Peace is within.
Siddhartha Gautama (c. 563–483 BCE), known as the Buddha (“the Awakened One”), was an ancient Indian spiritual teacher whose insights founded Buddhism, one of the world’s major religions. Rejecting both luxury and extreme asceticism, he taught the Middle Way, the Four Noble Truths, and the Noble Eightfold Path as practical means to end suffering (dukkha) and attain nirvana—liberation from the cycle of rebirth. His life and teachings have shaped philosophy, ethics, meditation, and culture across Asia and, in modern times, the globe.
Siddhartha was born in Lumbini (present-day Nepal) to Queen Mahamaya and King Suddhodana, ruler of the Shakya clan in the small republic of Kapilavastu. Tradition holds that his mother dreamed of a white elephant entering her side before birth, and he emerged from her right side, taking seven steps while lotuses bloomed beneath his feet—auspicious signs interpreted by court astrologers.
Raised in luxury within three palaces, Siddhartha excelled in martial arts, scholarship, and governance. At age 16, he married his cousin Yaśodharā, who later bore a son, Rāhula. His father, fearing a prophecy that Siddhartha would become a world-renouncing sage, shielded him from suffering, old age, sickness, and death.
At 29, Siddhartha ventured beyond the palace walls and encountered the Four Sights:
Profoundly shaken, he realized that wealth and pleasure could not prevent inevitable suffering. That night, he left his sleeping wife and child, cut his hair, donned simple robes, and became a wandering ascetic—known as the Great Renunciation.
Siddhartha studied under two prominent teachers:
Mastering both, he found these states temporary and unsatisfying. He then joined five ascetics practicing extreme self-denial: fasting until he reportedly touched his spine through his stomach. Near death, he accepted rice milk from a village girl, Sujata, realizing that neither indulgence nor starvation led to truth. This marked his embrace of the Middle Way.
At 35, Siddhartha sat beneath a pipal tree (now the Bodhi Tree) in Bodh Gaya, vowing not to rise until he attained full awakening. After 49 days of meditation, he overcame Mara (the personification of temptation and doubt) and realized the Three Knowledges:
At dawn, he became the Buddha, fully awakened.
For 45 years, the Buddha wandered northern India, teaching kings, merchants, outcastes, and ascetics alike. His first sermon, delivered at Sarnath to his former five companions, was the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (“Setting the Wheel of Dharma in Motion”), outlining:
He founded the Sangha—the monastic community—open to all castes and genders, though nuns (bhikkhunis) followed stricter rules. Key disciples included:
The Buddha emphasized direct experience over dogma, famously telling followers:
“Be a lamp unto yourselves. Work out your own salvation with diligence.”
| Concept | Summary |
|---|---|
| Four Noble Truths | 1. Suffering exists 2. Suffering arises from craving 3. Suffering can end 4. The path to end it is the Eightfold Path |
| Noble Eightfold Path | Right View, Intention, Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort, Mindfulness, Concentration |
| Three Marks of Existence | Impermanence (anicca), Suffering (dukkha), No-Self (anatta) |
| Dependent Origination | All phenomena arise in dependence; no inherent existence |
| Karma & Rebirth | Intentional actions shape future lives; liberation ends the cycle |
At 80, in Kushinagar, the Buddha announced his impending death. His last meal—offered by the blacksmith Cunda—may have caused food poisoning, though texts emphasize natural decline.
Lying between two sal trees, he entered meditative absorption and passed into parinirvana—final liberation beyond rebirth. His final words:
“All conditioned things are impermanent. Strive on with diligence.”
His body was cremated; relics were divided among eight clans, enshrined in stupas.
Buddhism spread rapidly after the Buddha’s death, evolving into:
Today, over 500 million people identify as Buddhist. The Buddha’s emphasis on mindfulness, compassion, and ethical conduct influences global meditation movements, psychology (e.g., MBCT), and interfaith dialogue. UNESCO-recognized sites like Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, and Kushinagar remain major pilgrimage centers.
The Buddha’s life exemplifies the transformative power of inquiry, discipline, and compassion—principles that continue to guide humanity toward wisdom and peace.