Buddhism has two camps, which revolve around the concept of rebirth---------------->
There is the orthodox camp that believes in rebirth in a very direct way but still paradoxical way. This camp's notions of rebirth would be similiar to Hindu reincarnation but with an important twist (which I will get to later)
Orthodox camp believes that a mind takes rebirth in different planes (five or six if I am not mistaken)
Realm of the Gods:
Human Realm:
Demi-God realm (Titans/Asuras)
Animal realm
Hungry-Ghost realm
Hell realm
So a mind according to its past Karma would cycle between these realms through different lives...One thing to note in some versions Demi-Gods and Gods are in a single realm following the example of Indo-European traditions. In the Vedas the Gods and Demi-Gos have periodic wars with each other while living in the same realm
Nirvana/Nibbana being outside of this cycle---->(something totally off the Scale)
Now about the important twist that I talked of earlier:
Buddhists of all hues are rather insistent (quite stupidly sometimes) that there is no soul, but still somehow rebirth functions in some way. They make the case that just as a flame can be passed from one candle to another without a single unitary flame actually travelling between candles, same way a mind travels from one body to another without actually travelling to another body
This is the type of Buddhist that makes temples, Stupas, ornately made meditation caves......The logic is to gain the favour of some Bodhisattva to gain a favourable rebirth next time....Technically Buddhists cannot pray to the Buddha since the Buddha attained Nirvana and doesnot exist in any heaven, hell or any other realm..Prayers can only be made to Gods or Bodhisattvas (near Buddhas who have deliberately put off Nibbanna to help other sentient beings)....
The one problem with the orthodox rebirth theory would be that they are rather insistent on one-to-one rebirth...but a single candle in a single moment can light up multiple other candles...so if there is no soul, a mind can take rebirth in multiple bodies upon death
So this problem was never resolved in Buddhist history.....
Nibbana means to literally "blow-out" , when you extinguish the flame so that there is no way to pass it on any more to other candles
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The second more rational version of Buddhism (Zen and very obscure ascetic sects within Theravada) would see rebirth in a different way...They see rebirth in a moment to moment sense ....So within the same hour you may cycle through Godly realm, human realm, animal realm, hungry ghost realm, hell etc depending upon your mindstate
Here Nibbanna would be complete cessation of feelings and discursive thoughts no matter whatever the situation
The aesthetics of such sort of Buddhism would find its expression in pristine clean meditation halls, monasteries, Japanese Gardens, curated rice fields and less in statues, temples etc
Ohh and Dependent Origination is a REALLY Big Deal in all forms of Buddhism...Kind of like the Buddhist Tawheed
