Buddha

The title Buddha means Enlightened One or Awakened One. In Bhuddism, the Buddha refers to Siddhattha Gautama.



Buddha was born around 565 B.C. in Lumbini in modern day Nepal. His name 'Siddhattha Gautama,' means 'descendant of Gotama whose aims are achieved/who is efficacious in achieving aims', he later became the Buddha (literally Enlightened One or Awakened One). He is also commonly known as 'Shakyamuni' or 'Sakyamuni' (lit. "The sage of the Shakya clan") and as the Tathagata (lit. "thus come" or "thus gone"). Gautama was a contemporary of Mahavira.

Few of the details of the Buddha's life can be independently verified, and it is difficult to determine what is history and what is myth.