Buddhism is the most popular religion in Southeast Asia and is the state-religion of Laos and Thailand. It is a philosophical and spiritual path that explores enlightenment through meditation, ethical disciplines, and natural therapy. It was born out of a mix of oral traditions and the recorded sayings of Buddha, dharma, and sutras. It is the most popular religion in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, and some areas of Laos, Burma, and northern Vietnam.
Buddhist faith is centered on the Buddhist philosophy, which holds that all things are impermanent, neither existing at a single time nor existing at many times; that we live in flux, constantly changing and evolving toward a state of ultimate peace and understanding, with each being a representation of different kalari (Buddhas) who are themselves manifestations of Buddha. It is estimated that somewhere between fifty and one hundred million people practice buddhism around the world, with the religion growing significantly in popularity in recent decades as more people seek enlightenment. The basic teachings of buddhism include a belief in karma (charity) as the basis for turning bad people into good ones, Buddhism as the path to enlightenment, and the idea of relying completely on Buddha for protection from karma and the forces of the universe. A major premise of the tradition is that bodhisattvas are pure beings guided by compassion who are capable of changing the karma of others in order to benefit themselves.
In this life, everything is impermanent and conditioned, and the nature of that impermanence is kamma. According to the philosophy of buddhism, kamma is the accumulated karmic force which binds the practitioner to the suffering caused by his or her actions, and by continuing to cling to that same suffering, the practitioner continues to accumulate more kamma. By practicing meditation in buddhism, one can learn how to let go of the kamma that binds him or her, and be reborn as something different, free from all the pains and fears of the present life. In doing so, one can experience sudden and miraculous transformations of both body and soul.