Buddhism is one of the world's major religious traditions, with the majority of its influence in south and southeastern Asia. The History of Buddhism is the Story of one man's spiritual journey to Enlightenment, and of the teachings and ways of living that developed from it. Siddhartha Gautama - The Buddha. During its roughly 2.5 millennia of history, Buddhism has shown a flexible approach, adapting itself to different conditions and local ideas while maintaining its core teachings.