dfulness, and concentration (Van Biema 75).
Buddhists live by Five Precepts, vowing not to kill, steal, lie, be unchaste, or consume drugs and intoxicants, and the three cardinal sins are passion, stupidity, and hatred (sometimes translated as greed, ignorance, and hatred).
Buddhism developed into three main sects: Theravada, Mahayana (which includes the subdivisions of Pure Land and Zen), and Vajrayana Buddhism. Estimates vary widely of the number of Buddhists worldwide, in part because of Communist suppression and in part because Buddhism is not an exclusive religion: "Buddhist practice can be maintained without leaving one's faith of birth" (Van Biema 76).
With very minor exceptions, Buddhism was largely confined to Asia and to small Asian enclaves established by immigrants to other parts of the world until the 20th century. Some interest had already been sparked by writings such as Edwin Arnold's book, The Light of Asia, or The Great Renunciation, Being the Life and Teachings of Gautama, Prince of In
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