Religion

Country
of Origin

Founder

Sacred
Text

Basic Beliefs

Where Found
Today

Buddhism

India.

Siddhartha
Gautama
(Buddha).

Tripitaka.

~Selfishness
causes
suffering.
~4 Noble
Truths.
~Follow Middle
Way.
~Nirvana
(perfect peace,
achieved by
following
Middle Way).

Mainly found in
Southeast Asia,
but also in other
places.

Hinduism

Northern
India
(around
4,000 years
ago).

No specific
founder
(lost track
over time).

The Vedas.

Mostly in India.

Shintoism

Japan.

None.

None.

Confucianism
(Considered more
of a philosophy
than a religion)
Islam

China.

Confucius.

~The Four
Books.
~The Five
Classics.

~Monotheistic,
but many forms
of Brahman.
~Reincarnation.
~Caste system.
~Karma.
~Worship
kami= spirits in
nature (nature
must be
protected).
~Treat others
how you want
to be treated
(Golden Rule)

Southwest
Asia.

Muhammad.

Koran
(Quran).

5 Pillars:
~Pray 5 times a
day.
~Pilgrimage to
Mecca.
~Give to
charity.
~Fasting during
Ramadan.
~Profession of
faith.

Worldwide
(fastest growing
religion in the
world).

Japan.

China.