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The Buddha did not state that 'the Soul is non-existent'. To him this was just one of the two extremes, specifically the extreme of annihalationism (in contrast with the belief in Self, or eternalism). Kaccanagotta Sutta
Or, as Nagarjuna put it:
If intrinsic nature does not exist, of what will there be alteration? If intrinsic nature does exist, of what will there be alteration?
The Buddha's message was one of the middle ground - neither 'Exists', nor 'does not Exist' are valid constructs for examining experience. In fact, they are inferred concepts that veil a directly perceivable, dependently originated experience.
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Answer to 1st Question: Everything has condition. The only thing without condition is Nibbana.
You might want to look at these suttas regarding your questions.
MN35 Cullasaccaka Sutta and MN38 Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta
MN35 is about a debate between Buddha and Saccaka disciple of Nigantha Nataputta.
MN38 is about the view of a monk name Sati about his wrong view that a soul is moving from one to another.
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Answer to 2nd Question: Buddha is not a god, Buddha's a human being. Buddha's not a preacher, Buddha's a teacher.
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"The Blessed One is worthy and rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.'
Regarding Sect, You might want to read "A concise history of Buddhism by Andrew Skilton"
hope this helps
With Metta
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Your doubting just Buddhism in the 2nd part of the question.
Buddhism and The Buddha's teaching aren't necessarily the same thing.
It Isn't the Buddha's fault that there was a schism.
If I were you I would look to the Buddha's actual core teachings for verification. He repeated these core teachings over and over again.
These core teachings are solid and beautiful the way they are fashioned.
All the concepts fit together in a simple, clear, graceful, wise, subtle and serious way imho. When one see's this grace of the Dhamma, it's hard to doubt.
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Buddhism rejects the concept of soul (soul is viewed as an extension of the identity - oneself). Most people find it difficult to comprehend as people are used to think in terms of tangible, or countable items/concepts. This is why most people have trouble in understanding what karma is.
Karma is sometimes referred to as 'Kamma wega' which is a form of thinking that is much easier to understand. Simply put, your thoughts/actions translates to karma. If you take a Newton's Pendulum, provide energy to one end, the rest of the pendulums will transfer energy to the next. But there is no physical transformation apart from the energy. In a similar manner, what you do, will create karma which would determine your next life (and events in this as well). Your thoughts/actions translate into karma, which has the capability of affecting you in this life and many others to come. This is how the world works, be it you belief or not. This is a universal law to all beings in all 31 planes of existence. This is an endless cycle. Which means that you cannot ever complete the process. That is why Buddhism urges to break the cycle rather than trying to complete it.
Budhdha is not a god. He is a man. A human being who has achieved the ultimate mental state anyone can achieve, without the help of any master. That is why he is known Samma Sambudhdha.
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A person is a Dependently Arisen process. Actions [Karma] will influence the direction which the process takes [positive and negative conditioning], hence influence rebirth. There is no permanent core [soul] which is a store of Karma.
The Buddha is someone who found the truth of regarding existence and compassionately taught it so being can come out of their misery.