Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gautama, was a spiritual leader and the founder of Buddhism. According to traditional accounts, Siddhartha was born in the 6th century BCE in Lumbini, which is now located in modern-day Nepal. He was born into a royal family as the son of King Suddhodana and Queen Maya.
Siddhartha lived a life of luxury and privilege in his early years, shielded from the harsh realities of the outside world. However, it is said that he became deeply troubled by the suffering and the transience of human life after encountering the "Four Sights" during a series of chariot rides outside the palace. The four sights included an old man, a sick man, a dead body, and a wandering ascetic. These encounters prompted him to renounce his princely life in search of spiritual truth and enlightenment.
Siddhartha then embarked on a spiritual journey, leaving behind his family, wealth, and princely status. He studied under various spiritual teachers and practiced extreme asceticism for a time. However, he eventually abandoned this path, realizing that neither extreme indulgence nor extreme asceticism could lead to spiritual liberation.
Finally, after years of rigorous spiritual practice and meditation, Siddhartha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India. This marked the beginning of his role as the Buddha, meaning the "Enlightened One" or the "Awakened One." He spent the rest of his life teaching the principles of Buddhism, emphasizing the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path as the means to achieve liberation from suffering and attain enlightenment. His teachings have since had a profound impact on the spiritual and philosophical landscape of the world.
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