Shifu’s reference is the Buddhism

Buddhism is a widespread Asian religion or philosophical tradition based on a series of original teachings attributed to Gautama Buddha. It is the world's fourth-largest religion with over 520 million followers, or over 7% of the global population, known as Buddhists. As expressed in the Buddha's Four Noble Truths, the goal of Buddhism is to overcome suffering caused by desire and ignorance of reality's true nature, including impermanence and the non-existence of the self. Most Buddhist traditions emphasize transcending the individual self through the attainment of Nirvana or by following the path of Buddhahood, ending the cycle of death and rebirth.

Two major extant branches of Buddhism are generally recognized by scholars: Theravāda (Pali: "The School of the Elders") and Mahāyāna (Sanskrit: "The Great Vehicle"). Theravada has a widespread following in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. Mahayana, which includes the traditions of Zen, Pure Land, Nichiren Buddhism, Tiantai Buddhism, and Shingon, is practised prominently in Nepal, Malaysia, Bhutan, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Taiwan.