Video - Buddha's Journey: From Royalty to Enlightenment

Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as the Buddha, was born around 563 BCE in Lumbini, in present-day Nepal. He was born into a royal family and lived a sheltered life of luxury. Despite his father's efforts to keep him away from the harsh realities of life, Siddhartha encountered the "Four Sights" during trips outside the palace: an old man, a sick person, a dead body, and an ascetic. These experiences deeply affected him and made him realize the pervasiveness of suffering. Determined to find a way to end suffering, Siddhartha renounced his royal life and embarked on a spiritual quest. He practiced severe asceticism but found it insufficient. Eventually, he meditated under a Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya and attained enlightenment, becoming the Buddha, or "the Awakened One." After his enlightenment, the Buddha began teaching others what he had discovered. His first sermon at Deer Park in Sarnath laid out the core of his teachings: the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. These teachings formed the foundation of Buddhism, emphasizing the cessation of suffering through ethical living, meditation, and wisdom. The Buddha spent the rest of his life traveling and teaching, gaining a large following. He passed away at the age of 80 in Kushinagar, India, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire millions around the world.