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Buddhism differs from other religions in that Buddhism is, by definition, not really a religion at all. Buddhism is a profound philosophy who's teachings and revelations could be seen to border on the divine. Buddhism didn't really reach the status of religion until after the Buddha's death, at which time many of his followers came together and gave differing accounts of his teachings. The disciples then fractured themselves into the different schools of Buddhism, most notably the Mahayna, the Therevadan (also called Hinayana), and Vajrayana. These schools of thought gave rise to the religious aspects of Buddhism, which the world by and large have accepted as Buddhism proper.

Religions, as a rule, hold the belief in a divine creator, and usually look to him/her as the path of salvation. Buddhism, the original Dharma taught by Gautam Buddha himself, taught that only truth can lead to salvation. Truth is not something that can come from reading books, reciting Pali cannon, or listening at the feet of the Buddha himself. He even stated, on his death bed, that each of his disciples were to be "a light unto yourselves", meaning that they should look to no one but themselves for the path to salvation and Nirvana. Traditional religions hold dear to their ceremonies and prayers, but Buddha did not hold any love for ceremony. The ordination of a new monk often took place in private, at a time convenient for the monk. Buddha taught that the only things one must adhere to are the things one has learned without a doubt, to effect one's suffering and defeat it. All of Buddha's teachings were designed to be questioned as well. He made many references throughout his lifetime to not simply believing in something but examining it for yourself. The only religious trappings Buddhism has attained came from the unenlightened, those who have changed and modified every religion known to man, until it no longer resembled the original version. Buddhism, as such is not a religion, it demands not observance to ritual, only to truth. Buddhism demands not offerings of faith, but accepts offerings given out of love freely, Buddhism teaches us not to look upwards for salvation, but instead to look inward.

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