What is the story of Gautama Buddha?

The Buddha: prince, warrior, meditator, and finally enlightened teacher. The life of the Buddha, the "One Who is Awake" to the nature of reality, begins 2600 years ago in India, where the man Siddharta Gautama was born. read more

Gautama was born as a Kshatriya, the son of Śuddhodana,"an elected chief of the Shakya clan", whose capital was Kapilavastu, and who were later annexed by the growing Kingdom of Kosala during the Buddha's lifetime. Gautama was the family name. His mother, Maya (Māyādevī), Suddhodana's wife, was a Koliyan princess. read more

Siddhartha Gautama's Birth and Family The future Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, was born in the 5th or 6th century BCE in Lumbini (in modern day Nepal). Siddhartha is a Sanskrit name meaning"one who has accomplished a goal" and Gautama is a family name. read more