Among the greatest religious teachers of the world who gave the message of truth,peace,humanity and equality,Gautama Buddha os the foremost.He founded 'Buddhism',one of the world's leading religions.It is followed in China,Japan,Burma and the countries of South East Asia.
   Buddha's childhood name was Siddhartha and he was a child with a contemplative bent of mind.His father feared that siddhartha might leave home,and so,kept him busy in pleasurable activities.He even arrange his marriage with a beautiful princess Yashodhera when he was 18.But all these failed changing the mind of young Siddhartha .Passing on the road he once sighted,a sick person,an old man and a dead body which prfound reaction on his mind.So,one night at the age of 29,Sirddartha left his home quietly leaving his wife,son and all the royal comforts behind in search of peace and truth.He visited many places,met many scholars and saints but he was not satisfied.Then he started hard meditation bearing great physical suffering.After six years of wondering and meditation Siddhartha got enlightenment when he was sitting in meditation under a pipal tree in Gaya.Siddhartha now got transformed into 'Buddha' or 'enlightned' and the pipal tree under which he got enlightenment became Bodhi Tree.
   Buddha delivered his first sermon in Sarnath(near Varansi) before his five disciples who had earlier deserted him.Buddha taught that the root cause mankind's suffering was desire.People could get rid of the torment of desires by following the Eightfold Path:right belief,right thought,right speech,right action,right livelihood,right effort,right memory and right meditation.The rest 45 years of Buddha's life were spent in spreading his new faith.Buddha also attacked some religious and social practices of his times.He was also opposed to the caste system prevalent in Hindu society.Buddha attained Nirvana in Kushinagar (U.P.) in 483 B.C.
   Gautama Buddha was born in 563 B.C.,in the Lumbini forests in Nepalese Terai .
His father's name was Suddhodana,who was the ruler of Kapivastu and the chief of Sakya Clan.His mother's name was Maya Devi.A son,Rahula,was also born to him.
 
 
 
 
 

writen based on a research by
Calvin Chou