Who were the sramana and what is the general cultural context for Buddhism?
The sramana were people who dedicated their lives to finding answers to spiritual questions. The general cultural context for Buddhism is that it is not regarded as a revealed religion. Instead, those who believe in it ground the religion in human experience rather than divine. The basis of the religion is ridding the body of suffering through the use of the four noble truths and the eight fold path. With the aid of these rules people will essentially rid their lives of suffering and reach ultimate nirvana.
