Buddhism is a lot of things to a lot of people - spanning many cultures, countries and traditions. It has a complex and branching history, which is something that you could reasonably expect given its history of some 2500+ years.

As such, there's practically no way to write on this topic in a way that's compatible with absolutely everything Buddhism has become over the years. So, I want to take the opportunity here to make it clear: it's absolutely not my intention to offend anyone or leave anyone with the impression that their own systems or beliefs are incorrect. I have a great deal of respect for the different schools of Buddhism, and don't personally identify with any one individual school.

I ultimately believe that there's a core wisdom shared between all branches of Buddhism, and thereafter there are aspects to each of the prevailing schools from which we can glean insight.

In closing:

This is my vantage point; one of many.

In general, I would encourage you to seek more than one source on topics you are interested in, and don't lean too heavily on what any one-person has to say. This also applies to what I write here on this website.