Buddhism is a global religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha. The Buddha lived and taught in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent (mostly in modern day Myanmar) in the 6th century BCE. He is recognized by Buddhists as an awakened or enlightened teacher who shared his insights on ending suffering by overcoming ignorance, rather than a god. Buddhism is the largest religion in the world with over 3.5 billion adherents. It is found mainly in Asia, Oceania, East, South and Central Africa, and is the fastest growing religion in the world.