Siddhartha Gautama was a prince born around the 6th century BCE in what is now modern-day Nepal. He was born into the Shakya clan, within a royal family in the city of Lumbini. His father, King Suddhodana, ruled the Shakya tribe, and his mother was Queen Maya. According to traditional accounts, Siddhartha lived a life of luxury and privilege within the palace, sheltered from the sufferings of the world.
Before becoming the Buddha, Siddhartha was married to Yasodhara, and they had a son named Rahula. Despite his privileged life, he felt a deep sense of unease and discontent about the nature of existence. At the age of 29, he ventured outside the palace and encountered the realities of aging, sickness, and death, often referred to as the "Four Sights." These encounters profoundly impacted him and spurred his quest for understanding and enlightenment.
Seeking to find a way to eliminate suffering, Siddhartha left his royal life, including his family, to pursue a spiritual path. He practiced extreme asceticism and studied under various teachers in the pursuit of spiritual knowledge. Ultimately, disillusioned with extreme austerity, he adopted a more balanced approach, which led him to meditate under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India, where he attained enlightenment and became the Buddha, meaning "the Awakened One." After his enlightenment, he began teaching the principles of Buddhism, focusing on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path as a guide for overcoming suffering and achieving spiritual liberation.
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