Siddhartha Gautama, who became known as the Buddha, was primarily motivated by his deep compassion towards human suffering. According to the traditional accounts of his life, he was born into a royal family and initially lived a life of luxury and privilege. However, upon encountering scenes of aging, illness, and death during outings from his palace, he was profoundly affected by the suffering inherent in human existence.
This realization prompted him to embark on a transformative journey in search of understanding, enlightenment, and a way to alleviate the suffering of both himself and others. His quest was not driven by a desire for power, wealth, fame, or recognition but rather by a sincere desire to discover the root causes of suffering and the path to liberation from it. Ultimately, his efforts led to his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, where he attained profound insight into the nature of existence and suffering, leading to the foundation of Buddhism.