightened One" and refers to northern Indian prince Siddharta Gautama (c. 563-483 B.C.). Prince Siddharta left a life of privilege to wander the world as a poor, religious man in search of the meaning of life. After many years of seeking and a period of intense meditation, he finally reached a peaceful state of mind that was free from all worldly desires. Buddhists call this plane of existence nirvana, or the state of Enlightenment.