Buddhist philosophy deals extensively with problems in metaphysics, phenomenology, ethics and epistemology. Buddhism is a religion and philosophy with approximately 230 to 500 million disciples worldwide, the vast majority residing in Asia. It consist of two foremost schools: Mahayana and Theravada. However, there are several other sects besides these. Buddhism is based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha, who lived circa 5th century BCE in ancient India, in parts of what is now Nepal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, on the northeastern Indian subcontinent. While there is disagreement between denominations over the Buddha`s teachings, almost every Buddhist recognises some version of the Tipitaka (Three Baskets), though it plays a far more fundemental role in Theravada Buddhism than in Mahayana Buddhism.

Since ancient times, Buddhism has utilised philosophy as a means to comprehending moral and what it means to live a meaningful life without repents in the end. Unlike most religions, Buddhism generally has no creator God. Buddhists are of the faith that people are all born with the ability to stand out and be all they can be. Buddhism rejects certain orthodox philosophical concepts. The Buddha is believed to have questioned all concepts of metaphysical being and non-being, and this criticism is considered by some to be unseparable from the founding of Buddhism.

Buddhism is a religious canon that propagates religious tolerance. It promotes the concepts of anicca, anatta and dependent origination. It is important for an individual to rise above the mundane attachments to attain salvation. The ways to attain it are laid down by the founder of this path-Buddha. His principles, teachings and philosophy are the ways through which one can be liberated.

Buddhism in India
Equipped with a huge history of evolvement, Buddhism in India was, quite obviously, initiated by Gautama Buddha. His transformation from the resplendent king to a common ascetic, and his thoughts and beliefs that he propagated later, forms the basis of the religion. With his version of the Four Noble Truths, people were hugely attracted to the religious princicples of Buddhism. After his demise, in absence of a successor, several Buddhist Councils came into existence, to solev the oral teachings of the Buddha. However, with the gradual rise of the religion in Asia, and empires like, Mauryan, or Kushan, Buddhism witnessed an escalating rise amongst the common man and sufficirnt fulfilment. The later stages, its decline and again sufficient rise during the British era with the Mahabodhi Society, Buddhism is still existing with full splendour.

Tripitaka, Buddhist philosophy
Believed to be one of the earliest compilations of Buddha`s teachings, tripitaka are the teachings or discourses that were penned in leaves and later sewed into baskets. These also state the Pali canon. However, during the initial times, tripitaka was delivered orally. The First Buddhist Council had decided the contents of the preachings, in the presence of Mahakashypa.

Vinaya Pitaka, Buddhist philosophy
Included in the Tripitaka section of Buddhist sermons and preachings, Vinaya Pitaka comprises a set of rules stressed by Buddha, that is meant to be followed by the nuns and monks to lead a restricted monastic life. Sadly, only six versions survive to the present times. The initiations of Vinaya Pitaka can be traced to the First Buddhist Council, and recited by Upali, Buddha`s oldest disciple. Each section also contained a story of its origin.

Sutra Pitaka, Buddhist philosophy
Included in the prestigious Pali Canon of Buddhist scriptures, Sutra Pitaka is known to contain more than 10,000 doctrines of the enlightened being, Gautama. It also states about the exact principles of the Buddhist way of life. It is contained of five niyakas or collections of Pali and Sanskrit sutras.

Abhidhamma Pitaka, Buddhist philosophy
Abhidhamma Pitaka can be regarded as a novel scripture compilation among the three pitakas, with its planned group of preachings by the Buddha. Containing even more issues on Buddhism, like psychology and metaphysics, this pitaka has the unusual quality of becoming understandable to every layman. Traditionally, abhidhamma is also looked at as the `absolute teaching`. Buddha is known to have conceptualised this pitaka just after his enlightenment, later delivering it to oen of his chief disciples.

Contents of Abhidhamma Pitaka, Buddhist philosophy
The most scholarly and comprehensible book amongst the three pitakas, Abhidhamma Pitaka is exclusively separated into seven parts. Each of them deals with diverse and abstract issues, listed in a sutra format. They contain topics like - unclassified categorisations of the matika (matrix), mind, material form, the five aggregates, lists of synonyms, debates on doctrine, and phenomenon of roots and arising.

The Three Marks of Existence, Buddhist philosophy
The Dharma seals of Buddhist teachings refer to three basic characteristics of the factual, physical world that can be distinguished as `the three marks of existence`. Each of them are related to humanity in general, other than nirvana. These three comprise: anicca or impermanence, dukkha or unsatisfactoriness, and anatta or impersonality. Each of them go on to explain the drawbacks or the shortcomings of the existing world, that can be averted if oen achieves nirvana.

Anicca, Buddhist philosophy
One of the foremost important subject in the day-to-day existence according to the Buddha`s teachings is Anicca, or the doctrine of impermanence. Every kind of physical phenomena of the material world is subject to change, further change, and finally disintegration. This happens because everything is transient, wavering and irregular. A phenomenon that begins is bound to come to an end, and cease to act. A mere human cannot ever control it according to his/her wishes, because he is himself is bound to fall sick and ultimately die. Thus, the Buddhists never believe in the concept of a permanent soul.

Dukkha, Buddhist philosophy
Just to merely state the Sanskrit or Pali tern `dukkha` as suffering is underestimation of the thought that lies hidden in this grim concept of Buddha. With utmost determination one generally likes to acquire the object of desire, and then with time gets bored or dissatisfied with it. A thing that has already been acuqired brings happiness, but one yearns for more. And if, at this point of time one is incapable of obtaining it, it brings with it the feelings of depression, fear and dejection. Every kind of ill-feel can only be done away with, if one can attain nirvana by exhaustive practice of meditation.