Buddha

The Story

Born a prince in Lumbini, Siddhartha was shielded from the world's sorrow by his father. When he finally rode out of the palace, he saw an old man, a sick man, a corpse, and an ascetic — and the four sights shattered his sheltered life. At twenty-nine he left wife, child, and throne to seek the answer to suffering.

After six years of extreme asceticism that taught him only the futility of extremes, he sat under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, vowing not to rise until he understood. At dawn he attained enlightenment — and in the deer park at Sarnath, near Varanasi, he gave his first sermon, setting in motion the wheel of dharma.

He taught for forty-five years, walking the roads of north Bhārat with his monks, preaching compassion, mindfulness, and the Middle Path between indulgence and austerity. He died at Kushinagar, aged eighty, telling his followers: 'All composite things decay — strive diligently.' His religion spread across Asia, and his teaching of peace became a world heritage.