If Buddhism was a religion then sure, I wouldn't care if there were heaps of sects and quarrels etc..
I hoped when diving into Buddhism I would learn what Guatama the Buddha taught.

Reading translations of what is considered the earliest writings of the words of the buddha. The Pali tripitaka. I can't help but think there aren't that many buddhists around.

I can't find where he said that there are 84.000 different ways to enlightenment.
I can find where he mentions One 8-fold path out of suffering.

It appears The Buddha or the people who continued the Sanga after his death may have left step by step instructions on how exactly to do this.

With Love
Eelco