samgha began to carry the words of Buddha far beyond the borders of India. Although this spread was crucial to the existence of Buddhism today, it also has proven to be its Achilles heel. As the religion spread to different cultures, different interpretations began to arise that were drastically different from those that were traditionally recognized as true. These eventually caused minor schisms within the religion resulting in several variations of traditional Buddhism. These variations proved to be much more exportable than religion of old, thus inhibiting further diffusion. As these new traditions strayed further and further away from their religious base, they began to pick up pieces of new cultures. This in turn would create new forms of the religion, further watering down its already diluted history. As the twenty-first century roles around it is hard, if not impossible to find a pure form of Buddhism. The tradition that has resisted change the best and is considered the closest to original Buddhism is Theravada, but even it as it expands and travels to America and other countries will confront the same cultural influences that have changed its counterparts. Another impact that the diffusion of Buddhism has had on the culture, is the way it is practiced today, compared to how it used to be practiced in history. Today, those who can be classified as mainstream Buddhist, this of course is excluding the few monastics that exist today, will allow a set number of minutes for their practice, or practice whenever they have a fleeting moment. These people have succumb to the everyday rigors of modern society. In the past, monks and other followers would devote days on end to meditation and search of enlightenment. The concept that can be held liable for the difference in the way Buddhism is practiced today, compared to how it used to be practiced is the plague of all religions, secularization. This idea has removed Buddhism from th...
