Gautama
Buddha was born in 563 B.C. in northeast India.
The Buddha was the son of the King of the Sakyas, Suddhodana, who ruled at
Kapilavastu, on the border of Nepal. His mother was Queen Maya. He was named
Siddhartha. He lived amidst the pleasures of palace life and at age 16 he was
married to Princess Yasodhara. They had a son named Rahula.
After seeing a decrepid old man, an invalid, and an ascetic beggar, he learned
of suffering and decided to embrace asceticism.
Soon afterwards, at age 29, Siddhartha left the palace and his family and went
to a hermitage where he became the monk Gautama, or, as he is still called,
Sakyamuni (The ascetic of the Sakyas).
One day, meditating under a sacred figtree, he attained perfect illumination
(Bodhi). He had become a Buddha. From there on he traveled and preached for 44
years what was to become one of the main religions of the world.
He died at Kusinagara at age 80.
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