Buddha's beliefs are a reaction to  the Vedic beliefs. I believe Buddhism is based primarily off of Siddhartha's beliefs and teachings. Once he forced himself to suffer, and furthermore formed his perspective on life, people began to agree with him. His wholesome belief that people should not hold onto material things, and that nothing lasts forever was attractive to people. Once Buddha began to teach his beliefs, it spread vastly. Everything is connected, in history, and everything is constantly evolving. Buddhism has had a huge impact on the world, having over three hundred million practicers today. Like every religion, it has changed along the way. For example, the development of two schools the Theravada and the Mahayana enabled Buddha's word to be taught in different fashions.