Introduction“He who knows one, knows no one.” This is a great observation made by Max Müller. It is exceptional because it invites scholars to study other religions besides their own. As a theologian or religious student, it is important and necessary for us to understand beyond the safe and comfortable space. That is, being open-minded and learning beyond our own religion. Why is this so? Because this allows us to tolerate, sympathize, and be objective and critical of religion as a whole and of our own faith as an individual. According to the natural law of cause and effect, nothing in this world could have grown from the void, there must be some germs there that give rise to one thing or another. This is the same with Buddhism. It is a fact that Buddhism was founded by Gautama (the Buddha) in the land of India. However, what gave rise to Buddhism and why did the Buddha reject other ideologies of his time such as hedonism and asceticism and develop his own principle called “the Middle Way”? To answer the above questions, this essay examines the teachings that existed during the era of the Buddha (6th century BC), through careful study of contemporary schools of thought and practice such as Brahmanism, Ājīvika, Lokāyata, l 'Agnostic (Ājñāna) and Jainism. In terms of text and context, in order to understand the Buddha's teaching, it is crucial to understand his background, the society and the environment in which he lived. It is also important to know the previous and contemporary teachings of his time. And by studying these areas we would have better knowledge and be enlightened as to why the Buddha chose the Middle Way. Vedic tradition Talking about Indian religion, there is a tradition preceding the Vedic... middle of paper.... ..Press, 1998.Pandit, Moti Lal. The Buddhist vision of knowledge and reality. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 2008.Porter, J.H. “Caste in India.” American Anthropologist 8, no. 1 (1 January 1895): 23–30. Possehl, Gregory L. The Indus Civilization: A Contemporary Perspective. Rowman Altamira, 2002. Ramacharaka. The inner teachings of the philosophies and religions of India. The Yogi Publishing Society, 1909. http://archive.org/details/innerteachingsp00ramagoog.Upadhyaya, K. N. Early Buddhism and the Bhagavadgita. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1971. Walters, J. Donald. The Hindu way of awakening: its revelation, its symbol, an essential vision of religion. Crystal Clarity Publishers, 1998.Warder, AK Indian Buddhism. Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 2004.Woodburne, AS “The Idea of ​​God in Hinduism”. The newspaper of religion 5, n. 1 (January 1, 1925): 52–66.