Gautam Buddha was one of the greatest religious teachers of the

world. He gave the message of truth, peace, humanity and equality. His
teachings and sayings became the basis of Buddhism, one of world’s
leading religions which are followed in some countries like Japan,
China, and Burma etc.

He is believed to have been born in Lumbini forests in Nepalese Terai

in the sixth century B.C. Before he became the Buddha (the
Enlightened), he was called Siddharth. His father’s name was
Suddhodana, who was the ruler of Kapilvastu. His mother’s name was
Maya Devi, who died soon after Siddharth’s birth.

Siddharth was a child with a contemplative bent of mind. He was

inclined towards meditation and spiritual pursuits much against the
wishes of his father. His father feared that Siddharth might leave home,
and so, kept tried to insulate him from the harsh realities of the world
outside by keeping him inside the palace all the time.

He even arranged his marriage with a beautiful princess Yashodhara

when he was 18. They had a son named Rahul. But all these could not
change the mind of young Siddharth.

The Buddhist traditions mention that when Siddharth encountered an

old man, a sick person and a dead body, he realized how short lived is
worldly passions and pleasures. Soon after he left his family and
Kingdom and went into the forest in search of peace and truth. He
wandered from place to place to gain knowledge. He met many scholars
and saints but he was not satisfied.

At last he started hard meditation bearing great physical suffering.

After six years of wandering and meditation Siddharth got enlightment
when he was sitting in meditation under a pipal tree in the town of
Ganges (Bihar).

Siddharth now got transformed into Buddha or the enlightened one at

the age of the thirty five. The pipal tree under which he got Enlightment
came to be known as Bodhi Vriksha.
Buddha attained what he wished for. He preached his first sermon in
Sarnath, near Varanasi. He taught that the world is full of sorrows and
people suffer on account of desire. Hence desires needed to be
conquered by following Eightfold Path. Of these eight paths, the first
three would ensure physical control, the next two ensures mental
control, and the last two would ensure intellectual development.

Buddha taught that the final goal of every Buddhist is the attainment
of ‘Nirvana’. ‘Nirvana’ could be attained neither by prayer nor by
sacrifice. It can be achieved by right kind of living and thinking. Buddha
did not speak of God and his teachings constitute more of a philosophy
and system of ethics than a religion. Buddhism affirms the law of
Karma by which a person’s action in life determines his status in future
incarnations.

Buddhism is identified with the principles of non-violence. The

Tripitika’ is a collection of Buddha’s teachings, life and philosophical
discourses on the teachings and the commentaries. Buddha attained his
Nirvana in Khushinagar (U.P.) in 483 B.C.